Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-03-28
For the Portage Sentinel.
An Article for every Voter TO Read.

MIR. EDITOR: The following statement
Of tie probable profits of the Cleveland and
Pittsburgh Railroad >,afier deducting ex-
penses) is submitted for the candid exami-
nation of the voters of this county. 1t has
been prepared with great care and with a
sincere desire rather to fall short of the
truth than to exceed it, and is derived from
the best authorities on the subject that we
can obtain:
EARNINGS aF THE ROAD BY TRANSPORTING.
Coal, 500 tons per day, 156,5OO
tons per year, at $1.25 per ton, $195, ,625
Produce 65 tons per day each way,
7,450 tons per year, at s., so, 166,075
Merchandise, 373 ton pr day each way,
1856 tons pr year at 81 So 1os,5oo
Passengers; DO her day each way, 90,
200 per year, at $, so each, $4,000
Total earnings; s544,aoo
DEDUCT EXPENSES.
Running II trains of cars, includ-
ing attendants, fuel, &C., at
$4,000 pr year, s156,Oo0
Repairs of Road 100 miles at .-..-
$272 per mile per year, $1,000
Engineer. Superintendent, Depot,
and off ce expenses, &c, 10000
$4,000
Amount of profit, s35l, 200
equal to III per cent. upon $2,00O,000,
which is the estimated cost OF the Road in
cluding all its cars, equipments, bull dings
&c.
The prices of freight &c, are put much
lower than are now charged upon all the
principal Railroads in the United States.
With regard to the quantities mentioned
above, it should be remarked, that Professor
Twining has estimated the amount of Coal
transportation by this Road, at 1000 tons
per day. The quantity above assumed is
but half that amount. The amount of
Coal received at Cleveland last year was
164, 900 tons.
/ The amount of Produce, it is believed,
will considerably exceed l30 tons per day.
To say nothing of Cleveland and other
points, the amount received al Wellsville a.
Hone by wagons is about II tons daily, as
| is proved by the warehouse books of that
place-and the amount Of merchandise re.
ceived at the same place and destined for
the interior is about % tons per day as ap.
pears by the same proof. By the advan-
tages this Road will offer, a large amount
merchandise will undoubtedly reach US by
way of Welfsville that now comes through
other channels.
The amount Of passenger business is bas.
ed upon an actual inspection Of the stage
office books at Cleveland from which it ap-
| pears that the travel between Cleveland
nnd Pittsburgh for four months ending Sep.
tember 80, 1s48, was forty persons per
day in each direction. 1t is assumed that
the superior facilities furnished by the
Railroad will induce an amount of travel
in the winter fully equal to that performed
by stages in summer. The above basis
from the stage business does not Of course
] include the travel by canal or by private
conveyance.
1t should be observed that cattle and 9TH
er animals, together with many other kinds
of property, and by which the above state
ment OF earnings could easily be increased
some Soo,O00, are not mentioned.
4 The expense of running cars, and re
pairs OF Road, are the result of experience
derived from Railroad reports. 1t seems
! however, that the amount for repairs can
! not be SO great until the Road has beer
used some time.
1t is hoped that this statement, purpose
slly made very plain and brief, will satisf,
any reasonable person that the Clevelan
: and Pittsburgh Railroad Company will, il
all probability, pay not less than Is pc
cent. per annum profit upon its capital a
soon as it is completed.
INVESTIGATOR.