Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-11-09
Virginia R.,Iro.ds--Th.irF Future.


We have had before US, recently, the Re-
ports of three Of the leading Railroad Com
panies of the Stste-to wit: the Virginia
and Tennessee, the South Side, and the
Orange and Alexandra. These Reports all
show that, notwithstanding the financial
troubles of the past year, which, OF course,
lessened the travel-and the failure of the
wheat crop in many portions of the State,
which lessened the lreight-these Roads have
all decreased their receipts, and improved
their financial condition.
This result cannot lie ascribed, altogether,
to the Increase of travel upon the Roads,
consequent upon the opening OF the Great
North Eastern and South-W Western line
The through line was not opened until some
time in June-aod, although there Is a per
oeptible increase Ill the receipts after that
time, it is evident, upon general review OF
the whole years operations, that the affairs
of each Que of these Companies, independent
and exclusive Of ell connection With the
through line of travel, are in much more
satisfactory and promising condition than
ever before.
Two causes conduce to this result, both of
wh ich will become more and more operative
with every succeeding year. The first is,
the steady reduction IN the proportion OF
working expenses thereby leaving the melt
revenues so much the greater--snd the other
is the continued increase in the tcansporta-
ton service of our roads, arising from the
im prOvement in Agriculture, the opening OF
countries hitherto inaccessible to market,
and the connections With other roads leading
10 all directions throughout the COntedosacy.
Thus, in regard to the first, We notice not
only upon our Virginia Roads, but all
through the South, an annual decrease In
toe percentage Of working expenses to the
gross revenues This does not result Alto
sether 10 an absolute reduction of the amount
1pended--though in some cases, do upon
the South-S!d, Road, this may truthfully DO
said--but it proceeds from the fact that the
officers of our Railroad Companies, by
wise system of ecouomy do not permit the
working expenses to keep pace with the in
crease Of the business done. Thus, II q
Railroad Company, whose gross receipts lsst
year were half million, paid fifty per cent
Of it for working expenses, its net revenue
was two hundred and fifty thousand. If the
same company, this year, has gross reve-
Due of one million, and it's working txpen-
ses only The same as they were last year,
the net revenue is seven hundred aud fifty
thousand--only % por cent being paid for
expenses. Thus, we see that it is due more
TO increase Of business thhn to any absolute
reduction Of expenses that these Companies
are enabled to bring down the percentage of
charges every year.
Moreover, the working expenses upon our
roads are comparatively small. per sc. We
are Informed by the American Rlilroad
Journal that in Massachusetts none of the
Roads pay less than fifty per cent. True,
their charges, particularly for travel, are
much less than with us--and consequently,
their receipts, for sn equal amount of bust
ness, are great deal smaller. But as o
general thing, our grades are much easier IN
the South than with the Northern R)ads-
and, of course there is an appreciab!e diff
ference, for this reason alUne in the annual
expense OF conducting the operations Of the
respective Roads. Weknow Of 20 Northern
Roads that make showing, like the Orange
aud Alexandria and the East Tennessee AID
Georgia, Of only forty one per cent. Of work
ing expense, as compared with the gross re-
ooipts
The receipts upon all Of our Virginia
Roads are bound to increase, as we'll from
passengers as from freights. The next Cen
sus, we have no hesitation in predicting, will
demonstrate an increase in the agricultural
productions of Virginia, since the last Cen
sus WAS taken, that will "sstonish" even
"the natives" And yet, for all this, the
agricultural capacity of Virginia has never
yet been estimated. Indeed, so boundless is
it, that one might we'll shrink from the task.
When this vast region-an empire within IL
sel:--shall have been suit jected to tho de-
veoping hands of industry and of art, who
shall set limit tc the capacities of the Old
Common ealth2 What Nautilus will under
take to compute, with mathematical precl-
sion, the agricultural add the mineral
wealth, aud the fruits Of manufacturing in
dustry, which Virginia will pour out every
wear into our domestic and foreign markets
la all Of this prospective prosperity, the
Railroads have living and important inter
est.-LynchJurg Vuginian.
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