The conclusion is inevitable. Either nearly every one of the great railroads must increase and improve both its main line and such of its freight houses and yards as are now located in the heart of the city, or they must cease to bring all freight into the congested business center. Separate roads operating separate and independent rights-of-way to the separate and independent freight houses cannot do the work. Year by year the railroads have gone on straightening their lines, reducing grades, and building additional tracks; and the result has been large savings in operating expenses. The time has now come to devise some plan whereby the enormous terminal costs will be lessened materially; and that city will benefit most wherein this problem shall be worked out first and best. This report does not attempt to dictate; or to discuss the practical questions of railroading. Its aim in respect to transportation is the same as in regard to all other matters of Chicago’s welfare, namely, to incorporate such generalizations as are obviously true, logical, and helpful; because it is recognized fully that unless the railroads have power to improve their terminals, this city will be hopelessly left behind in the struggle for commercial advancement. The same spirit that is evoked to bring about other improvements is necessary also in the case of the railroads. [Illustration: DIAGRAM A.] [Illustration: DIAGRAM B. LXX. CHICAGO. ASSEMBLING-INTERCHANGE; DIAGRAMS ACCOMPANYING THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. C. W. HOTCHKISS, CONSULTING ENGINEER. (A) Present method of handling interchange of freight on railroads in center of city. (B) Proposed method of handling interchange of freight on railroads by means of a belt line and clearing yards, disengaging the center of the city from existing freight congestion.] In order to obtain for the community as a whole the greatest economy per ton handled, no goods should be carried into and out of the congested business center except those needed for construction, for retailing, or for consumption in that territory. Goods that are now brought into Chicago as a center, and from thence sold and distributed to the country outside of Chicago, should be stored at some point most convenient for the purpose,—most convenient for deposit and for reloading and carrying away to other points. It is obvious that the spot chosen be one most convenient for the shipping public as a whole; and therefore if common ground for such a great general depot can be found for all the roads, it will best answer the purposes of quick handling and of lowest cost per ton. A central depot, and common track facilities which should form a part of it, would bring about time and money saving both to the railroads themselves and to the trading public. For the sake, therefore, of the best interests of all the citizens of Chicago, it is proposed that great machines owned and operated in common by all the railroads be created to handle freight business.