The Portland daily press., 1873-01-17

MASSACHUSETTS RAILROADS. The fourth
annual report of the Massachusetts, Railroad
Commissioners states that at the close of the
last railroad year, September 80, 1872, there
were belonging to railroad corporations report
ing to the Commissioners, 1884 A miles of main
line and branches, with 524S5 of sidings, and
53413 of double track, equivalent in all to
1858 AIT of single track. Returns were receiv-
ed during the year of So corporations, but real
ly under 36 boards of direction. The average
cost OF the roads has been Sol $50 mile, eX-
elusive OF equipment, which has amounted to
$3.50 mile. The average cost per mile of an
equipped road is about 100000. The entire
amount directly invested in the railroads re-
porting to this board is in round numbers S135,-
100000. represented BIS $S1, 600 600 of stock and
$54,000,000 of debt Of the 55 corporate ons
making returns, 30 paid dividends ranging be-
tween two and ten per cent, and average on
the entire capital of all the roads represented
by stock, 6 97-100 per cent.
Nine corporations divided ten per cent, two
divided 9, three divided s, three divided 4 six
divided per cent, seven divided less than g.
and twenty five made no dividends. The gro IS
income of the roads during the year was % $40
per cent. OF their entire cost, but the cost of
operation was 1872 per cent. of their gross
earnings, leaving an average net income from
the years doings of 3 10 per cent on the in
vestment.
~ w w DIS large return
cost as is made bv the railroad system of anu
community, and much larger than the average
The capital stock of these corporations apnears
to be owned by about $3.50 persons, the aver
age amount held by each of whom is $275O: of
the whole number of stockholders "a per cent
are residents of Massachusetts, controlling 60
per cent of the entire capital stock, or an az.
gregate of nearly $57, 100000. The stock of the
several companies is held in very different ways,
that of the Old Colony, for instance, in average
lots of only $1645 each, and IS per cent of the
whole in Massachusetts, while the Boston &
Albany, with an equal proportion in Massachu-
setts is held in average lots of $4,000. The ma
Jority OF the tick of the Boston & Maine, on
the other hand, appears to be held out of the
Commonwealth and in lots of about S24OO each.
The Boston q Providence is held in lots of
about $4,000 each, and 70 per cent of the whole
is owned in the Site. The Duxburv & Cobas-
set is held by only four parties, the Holyoke &
Westfeld by fourteen; of the leading roads the
Hartford q New Haven appears to be in few
est hands, the average amount held by each
stakeholder being in the neighborhood Of $500
The total earnings returned for the wear are
$50, BIS, 1920, being increase of $3.50 .567
over the previous year, of which increase 1851
59l was derived from the passenger business.
~, 3O5, 1888 from freight, and the remainder from
miscellaneous sources. Of the entire gross re-
celpts, about AZ per cent. were derived from the
passenger business, and 81 per cent, from
freight; and during the year the receipts from
freights had increased II per cent, while those |
from passengers increased but ner cent