The decade 1870-1880, [18].—Trans-Mississippi development, [18].—Pacific Coast routes opened, [19].—Development of export trade in grain and beef, [20].—Trunk line rate wars, [21].—Improvements in operation, [23].—End of canal and river traffic, [24].
The decade 1880-1890, [27].—Phenomenal railway expansion, [28].—Transcontinental trade, [28].—Speculation rampant, [29].—Growth of western manufactures, [30].—Rise of the Gulf ports, [31].—Canadian competition, [33].—General résumé and forecast, [34].
Public land grants, [35].—Direct financial assistance, [37].—History of state aid, [39].—Federal experience with transcontinental roads, [40].
CHAPTER II THE THEORY OF RAILROAD RATES
Analysis of railroad expenditures, [44].—Constant v. variable outlays, [45].—Fixed charges, [46].—Official grouping of expenses, [46].—Variable expenses in each group, [51].—Peculiarities of different roads and circumstances, [56].—Periodicity of expenditures, [61].—Joint cost, [67].—Separation of passenger and freight business, [68].
CHAPTER III THE THEORY OF RAILROAD RATES (Continued)
The law of increasing returns, [71].—Applied to declining traffic, [73].—Illustrated by the panic of 1907, [75].—Peculiarly intensified on railroads, 76.
Growth of mileage and traffic in the United States since 1889, [77].—Increase of earnings, [79].—Operating expenses, gross and net income, [80].—Comparison with earlier decades, [85].—Density of traffic, [86].—Increase of train loads, [88].—Limitations upon their economy, [92].—Heavier rails, [93].—Larger locomotives, [94].—Bigger cars, [95].—Net result of improvements upon efficiency and earning power, 97.
The law of increasing returns due to financial rather than operating factors, [99].