By Mr. Loud:
Q. Could you not put a train of five cars on and run it from Chicago to Council Bluffs and give approximately what that train would cost to operate and the approximate cost of wear and tear to your rails?—A. I can determine all those things that are apparent; that is, the cost—
Q. That is all we expect; what is reasonable.—A. But then there is the question of interest and the wear and tear of machinery and track.
Q. Let us discard the interest. You ought to be able to get at the cost of operation.—A. That train so run has to receive the constant attention of station men, of track men, the whole length. If you will give it a moment’s reflection you will see how utterly impossible it is to determine it accurately enough to state here to this commission.
Q. Approximately, it ought to be a perfectly easy matter. It seems to be to other railroad men.—A. I do not think there is any railroad man who has given it any more attention than I have and no railroad man understanding the subject will do more than guess at it.
Q. I will ask you a few questions. If you can answer them I wish you would. How many miles of land-grant railroad have you?—A. My impression is that we have about 600.
Q. Out of your total of 5,000 miles?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is the average charge on your road for freight per ton mile?—A. Last year ninety-nine one-hundredths of a cent per ton mile.
Q. You do not know how much it costs? That is correct, is it not? You do not know how much it costs?—A. That is correct.
Q. You do not know how much it costs to operate a 40 or 60 foot mail car?—A. No, sir; only approximately.