proved by statistical evidence from excep- palling result of their stupidity, impiously

tional sources.

The expense of power to propel the dead weight of the modern locomotive, is, in itself no insignificant item; just what the expense of this waste of power amounts to, I will leave to the scientific corps to demonstrate, being myself satisfied to show the plainer sums of loss. There are 15,000 locomotives in this country; each of whose gross weight, as compared with engines in the same service twenty-five years ago, will average an increase of ten tons-equal to 150,000 tons, which, at the present price of merchantable iron would amount to 9,000000 of dollars, or about one-fourth of one per cent interest on the entire bond and stock indebtedness of all the railways in America.

arraigned the Almighty for producing ele ments to destroy property, and cause humanity to shudder at his atrocity.

Let us now examine the "long run" system adopted, and from the vast array of figures made by the order of the Motive Power Manager of Locomotive Performance, see if we cannot successfully prove that long runs are not in the interests of economy; and by using their published tables of mileage and cost per mile run, I certainly cannot be accused of exaggeration. Of fifteen railways that run their machinery 150 miles (or more) per continuous trip, the average mileage for the year 1877, per engine, was less than 29,000 miles, at an average cost per mile run, of 17.87 cents; while upon the same number of Think of it, sorrowing investors in Amer- roads that ran their engines 100 miles (or ican railway securities, and charge it up less) per continuous trip, the mileage was to the stupidity of managers. Again, the in- 31,000 miles per engine, at an average cost of creased weight of motive power has neces- 16.02 cents per mile. I have before me the sitated the replacing of the then sufficiently table of locomotive performance of a railheavy track bars of fifty-four pounds per way only fifty miles in length, for each yard, by those weighing not less than sixty month of the year 1877, and the total milepounds per yard, which is equal to 844,800 age of eight engines was 258,600 miles, or tons, costing $53,792,000, which amount 32,325 miles each, at a cost of 10.88 cents per would pay an interest of seven-eighths of mile; and this total cost includes all charges one per cent. on the total bond and stock for repairs, fuel, oil, waste, and wages of indebtedness of all our railways. Note this, engineer, fireman, wipers and watchmen, indigent shareholders, and ere we leave the and superintendence; and during the year subject let us see if we cannot illuminate one of these engines underwent extraordiyour darkened understanding and deter-nary repairs in the shops of a connecting mine the cause of the non-productiveness road, which of course charged a profit beof your investments.

This increased dead weight has also caused the renewal of bridges and trestles with a heavier and more expensive class, the cost of which I have not sufficient data upon which to submit an estimate, but all will agree that it is of no inconsiderable amount, and notable instances are recorded, that certain bridges, which, when erected were regarded as perfectly reliable and sufficiently strong to endure the strain of lighter machinery, have failed under the weight of the monster modern machine, burying beneath their ruins hundreds of thousands of dollars of shareholders' property, and hurling to their death the living freight they had promised a safe transport; and managers, when called upon to witness this ap

yond the actual cost, and the other seven
engines were so closely watched, any stitch
in time taken, that they were all in actual
better running repairs at the expiration of
the year than at the beginning. On this
road the wages of engineers was $3.50 per
day, while connecting roads paid $4.00 per
day for longer runs; and yet, on the short
road those men netted better wages than
their long run brethren, for the reason that
they were not compelled to pay from fifty
cents to seventy-five cents per day away
from home, as was the case with the $4.00
men. If any farther testimony is needed,
I would refer the managers to their own
tabular statements, which show that the
greatest mileage made by their own en-
gines was by those that were used on short

runs between the cities and suburban sta- not the direct result of fast running. tions; and that the expense of repairs was Faulty construction of bridges-or if perless upon these engines than upon those fect in design and workmanship, when the making the long runs. The cause of this timbers had become rotted by age, or the result is found to be, that the short-run en-iron crystallized by repeated blows and gines are more frequently examined and the action of weather-rotten and worththe stitch in time taken that prevented what would inevitably lead to more expensive repairs if neglected.

less cross-ties, insufficient rail-joint supports-worn-out frogs, and misplaced guard-rails, had nothing to do with it-fast The principal reasons given by the advo- running was the only cause; every expecates of the long run system, that it is in dient that science and cunning could dethe interest of economy, are: first, saving vise has been resorted to, to detect trainof time in frequent changing of engines; men in fast running. Spies have been and second, that short runs necessitate placed upon trains-agents and telegraph the frequent drawing of fires-consequent operators have been placed under surveilwaste of fuel--and that boilers and por- lance-superintendents and road-masters tions of the machinery are injured, their have hidden away in some deserted outvitality weakened, and durability de- building, under bridges, behind trees-lain creased, by frequent cooling off and heat-prone upon their backs behind a log-to ing up the result of too rapid contraction detect train-men and punish them for exand expansion of metals. No intelligent engineer will say that this is not true, in view of the manner in which engines on short roads are usually handled; but they believe these serious objections can be entirely overcome by proper management and care. To sum up in this branch of the subject, I desire to submit the following to all whom it may concern:

ceeding the schedule rate of speed; and latterly an ingenious device, known as a "speed-recorder," has been adopted by Managers, to assist them in locating and punishing the guilty operatives who insist, at times, in stretching the rate prescribed.

A great many locomotives purchased during the war cost $50,000; that is, the manufacturers' price was $30,000, and they were paid in bonds at forty per cent. dis count. Hence it would seem to be advisable, if actuated by the spirit of true economy, that these expensive, perishable investments be made to earn as much as possible during their natural period of usefulness. Do the Managers contend that they had this in view when they adopted the "slow speed system"? By slow speed I mean the very slow rate indicated by time schedules for freight trains on the trunk lines, which is about nine miles per hour, including stops, for ordinary freight trains. The slow speed system has been adopted or forced upon the managements by the theoretical conclusions of the hereinbefore mentioned scientific corps, who never lose an opportunity to utter or reiterate their stereotyped objections to high speed; and in their judgment there has never been an accident or derailment of a train that was

Every locomotive engineer knows that slow speed has necessitated the reduction of the number of cars and tonnage hauled by each engine, increased the consumption of fuel, and increased the expense of maintenance of way by the excessive use of sand in keeping trains moving upon inclines at slow speed, and increased the expense of transportation by reducing the number of cars per train.

Having endeavored to show the disadvantages and increased expense of slow speed so far as it relates to the locomotive, let us call attention to the effects of the system upon the freight car department.

It is estimated that there are 375,000 freight-carrying cars used upon our railways, and it is well known that only about one-third of this number are kept in motion-the other two-thirds being detained along the lines, on sidings, held in reserve, or at warehouses and stations, being loaded or unloaded at the convenience of the shipper or consignee-no effort being made to hurry the process or keep the cars in motion. The advocates of the slow speed system contend that the maintenance of

any speed exceeding twelve miles an hour is attended with increased cost of transportation, and a much slower method would produce economical results.

Let us convict them out of their own mouths. The Superintendent of one of the best managed and most successful "Special Freight Lines" says that during the year 1877, with 700 cars in their line, they transported a greater tonnage, at greater net profit, than did the managers of the lines over which these special cars ran, with 2200

cars.

ous but criminally reckless; and the records of the appalling accidents to passenger trains, and the de-railment of freight trains furnish abundant evidence that a large proportion of accidents have occurred only when the permanent way was unsound and unsafe for the passage of trains; and it is a fallacy born of scientific ignorance, that high speed increases the liability to accident, or that damage to superstructure is more positive.

There are circumstances, however, when the lamination of rails and bridges is inHow did you accomplish this result, Mr. creased by high speed. These conditions Superintendent? Simply, sir, by securing are frequent, and is the basis of the argufast schedule rates, and employing good ment of the Engineer Corps. I refer to agents at generous salaries, to keep our cars the too common and altogether wanton moving. Again, said the President of an- neglect of trucks that carry ordinary other special line: "We made a greater freight cars-trucks with wheels attached mileage and tonnage with 900 special cars whose periphery will approach a true cirat fast speed, than did the managers of cle about as nearly as does the boundarylines over which our cars ran, with 2700 line of the State of New Hampshire, and in cars." What system have you, sir, that whose construction there has not been any enables you to obtain so much better re- provision made to relieve the repeated sults than ordinarily shown by railway blows of a flat wheel by introducing in its managers? "We keep our cars moving at proper place some kind of a yielding the highest speed that we can get the man- spring. These conditions will, beyond a agers to accord us:" and to add the most question, contribute to the expense of mainconclusive and silencing argument against taining permanent way, and will successslow speed, is the published fact, that the fully destroy track. This unsafe condition only lines of freight in this country that of tracks is the result of neglect by those earned a revenue for the owners during the persons chosen to care for the car departpast year were the fast freight lines. As-ment, and it is a marvel that these destruc. suming that with the present dilatory and tive and defective cars are allowed to move shambling manner of handling freights, along the lines at any speed. In no other and the execrable eight mile an hour sys-country but enlightened, scientific America. tem; that it requires 375,000 cars to do the freight carrying trade of the country, a well managed system of handling and an increased speed to eighteen or twenty miles per hour, would reduce the number of cars to about 150,000, which, at an aver-evidence of an unwise policy. cost of $500 each, would amount to about $113,000,000, or three per cent. interest on the total stock and bond indebtedness of American railways. Under certain expressed conditions, slow speed is not only in the interests of economy, but an imperative necessity. These conditions exist when the department controlled by the scientific corps has been badly managed; when the permanent way is in such dilapidated condition that high speed is not only danger

would such dangerous rolling stock be permitted to be used.

Here, again, the system adopted of dividing the general care of properties into several departments, is bearing annual

The chief of each department is commanded by the manager to exercise the utmost economy in the expenditures of his. department. They are not required to have in view the general welfare of the corporation they serve-their talents must be exercised in devising means to cheapen the cost of the property they have in charge, and with this single idea constantly before them, they care but little how much they increase the expense of other depart

ENCOURAGE A LOVE FOR THE

BEAUTIFUL.

ALBANY, March 17, 1878. MESSRS. EDITORS: I have often been re

article for the JOURNAL; and as each month I peruse its contents, I think I will. But the question arises, what shall I write about? I know no more of the working of an engine than I do of politics; and as I am not strong minded, or in other words, do not belong to the order of woman's rights, I give myself little trouble about public matters, except a desire that some time justice may be done to all; and to hasten this millennium, pay my taxes regularly.

ments, being content to show economy in their own. The Superintendent of Motive Power is pleased with a system that permits him to rate the power of his machinery vastly below its capacity. He would be de-quested by those in authority to write an lighted if his charge could run over the road, make a large figure in mileage and haul nothing but empty cabooses. The amount the power earns he has nothing to do with earnings do not come within the scope of his jurisdiction. He points with a degree of pride consistent with the native modesty of his class, to increased mileage and decreased cost per mile run, but not one of them can tell you how much the power earned during the month. The Master of Car Repairs knows that flat Now, there is one thing I do know, and wheels, rigid, unyielding trucks, are dam- that is, every true woman loves a pleasant aging to superstructure, yet he is willing home and pretty garden. To make our that the engineering department should gardens pretty we spend hours at hard suffer if it will lighten the expense of his work in the Spring over our seedlings, charge. His side of the account is increas- bulbs and slips, and as soon as the garden ed whether the car earns a dollar or not, is in order, we begin to arrange for our and he cannot tell you how much a single winter plants; we rest all that have bloomed car in his department has earned in a given in the winter, and bring forward those that time. The Division Superintendent ex have rested; and now, here comes what all pends a great deal of talent in engineering this is about. A few weeks ago I read in a a crippled or dangerous car over and off Sunday paper, that a Kentucky lady (I from his division, and his sigh of relief think it was) had learned that more than resounds like the breaking up of the one Calla could be obtained from the same mighty deep, when his responsibility is at leaf by removing the first lily as soon as it rest and the destructive element is trans- begins to fade. When I read this I deterferred to some other division. The Mana-mined to try it, as mine was then in bud; ger sees his line crowded with freights that so I watched as anxiously for it to fade as he knows scarcely pay the cost of trans- I had done for it to bloom; at length it beportation, he sees cars pounding and gan to fade, and I followed directions, wabbling over the road, destroying the which were: "Draw the old flower stalk permanent way, he pensively reflects upon down gently to the ground and cut it off, the grand success of his system and con- and in a few days another bud will show soles himself with a monthly statement of itself and grow rapidly." It did soon show increased tonnage. The Chief Engineer itself, and now the second lily from one sees that all of these elements of misman- leaf is ready to open, not quite as large as agement have conspired against his de- the first, but a good sized lily. partment, and he sounds the hewgag and beats the tom-tom of "Slow Speed" with renewed vigor. Thus we recognize the damaging results of heavy machinery, long runs and slow speed, which may be classi-ify our tastes with little expense. We can fied as follows: The first may be charged to scientific ignorance, the second to stupid mismanagement, and the last to a combination of both the others.

OCCASIONAL.

I love to help along, as Mr. Vick once said, that very respectable class who have fine tastes but little money. In these days of small pay and retrenchment we may grat

all have an ivy, a few geraniums, fuchsias, a calla, with some ferns and autumn leaves to beautify our homes with in winter.

Please give this a little corner in the JOURNAL, for I know that engineers' wives

read the JOURNAL, and perhaps they will give us their experience and experiments in this pleasant labor, and so encourage a love for the beautiful.

R. A. G.

THE OLD LOG HOUSE.

The old log house with jutting logs,
Its walls are crumbling down,

The moss grows thick on the broken roof
To vail decay's grim frown.

And green about the blackened logs
The dainty lichens cling,
Like memories within my heart
Of life's eventful spring.

It seems but yesterday, to me,
Since through its open door
The morning-glories played

With their shadows on the floor;
And bare feet pattered in and out,
And busy lips called mother,
That sweetest word of childish tongue,
She first, then one another.

At night all nestled in the loft,

Where hen-like the low roof covered

CARSON, NEV., March 18, 1878. MESSRS EDITORS: In looking over the Conductor's Magazine for March, I saw a letter over the signature of a Mr. Kilpatrick, who claims to be a conductor, and if he had not made the assertion that he had charge of the train and all the men employed on it, including the engineer, I should have come to the conclusion that Mr. Kilpatrick ran his train without an engineer, but as he acknowledges there is such a person connected with his train, I would ask him what the engineer is doing while he is over-taxing his mind making mental calculations as to where he is going to meet the next train. From the language that Mr. Kilpatrick uses the public would probably infer that the engineer is only a tool in the hands of the conductor; but we know to the contrary, from the fact that we have spent about twenty-seven years of our life in the service of railroad companies, about five years of this time as conductor, and many years as engineer, and think we have some knowledge of the duties and responsibili

We slept, while through scant shingle feathers ties of these two classes of men. In the first Of dainty frost down pothered.

Then when the summer turns again,
Like lover after parting,
To kiss the weeping earth anew,
That kiss, love's magic, darting
Through ev'ry grief-chilled shrunken vein
Transfigures earth, with joy aflame,
'Twas then the oak trees bending o'er
To list sweet words that came

Up through the blue ethereal vail
Summer folded round his love,
Showered brown fruitage on the roof
Like pattering feet of many a dove.

And roar of the mighty forest

Was the only anthem heard,
And dainty little operas
By some sweet-throated bird;

With ever ready chorus
In tender minor keys

By myriad insect voices

That rose and fell like the breeze.

Ah, memories of the log house,
My soul thrills with delight;
Would God they'd but return to me,
My childhood's faith to-night.

MRS. J. V. MURCH.

place it is generally necessary to have a conductor and engineer on each train, from the fact that there is more work than one man can do and properly protect the safety of the company's property. The conductor has charge of the train and the engineer is subject to his orders so far as stopping, starting, switching, and disposing of his train is concerned, but the engineer is expected to carry a watch and time-table and conform to the rules and regulations therein, and should he violate those rules or commit any act unfitting him for his place, he is responsible to his employers, and not to the conductor. We admit, that should the engineer attempt to violate any of the rules in regard to the safety of the train it is the conductor's duty to check him. Should the conductor order the engineer to do anything in violation of the rules or jeopardize the safety of life or the company's property, he (the engineer), would be held equally responsible with the conductor. As I said before, in most cases it is necessary to have a conductor on a train, and two heads are better than one, but in cases where only one is needed the conductor is