The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-10-19
MICHIGAN RAILROADS.
synopsis of the Annual Report OF the Com
missioner of Railroads.

just been issued, ana is full of interest
ing facts, and not a few suggestions
The following very briefly gives synop
sis of the report, which is very length.
one
In regard to railroad freights, tn,
Commissioner says that, from the activ,
competition between competitive lines
the freights have been so reduced that
for the present, the interposition of tn,
making power has been unnecessary
in order to give the people low rates.
AS to the amount of business done
the report says that the returns from the
railroad companies show a decided i'm
provement over any previous year and
on the business of the previous year.
AS to the number of the railroads,
there are now doing business in Michi-
gan thirty-six corporations. Four OF
these roads are in the hands of receivers;
six leased; three with only a nominal
existence. There is one new corporation
the Glencoe, Pinconning and Lake
Shore-which has commenced doing
business during the year, and which has
reported to the Office for the first time.
On railroad mileage and construction
the report says that the thirty-six cor
porations own total of 5,252.35 miles
of road, and operate total of $500. %
miles-a net gain over the preceding
year of %. 80 miles. OF this total there
are in this State 3,36067 miles of oper-
ated road, to which must be added that
of the Chicago and Northwestern, from
Lansing to Flint, so miles, which was
completed in the closing days of 1876,
and which, with the above total, gives
3,41O.67 miles of completed road in
Michigan. A table, giving the itemized
increase for the year in this State, shows
that the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern railroad has had an increase OF
only 90 of a mile, the total increase be-
ing only 49, 6 miles. The roads show a
decrease from remeasurement Of four
miles, making the net increase for
Michigan only 1446 miles, which,
adding so miles for the Chicago
and Northwestern, makes total
net increase of GA. 46 miles for the year
1876. The report further shows that in
1888 there were only 63 miles of road In
the State; increased in 184S to 1876; in
1853 to 7O3; in 1868 to /, 124; in the next
four years Q872) to 1892, and in the
last four years Q876) to 3,410. The year
of greatest activity in railroad building
appears to have been 1871, during which
$50 miles of road were completed. Only
two of the roads, however, report any
double track, namely, the Michigan Cen
trail and the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern railroads, which have together
3CS.15 miles. OF siding there are
1,192.07 miles-a gain for the year OF
| 16. SO miles. There were 1,S20.11 miles
of road laid with stefan increase over
the previous year of 346.02 miles.
OF the capital stock and debts, the re-
port says that the total paid-up capital
invested in Michigan roads, amounts to
$142, 033, 233. A, or an average of $27,
O41. "a; an increase, in the aggregate, OF
1913, 965. 80, or 66-100 of per cent. over
the previous year. The funded debt is
reported at $3.50, 594 900. GA, and the I'm.
funded debt at $13, 952, OPS II, making q
total of debt liability of $164, SAG, 11S. rs,
or an average per mile of $31 ,227.9O.
| These totals show an increase OF
81, 158, 507.24 for funded debt, and
81, O59, 778. go for the unfunded debt, OF
total increase of 1872 per cent. The
aggregate of stock and debt amounts to
1906, $40, 1852. so, or an average Of $5S,'
800. IA per mile, or an increase OF 81,
O51, PSI. "a, or 1873 per cent. over the
previous year. The cost of roads anG
equipments amounts to 1897, 022, 1888. 81
an increase of $2,06S, 207. 81, or 72-10(
of l per cent. over the previous year
this total cost being equal to $54, S35. Al
per mile owned; OF which there is In
vested in Michigan $3.50, 321, 1872. II, al
increase for the year of IS, 78S, 466. 40.
AS to the earnings of the road, the re
port shows that the total earnings fol
the year were $40, 1888, 219.8S, decreas,
of $702, 000.66 from the previous year
The proportion of the above grand tota
to be credited to Michigan is $17,704,
606. go, the earnings per mile of road be
ing $7,094.39 OF these the passenge
earnings were 27.9 per cent. of tn,
whole; the freight earnings, CTS pc
cent. from mail service, 2.3 per cent.
and from other sources, 81 per cent
The income in addition to earning
amounted to $241 1895 the total in
come for the year being $40, 625, 009 SO
or $500, 416.1S less than for the yea
preceding. The total amount ex
pended for the operation of tn
roads being $26, 1856. 103. %; the averag
expense of operation per mile being 81,
6S7.SS; a sum less by 81, 700, 1913
than that of the previous year. Not
withstanding this large reduction, how
ever, the roads have not been able to ar
rive at paying standard, five roads hav
ing been unable to make their earning
equal the expenses of operation. Onl.
four companies report dividends, name
ly, the Chicago and Northwestern rail
road, the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern railroad, the NJ. A. l.. II. 4.
and the Mineral Range railroad; the to
tai amount of dividends paid being 81,
212, 1854, of which the Chicago ant
Northwestern railroad Tin Michigan
paid $3.50, 111.56, the Lake Shore ant
Michigan Southern $l6l, O1l.25, an'
the Michigan Air Line 81, S9O.53.
Of the traffic, the report says tina
10. 53S, 71S passengers were carried;
decrease of III, 500 from the preceding
wear: amount of freight carried 10, 474,
72l tons, plus that carried by two roads
not reported. The average rate recelve'