Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1906 — THE RAILROADS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE RAILROADS

A Pennsylvania mail train broke all records on that line by the run from Harrisburg to Altoona,’ 132 miles in 119 minutes. The Illinois Central will soon have its own laundry in Chicago, where will be washed all the linen used on the 4,375 miles of this system. A San Francisco report says that the Gould lines have secured right of way across central Oregon to some point on the Snake'- river as a terminus for the Corvalis aud Eastern road. The preliminary statement of the Erie railroad for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1900. shows gross earnings of over $50,000,000, an increase over the previous year of $4,277,000, and an increase in not of $1,547,000. The company incurred an additional expense of only SIOO,OOO in conducting the transportation of over $4,000,000 additional gross earnings. This is-an indication that improvements which have boeu completed are producing the desired results in lessening the cost of transportation.

It is a curious fact that the American style of passenger coach, with end doors, a center aisle and scats on either side, was an English invention, while the European railroads the side-door compartment car and use comparatively few of the end-door coaches.' The Canadian Pacific is the first railroad in North America to serve afternoon tea on its trains. . Those .who l wish the beverage purchase tickets at 25 cents each and in the afternoon tea, rolls, cakes and so on are brought into the sleeper. This custom, which is English, will be aitopted ca transcontinental trains only. '