The Cost Of Trains

"Niuety-íive per ceut of the traveliug rablic do uot own in their own rigbt or ccupy through reutal a dweiling house which, includiug all its eontents, costs s niucb as one of the ordinnry modem assengjr cars run on any first class ailroad." Theioregoing statement, which is calulated to arouse the incredulity of the verage individual, was made recently jy George J. Charlton, assistant general lassenger and ticket agent of the Chiago and Alton railroad. "Just let me give yon a few facts to jrove that assertion, " contiuued Mr. jharlton. "The cost of the average asseuger car today is f rom $6,000 to 7, 000. A recliuiug chair car costs from 10,000 to $12,000. These figures repreent the bare cost of the car. Wheu yoc dd to that from year to year the exlenses of maintenance, instead of figurng, as the ordiuary business mortal will figure, a return in interest for tbo apital invested you siinply aggravate lm situation. "I once heard a prominent niaster caí railder say that it cost $500 to simply ook over a car after it had served five r six months on the road and had been ent to the carshops to be exaniined nd put into presentable sbape for anther six mouths' run. He meant that be ordinary 'dressing down' and cleanng of a car wonld cost over $500, and f yon exteud your investigation to genral shop repairs - perhaps adding a litle upholstering here and there - you ould easilv get away with another