The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-02-23
WHEELING AND LAKEERIE RAIL
ROAD.
Important Statistics and Facts
Showing the Merits OF the Line.
WHEELING, Feb. %, 1876.


In deference to numerous requests,
herewith submit results of further exam.
ination concerning the Wheeling and
Lake Erie Railroad and Narrow gauge
The local statistics hereafter given are
from official sources and are such as
carefully gathered in the preparation OF
the preliminary prospectus OF the com
pany and therein given In more detail.
In justice to The w. & l.. +. no com.
parlson ought to be made, except of the
very best coal road, but | have taken
even the worst roais of Ohio in the prep
aratlon OF this article, so that it may be
seen in every aspect.
Under the laws of Ohio, every railroad
company must annually make sworn
report to the Railroad Commissioner OF
that State, and the following data are
taken from his last published report, be-
fore me, for the year ending June 30,
1874.
COMPARISONS.
The Columbus and Hooking Valley
for that year earned S9,05020 per mile
at cost of 574S per cent, netting S3,-
S4768 per mile on So miles. which
amounts to little over 4-5 per cent of
its cost
The Wheeling and Lake Erie At a
cost of 81, ,60O, 900, and earning as much
per mile as the Hooking Valley, at al
operating cost of 70 per cent, will net
II Ga per cent on its cost; or earning one
half as much per mile net 1910 per
cent; or earning One-thtrd rs much will
net 7.2l per cent.
The total car milage of that road
for the same year was $3.50
65S miles, os which 1891
miles (of more than one-third oil the
whole car mileage or haulage) WAS
empty cars. While its freight mileage
was less than So per cent OF Its total mile
age, its freight earning was over SO per
cent of the total earnings; and OF this,
So. 81 per cent WAS coal This and other
items in the report, show the fact con :
clusively, that nearly the total hauiage Is
in one direction, viz: from the coal
fields toward. Columbus, and there is no
population or business at the south end
demanding return frelghts.
The Lake Shore and Tuscarawas Val
lev Railroad cost s., ,l98, 70456, or SOL
40l OF per mile for its l0l miles. 1t
earned in 1874, in gross, S340,069.4S, or
IS, 1926 per mile at cost of $50 per
cent. Its net earnings were Sl36,Ol1l9,
and it paid Sl54, 10 interest on its bonds;
and its net earnings amounted to little
over - per cent. of its cost. Ot its total,
foliage
76.39 PER CENT. WAS COAL.
While its car and empty car mileage
is rot given, it must, in the nature OF
things, have been large. The south end
terminates on the Pan Handle, where
there is no population, no business or
capital demanding freight from the La ke
and the coal tonnage shows most OF Its
freight northward.
1t cannot be doubted that the Wheel
ing and Lake Erie will earn as much
per mile as the last named road, or
50, 362. 80 per mi g. This, for two hun
dred miles, amounts to S672, ,472; deduct
ing 4j per cent for expenses OF narrow
gauge, leaves S3G9, $50 so net earnings, or
& O4 per cent of the total cost of 81 ,6O0,-
600.
THE COLUMBUS AND HOOKING VALLEY
charges /! to Il cents per ton per mile
for coal through rates. From the Straits
vile mines to Columbus is about 80
miles, and to Toledo over 200 miles by
the nearest new road now building (Col.
umbus and Toledo. At these rates, and
over these two lines. the freight on coal
delivered at Toledo will be at least So
per ton. Its tonnage of coal for the year
named was 9,052 tons.
The western horizon of the coal fields
on the Wheeling and Lake Erie Rail
rosd, is within
Ill MILES OF TOLEDO,
and 90 miles Of Sandusky. Besides the
difference in operating narrow gauge,
we have difference of SO miles in our
favor from the coal fields to Toledo, So
that if we should charge the same rates
per mile, and it should cost US as much
10 ship it on a narrow guage, we have 81
miles, or 81 "a a ton, in our favor. a ship
ment OF 549,052 tons over our Ill miles
to Toledo at IL cents per ton per mile
or 81 66 per ton, total distance, will yie.d
s9ll. .426 81 gross; S50l.2S4 IS net, or
10 50 per cent. on total cost of road, and
save to the consumer at Toledo Sl.3i per
ton or total Of 1874, 729 on the 549, 1852
tons.
THE CLEVELAND, MT. VERNON AND CO.
LUMBUs
earned s2,6S7.S3 per mile and paid 2.94
per cent. on its cost, while the same
earnings per mile on our road Will pay
6. "a per cent.
THE LAKE ERIE AND LOUISVILLE RAIL
repe-ts the lowest earnings per mile oil
Mi the roads reporting to the commis-
sioner. viz: 81, 1876, and it's net earn
ings WAS only IS, 1854 or less than two
fiths OF one per cent, while the
same earnings per mile on
the Wheeling and Lake Erie
would net and pay $50 per cent on It's
entire cost.
THE MARIETTA, rIrrsB ukGH AND CLEvE-
LAND,
Is the road reporting the next lowest
earnings per mile, viz: 81 1925, and it
ne,ted less than one and one-slxth per
cent oi its cost, while the same earnings
per mile on the Wheeling and Lake
Erie, net - per cent of its cost.
The Marietta and Cleveland road has
an equipment of only . engines, t pas
senger and ll3 freight cars.
The Lake Erie snd Louisville road has
. engines, 4 passenger and so freight
car, and of its total tonnage only L09
per cent WAS coal.
THE CLEVELAND AND PITTSBURGH
railroad earned Sl4,s2l % per mile, and
its net earnings were 81, ,40l, ,264.o9. Ot
it, total tonnage, 460S per cent was
coal and - per cent ores.
The Cleveland and Pittsburgh for the
wear named was operated at less than ~
per cent of its gross earnings. Ihe aver
age cost of railway operations IN ONO
was over - per cent. of the gross earn
ings.
The average earnings Of sll the roads
10 Ohio for the year named was se, sol o
<