362 Kansas Academy of Science. 



still independent of the engineer, Whenever the traffic becomes 

 so great that it cannot be handled without running more than one 

 train in a block it is time to add more tracks. 



Many of the derailments are caused by poor track, and could be 

 prevented by proper drainage and ballast. 



Very few of the roads have rolling stock enough to handle the 

 traffic during harvest-time. It is not uncommon for a man to re- 

 ceive a car-load of freight from two to three months after he 

 receives the bill of lading. At times this causes considerable finan- 

 cial loss to the consignee. 



In winter the train resistance is much more than it is in the 

 summer, and ordinarily it is unusual for a passenger- train to be on 

 time. I remember one winter night of boarding a train for Kansas 

 City, at Springfield, Mo., and waiting for one hour for two locomo- 

 tives to start the train. When we did start one locomotive pulled 

 the train into Kansas City, arriving there five hours late. While 

 waiting in the depot for my next train I met a friend who was re- 

 turning from New York, and he was only four days behind time. 



Many of the coaches, and sometimes even the waiting-rooms, are 

 so dirty that they are not fit for a lady to enter. 



It seems to the speaker that the rates are as low as the people 

 should ask, but that they should think more of the safety of human 

 life, of convenience to the traveling public, and of the expeditious 

 handling of freight, than of a few cents saved in passenger and 

 freight rates. 



The following recommendations are suggested: Abolish all state 

 railroad connnissions. Place all railways under the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission, with full authority, first, to limit the cap- 

 ital stock and dividends, and, second, to compel the railways to use 

 all net earnings in excess of dividends in the installation of safety 

 appliances; improve the road-bed; increase the rolling-stock; run 

 additional trains, so as to run them on time; furnish commodious 

 and clean waiting-rooms; permit no railway grade or crossing with- 

 out an interlocking plant, etc. After a number of years, when all 

 these things have been accomplished, then use the excess in paying 

 off the bonded indebtedness. 



