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SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN THE METROPOLIS OF THE WEST COAST
Optimistic Feeling In Corner Brook
Paper Mill Heart of Community But Other Industries have
Sprung up Which Depend on Prosperity of Paper Industry for Their
Success—Many Fine Buildings Erected and being constructed.
The close of 1934 marks the end of another successful year
in this, the Metropolis of the West Coast. This is a paper mill town that its
prosperity is link up very closely with the fortunes of Great Britain and the
United States, for it is to those countries that the bulk of this production is
shipped, consequently as business gets into its stride in those large centers of
population, advertising increases, and the natural tendency is for larger
demands for newsprint.
As one looks over the daily and weekly papers one cannot
help but notice that they have increased in size in the last few months, and
this fact gives rise to the feeling of optimism. in such a community as Corner
Brook. It has been stated in the past that this is a one-industry town, but to
the casual visitor this dose not appear to be the case. Of course , the Paper
Mill is the heart of the community, but since its inception, in 1923 other
industries have sprung up, which depend to some extent on the prosperity of the
paper industry for their success.
Corner Brook—The City Of The West
Approaching Corner Book from either the East or West for
the first time, the traveler is usually not prepared for the surprise which
awaits him when he first sees this town. Between Petries and Humbermouth, which
includes the settlements of Curling, Curling East, West Corner Brook , Corner
Brook and Humbermouth, there is an approximate population of 7,000. A great many
of those people are directly supported by the multifarious activities which make
up the operations of a modern paper mill. Others however, find occupation in
retail business, small manufacturing establishments , saw mills , the Railroad
and shipping.
One hears in these trying times a great deal about the
“dole” and public relief, and it is a source of not unjust pride to the
residents of this district that relief and “dole” are almost unknown quantities.
A Busy Shopping Centre
Broadway, the main through fare of Corner Brook, is known
as the largest shopping district in the dominion, outside St. John’s, and on a
Saturday night, or any other night when the stores are open for business, the
shops are thronged with customers, and business appears to be far from at a
stand-still. The people themselves seem well-contented and prosperous, and are
enjoying life to the full.
In the Town site, which is operated by the International
Power and paper Company of Newfoundland, Ltd. which Company owns most of the
houses, renting them to the employees, the same bustling activity is in
evidence. The houses of the employees are constantly maintained in a splendid
state of repair and are well painted. The roads and side-walk are well looked
after. and the Town itself takes its place in the first rank of such
company-owned and operated towns. The beautiful Company-owned hotel, the
Glynmill Inn, stands in a commanding position, overlooking a small artificial
lake, which not only adds to the scenic beauty of the surroundings, but serves
as a reservoir of pure water for use in the manufacture of paper.
Has many fine Public Buildings
The prosperity of the community is also evidenced by the
number of public buildings, which have been erected, and which are under
construction at the present time. The government Building is of modern concrete
construction, housing the Post Office, Customs House and Court house, and would
be a credit to a far larger community. The Churches are well represented and the
new Church of England will be second to none in the Outports when completed. The
Masonic Fraternity have erected a modern hall for their convenience which is
becoming more and more popular with the public at large, for dances and other
public functions. The Knight of Columbus also have a large hall, well equipped
with bowling alleys, reading rooms, etc. for the entertainment of the people an
up-to-date moving picture theatre is in operation within the limits of the
town-site, equipped with the finest sound-reproduction apparatus obtainable, and
quite recently the Regent theatre under the same management, also completely
equipped for sound films has been opened in corner Brook West. The tennis
courts, quoit beds, a covered skating rink, a ski run and jump, and a golf
course located within easy reach of the Town site, are other indications of the
wholesome spirit which prevails,
A TRIP THROUGH THE PAPER MILL
Naturally one feels the urge to take a trip through the
paper Mill , and no difficulty is experienced in gaining access thereto.
Visitors are always welcome, and competent well-informed guides are supplied to
show those interested the whole process of modern news-print manufacture from
the raw pulpwood to the finished roll of newsprint being loaded on board the
Company’s own steamers at the deep-water dock along side the mill. The general
office of the Company, through which one must pass to enter the mill are a hive
of industry. All accounting in connection with the company’s many interests is
performed here, and a large staff is continually at work supervising the
purchasing of pulpwood and supplies for the company’s operations, as well as at
tending to all the necessary details entailed through the selling of some
175,000 tons of newsprint per year.
Where Mill Operations begin
The visitor is then conducted to the starting point of
mill operations, namely the Log Haul and Pond. A sheltered cove has been
enclosed with clusters of piles and booms wherein is stored 2,000 cords of
pulpwood in four-foot lengths. This pulpwood comes in by rail or is towed in
booms from the mouth of the Humber River and from various holding grounds around
the Bay of islands. Further supplies come in from more distant points in the
Island by boat, and the unloading of these vessels during the shipping season
gives employment to a great many men. When one looks at the great expense of
water covered with puplwood the natural tendency is to ask “how long will that
much wood keep the Mill going?” The answer to the uninitiated is staggering, as
this Mill converts as much as 650 cords of wood into paper daily. Of course, the
booming ground, as it is called, is frozen during several months of the year,
and therefore the Log Haul and pond cannot be operated, making it necessary for
this part of the Mill to handle sufficient in excess of the Mill’s demand to
store up for use during the winter months, and at times has handle over 2,000
cords in 24 hours. Part of this output, sufficient to meet the Mill’s
requirements, is conveyed directly into the mill, the surplus being stored in
huge pulpwood piles to be reclaimed when the Log Haul is inactive. A most
interesting and uncommon feature of the Log Haul is the artificial river, which
has been created for feeding the short pieces of pulpwood into the conveyor. A
rapid current of water is produced by an electric motor. The action by an
propellor tends to draw up the water, and with it the puplwood, toward the foot
of the conveyor, where the logs on the conveyor chain catch the individual
sticks, thus starting them on their long trip through the mill.
Through the Wood Room and Sulphite Mill
Following the route taken by the wood the next building
reached is known as the wood room, and if the noise is any indication of
activity, the visitors will have ample reason to think that this must be the
busiest place in the Mill. The four foot pieces of pulpwood, which at this time
are covered with bark, are discharged by the conveyors directly into tremendous
pieces of machinery know as barking drums. These drums are about 10 feet in
diameter by 30 feet long, the bars of which they are made being humped on the
inside, and open slots being left between them. The drums are suspended in huge
chains, these chains in turn being driven by an electric motor; thus the drum is
revolved throwing the sticks of wood inside it against each other repeatedly,
the bark being gradually removed, in the manner, Great quantities of water are
injected into the drums, of which there are 7, and this water tends to wash the
bark out through the slots between the bars. The wood itself gradually travels
through the full length of the drum until it is discharged at the opposite end
with little, if any, bark left on it. It would appear that dozens of men are
here employed picking and sorting the wood so discharged, and any pieces which
have the slightest vestige of bark left on them are thrown into another
conveyor, which automatically returns them to the drum for another cleaning .
Here after leaving the drums, one finds that the wood is divided up, part going
to what is known as the chipper, and the balance going to the grinder. The
chippers are heavy revolving disks into which are set knives. The pieces of
pulpwood are automatically feed at an angle against these disks, which are
rapidly rotating and it is amazing to see how quickly the logs are reduced to
chips of about three-quarters of an inch in length. From the chipper the chips
are conveyed to automatic screens, which thoroughly remove all large irregular
chunks, knots and the like, the screen chips are then conveyed by mean of a belt
conveyer to the top of the chemical Pulp Mill, where they are stored in large
bins placed directly over what are know as digesters. There are 6 of these
digesters, which prove to be nothing more than cylindrical steel vessels about
15 feet in diameter by 50 feet high, lined with acid-resisting brick, and built
to withstand a pressure of considerably more than 100 lbs. per square inch. One
of the digesters is used as a storage reservoir for hot acid, that is , acid
which has been reclaimed from digesters already cooking, and which has been
heated during the cooking process by steam. As soon as digester is empty the
heavy steel head is removed, a spot is inserted between the chips bin and the
digester and the latter is filled to the top with chips. The head is then bolted
on securely, and hot acid from the storage reservoir is pumped into it. Steam is
then admitted into the bottom of the digester, and the “cook” carefully watches
his temperatures and pressures throughout the whole operation of cooking the
wood. This cooking process serves to dissolve the pitchy parts of the wood,
leaving nothing but the pure white fiber, the latter being one of the principal
constituents of newsprint paper. When the “cook” is satisfied that his pulp is
“done” a large valve on the bottom of the digester is opened allowing now called
, to be blown by steam pressure into a cylindrical wooden tank known as a
blowpit. These blowpits are equipped with strainer bottom similar to a fine
sieve. Clean fresh water is then poured in on top of the freshly cooked pulp,
and allowed to pass through it and out through the strainer bottom, removing
every trace of acid from the pulp.
Before leaving the Sulphate, or chemical Pulp Mill, the
visitor is shown the “acid Plant” where all the acid is used for cooking the
chips is made. Large revolving drums may here be seen burning molten sulphur,
thus forming sulphur dioxide gas which is forced by means of a fan through tall
concrete towers containing limestone. Water is allowed to trickle down over the
limestone from the top, and in meeting the gas coming up from the bottom a
chemical action takes place forming acid used in this process. Considering the
quantities of sulphur burned daily in this part of the mill, it is amazing that
the atmosphere is , as a rule quite free from obnoxious orders and quite a
healthy place to work.
Viewing the mechanical Pulp Mill
Leaving the Acid Plant, digester room and blow pit room,
the visitor enters the Mechanical Pulp Mill. Passing first upstairs to the
Charging floor he sees once more the already familiar four-foot sticks of
pulpwood which have arrived at this department from the wood Room by means of a
system of conveyers. Here men are busily engaged sorting the wood, rejecting all
sticks that are dirty and which may have escaped the former sorting in the Wood
Room . Clean sticks are carefully placed in the magazine openings in the floor,
where they come in contact with heavy spiked chains which cause them to travel
slowly downward into the magazines. The visitor is informed that about 400 cords
of wood is handled daily by the men in this department. Proceeding downstairs
one is struck by the orderly appearance of this Department, which manufactures
over eighty percent of the pulp required for the Paper Mill. Pulp grinders of
the type in use at Corner Brook are known as “continuous” because of the fact
that the wood is constantly fed by means of the chains mentioned above, down
through the magazines and forced against a large revolving grindstone, the
action of the grindstone on the wood being to separate the fibers, of which the
pulp is made, into pulp commonly known as ground wood or mechanical pulp. The
visitor is informed that the major difference between ground wood and sulphate
pulp lies in the fact that in the ground wood process all parts of the wood,
with the exception of course of the bark, are utilized, whereas in the Chemical
Pulp Mill the process involves the dissolving of all the pitchy constituents.
Huge electric motor , known as th synchronous type, and each rated at 2,600
horsepower, drive the grindstones in some cases as many as four stones are
driven by a single motor. The ground wood or pulp comes out from under the
grindstone about as thick as old-fashioned Scotch porridge and has a somewhat
similar appearance. It is steaming hot, but the guide states that it is heated
merely by the action of the stone on the wood, no other heat being applied. In
fact a large quantity of water is continually played on each stone in order to
keep it from overheating.
Screen Room
From the Grinder room the visitor is next conducted to the
Screen room, where both mechanical and chemical pulp are finally prepared for
use in the manufacture of paper. The thick pulp of both varieties or “Stock” as
it is now called, is diluted with sufficient water to thin it down to such a
state that it can be readily out through a sort of sieve called a screen . The
Screen allow only the fine fibers to pass through rejecting all coarse particles
of uncooked of un-ground wood.. One screening is not sufficient to accomplish
this economically, consequently the stock goes through a series of screens known
as course and fine. The particles which have been rejected are screen again in
order to save any good fibers which may have adhered to them in the original
screening process.
Leaving the screens in the form of a very thin “soup” the
stock comes into machines known as thickeners . To the uninitiated these
thickeners appears to consist of revolving cylinders covered with a very fine
wire screen with a heavy felt covered roll riding on top of them. Their purpose
is to extract the surplus water that was added to the stock in order to screen
it , and this is accomplished by allowing the thin mixture to flow around the
outside of the screen-covered cylinder. as the is to fine to allow the fibers to
pass , the water quickly drains through allowing the fibers to collect on the
surface. Then as soon as this mat of pulp comes in contact with the felt-covered
roll it adheres to the felt from which it is scraped by a board known as a
“doctor”. The thick pulp thus obtained is then carried by a conveyor tp large
storage chests from which the paper Machines are supplied.
The Wonder of the Paper Machines
The visitor is now taken to that most interesting of all
Departments, the Paper Mill. If one has never before visited a modern Paper
Mill, there is a great surprise in store for him. The immensity of the machines,
the smoothness with which they run, and the tidy appearance of the surroundings
is sufficient to startle anyone. There are very few men in evidence, and the
machines appear to be running almost automatically. The guide explains how the
thick stock is pumped up to the “wet end” of the paper machine, where it is
carefully measured by a device for that purpose. A definite volume of water is
added to it to dilute it, the mixture then screen again to remove the last
traces of objectionable matter from it, and then allow to flow smoothly out
through the narrow opening on to a traveling screen know as the Wire. It is on
this wire that the fibers become matted together to form the wet sheet of paper
and excess water drains through the wire into the pit underneath the machines
and is re-used for diluting the thick stock many times. The wire appears to be
traveling at a very high speed, and the guide informs the visitor this soeed is
between 1,000 and 1,100 feet per minute. As the wire is almost 20 feet in width,
a simple mental calculation informs the visitor that a sheet of paper almost 20
feet wide and a mile long is made every five minutes of the day and night on
each machine.
When the paper reaches the end of the wire it is
sufficiently dry to support its own weight and jumps across the narrow gap to a
heavy woolen “felt” . The felt then supports the delicate web and carried it
between a pair of heavy rolls, which squeezes further water out of it. A second
similar press remove further water, and the sheet then comes, without further
support, between another pair of rolls known as the smoothing Press. The action
of this press is not so much to remove water as it is to smooth out the under
side of the sheet, which has taken the impression of the wire as it traveled
over it.
After leaving the Smoother Press the paper zig-zags
through a long series of steam-heated rolls known as dryers, the heat of these
rolls removing whatever water has been left in the paper by the presses.
Applying the Finishing Touches
The visitor is next shown the Calender Stack. This is
similar to the old-fashioned mangle, and imparts the final polish or “finish” to
the paper. From the “stack” the paper is wound on a spool in a continuous web
until it reaches the required diameter for whom the paper is being made. The
large spools of paper are then removed from the machine and placed on the Winder
Stand.. The winder is a small machine and here the visitor sees more activity
than any other place in the Paper Mill. It is on this machine that the 20-foot
wide rolls are cut into appropriate widths to suit the printing presses of
various publications. It is surprising to watch the rapidity with which the
large roll from the machine decreases in size while at the same time the narrow
rolls on other side of the winder seem to grow before one’s very eyes.
The Huge Storage Sheds
There are four large machines in this mill and one small
machine on which special kinds of aper other than plain newsprint are made, and
the winder of each of these machines presents the same scene of bustling
activity. Small rolls from the winder are next taken by electric trucks to the
Finishing Room where they are most expeditiously and carefully wrapped,
weighted, labeled and stenciled with the code name of the customer for who they
are intended. They are then conveyed automatically to the storage Warehouse, and
are picked off the conveyers by means of high speed traveling cranes, and stored
in their proper places according to size and ultimate destination.
The guide informs the visitor that there are three of
these sheds, comprising the world’s largest paper warehousing system . there
seem to be millions of rolls of newsprint in stock, all awaiting their turn for
shipment to the press rooms of Great Britain and United States and South
America. .
Transportation Facilities at Corner Brook
The International Power & paper company of Nfld., Ltd.
operate their own steamship, which come into the dock at the end of the storage
warehouses, load with finished newsprint before the people of Corner Brook are
aware that the ships are in port. As much as 5,971 tons of paper have been
loaded on board a Company bat in 34 hours working time.
One gets a magnificent view of bay of Islands from the
Company dock, and pauses to marvel at the convenient location of this mill, and
the beautiful natural harbor, well sheltered, and with deep water right
alongside the dock which will allow the loading of any ocean-going vessel.
The “Nerve Centre” of a Vast Industry
Leaving the sheds the visitor proceeds back through a
remarkably complete Machine Shop, where all repair work for the mill is
performed, pauses a moment to look into the electric Boiler House (for at Corner
Brook they use no coal) takes a hurried glimpse at the Electrical Distribution
Centre for the mill, which appears to be endless intricate maze of switches,
signal lights, transformers and the like, and which is all controlled by one
man, who must be very level headed and cool to know just what each piece of
equipment dose and how and when he should operate it.
Winter Reserve of Pulpwood
this concludes the tour through the Mill, but before
passing out through the main gate the visitor’s attention is drawn to the
tremendous pile of pulpwood stored up outside the mill for winter use. There are
three of these piles with a capacity of 200,000 cords of pulpwood from which the
bark has been removed, and which is all ready to be reclaimed and sent back to
the mill during the winter months for the manufacture of paper.
The Social Life of Corner Brook
At the Glynmill Inn one finds a cordial welcome, and every
comfort which could possibly be provided by the best hotels anywhere, along with
the excellent service and cuisine.
Notice displayed in stores and public places around the
town bear evidence of the social life of the people of Corner Brook. Card
parties, dances, concerts, and every other form of social activity is seen
advertised. The Corner Brook sports Club seems to hold a prominent position in
the town, and organizes practically all the athletic sports in which the
citizens indulge. Visiting footballers, hockey teams, tennis players and
baseball teams have learned, to their cost, that Corner Brook excels in these
sports. The people are friendly and the visitor soon finds that he will be given
a hearty welcome at any function that he may care to attend.
In a few day he is well acquainted, and when it becomes
necessary for him to depart he is loathe to leave the place. Thus what was a few
short years ago a small fishing and lumbering village has grown into a
prosperous industrial community. The International Power and paper Company of
Newfoundland Ltd. have in no small measure contributed to this successful
growth. Many of that company’s employees now own their won houses, and are
firmly established in the district.
Popular Resort With Tourists
The Tourist traffic during the summer months, has shown a
constant growth, year by year, as the pace becomes better known to outsiders,
and during the summer season which is unexcelled anywhere the hotels are crowded
with guests from many parts of the United States and Canada. The Humber River is
hardly ever without several fishing parties ardently keen on taking some of the
record salmon known to inhabit the stream.
Corner Brook without exaggeration and fear of
contradiction is one place in this Oldest Colony of Great Britain which one
should not fail to visit.
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND RAILWAY
Railway Deficit Materially Reduced
Though Earning Approximated Those of 1920 Operating
Expenses Cut Down by $1,521,000—Adequate Transportation System Full Prepared to
Meet Needs of Growing Interior Development .
Every Student of the diverse and intricate problems which
confront us as a people in Newfoundland, must sense the necessity of providing
for a method of interchanging our products and transporting our people in such a
way as will promote the general welfare,
since the first sod of the Newfoundland Railway was turned
in 1881, there have been certain misgivings for embarking on such a policy as a
cross-country Railway. The men mainly responsible for the Railway policy,
however, were not looking forward to a period of a few years’ development—their
vision was applicable to a long period of year ahead; they were not unaware of
the dimensions and seriousness of the problems that would be confronted.
They realized that initial Railway development in a new
country must, of necessity, call for a certain amount of co-operative action on
the part of the public. This, we are aware, has been sadly lacking over the
intervening years; so much so, that in 1920 the railway problem developed into a
very acute one. In that year the earnings had reached a total of two and one
half million of dollars, but he expenses were four and one-quarter millions.
Last year the earnings of the Railway were approximately to those of 1929, but
the expenses of operating were reduced by one million, and where as the deficit
in 1920-21 was one million seven hundred dollars, last year it was one hundred
and thirty-seven thousand dollars, with the same earnings as received in
1920-21.
Industrial Development of the Interior
To-day there has been developed an adequate transportation
system fully prepared to meet the needs of the growing interior development that
is taking place. The large paper manufacturing plants, Buchans Mine, and growing
agricultural possibilities all point to the need for such a service as well as
to the fact that if the people in Newfoundland are to become to any degree
prosperous they must of necessity be engaged in an occupation that will
regularly provide for them and their families a daily income. Too long have we
depended upon our people’s working for a few months of the year to earn enough
to carry them over the remaining months.
Traffic Development
In 1904 the total earnings from freight traffic on the
Railway amounted to one hundred and sixty thousand dollars. During recent years
this has steadily increased until today it will total nearly one million.
The total passenger revenue received in 1904 amounted to
two hundred and seven thousand dollars, and today it is around three hundred
thousand dollars.
Nine years ago the total passenger revenue amounted to
over eight hundred thousand dollars, economic conditions have played havoc with
passenger revenue in recent years, and this year, if passenger revenue was equal
to that of the period referred to above, it is estimated that the Railway would
show a profit of a quarter of a million dollars. We have no hesitation in saying
that as conditions improve, passenger revenue will come back.
The Railway year ending June 30th 1935, will show the best
results in ten years. There seems to be no doubt that with the improved traffic
conditions that are apparent, the day is not far off when Railway earning will
equalize expenses, and entirely wipe out the deficit.
Recent Railway Improvements
Within a short time there will be completed at Port au
Basques a paper storage shed capable of storing eight thousand tons of paper,
together with a loading pier three hundred and fifty feet long, equipped with an
electric carrier system capable of loading to steamers a daily output of one
thousand tons. The contract made with the International paper company provides
for shipments of paper up to 450 tons per day to be hauled from Corner Brook to
Port au Basques. A large “Y” has been constructed near Port au Basques to take
care of turning the large engines. Extensive sidings have been built at Cape
Ray, St. Andrew’s, South Branch, Spruce Brook and Cook’s Pond, together with
installation of a turntable at Humbermouth, suitable to handle the heaviest
power. Considerable attention has been given to replacement of wooden culverts
with permanent construction, as well as to the elimination of certain dangerous
sections of track.
Recently new thirty-ton up-to-date freight cars have been
placed in service in order to take better care of the increased paper traffic.
These will be added to from year to year.
Ballasting operations with steam shovel outfit have
continued throughout the summer as well as a start being made to use a more
permanent limestone ballast on the Western Section. Greater attention is being
given to maintenance of motive power, passengers and freight equipment in order
that breakdowns will be reduced to a minimum.
Future Developments
Negotiations are now going on for the establishment of a
large paper shipping terminal on the Eastern end to handle paper shipments
during the winter months for the Grand Falls plant.
The Railway, in conjunction with the Newfoundland Tourist
bureau, will shortly sponsor a program that will create more inducements for
tourists to visit Newfoundland during the summer months, as well as providing
suitable cabins for them to put up.
A great interest is being shown in the possibilities of
profitable farming on excellent agricultural land, that is now lying dormant in
close proximity of the Railway and industrial towns.
Railroaders throughout the Island realize more than ever
before, under our new form of government , a lively sense of trusteeship as
custodians of a property, operated not alone for the benefit of the public but
as an ultimate , definite means of making Newfoundland a prosperous place to
live in.
A Transformation During past Decade
Since 1925 we have witnessed the transformation of the
transportation system.
50 pound rail to 70 pound rail
35 percent increase in motive power.
Rolling stock. in general brought to a standard in
application of parts and excellence in condition.
Our passenger and buffett service to a point of
attractiveness and service far beyond expectations.
Our freight service performance from 9 miles per hour in
1925 to an average of 12 miles per hour to-day.
Our fuel consumption from 70 pounds per mile to an average
53 pounds per mile.
Our station cost reduced 25 percent.
Our maintenance of way raided to a standard in condition
preservative for rolling stock and eliminating derailment hazards.
Personal accidents reduced to in-significance,
Improved loading facilities—reduced loading costs.
Reduced claims in freight damage and pilferage.
Reduced cattle claims.
Improved coastal service with steadily reducing costs in
operating and the same general tendency with the rank and file to restore public
confidence.
Our method of comparative and competitive performances
from month to month has proved that conditions in general are improved
considerably within.
This is quite evident in the usage of supplies in ships,
in the engine room and saloon; on the locomotive and trains; in around house and
station. The maintenance of was and all shop in conservation of supplies,
conforming equally to better and more tidy surroundings. The voluntary effort of
employees in the prevention of accidents are also a feature of results from
being informed from month to month.
Still room for Improvement
There are still sources yet untapped, and the management
urges upon those who have not yet contributed their quota to make things 100
percent, the necessity of extending their co-operation. Each and every employee
must be justly aware that any job, no matter what it is, can stand only the
actual cost in value. Some may argue unfair distribution has much to do with
costs. Nevertheless, it is quite clear that with standing or fixed charges at a
maximum, the possibility of increased earning power for workers remains the
same. Therefore the maximum production of some workers and the minimum
production of other workers may be taken as the yard stick of application for
better wages. For it is well known or at least quite generally realized by now,
that those who do not pull their load are actually employed at the expense of
others, because certain fixed charges must remain and the distribution could
improve only by improved production
Better Public Appreciation Needed.
Of course improvement is necessary in a general way to
overcome, or at least to control, such an occurrence, we apply it in a general
way by seeking new business without increasing charges. The application of new
business for our shops would increase man-hour production; new business for the
lean months in Railway operation would have the same tendency. The appeal for
new business has been consistent, the results are noticeable but the fact
remains that our competitors are existing, although without public safeguards
and in an unregulated way, but apparently not without the approval of its public
who dose continue to patronize them. However we deem it our duty to remain them
their contribution to maintain their won transportation service, which has cost
43 million since its inception, still bears annual interest at the rate of say 5
percent, which is a direct drain on the treasury of the country of $215,000.00
per year. it is an indirect contribution of almost one dollar per head for the
entire population and it remains to be seen whether the taxpayer of this country
shall continue to contribute in directly with out in some way getting a return
for their money. All our efforts have been devoted to lessening the deficit
determined by expenses and earning, and when we reach the cross roads we shall
still need increased revenue tot he extent of half million dollars per year to
be recognized as a going concern. We know it is possible only through industrial
development of the interior and the abolition of competitive units of transport.
The latter of course, is for a patriotic public to patronize their own
transportation service; in so doing they will check a dangerous growth which is
expanding rapidly since two of our branch lines were abandoned as unremunerative.
Let us ask what day and at what price. Therefore the Railway again repeats, and
none too often that 1800 workers and agents are employed in the country’s
transportation system and if the public would place their business with our
national system but would be absolutely in their own interest, as well as an
assurance of continued employment to the large number who depend on this
extensive operation for their livelihood.
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