, 1877-10-10
THE RAILROADS.


MICHIGAN RAILWAYE.
Mr. Il. u. Williams, Commissioner OF Rail-
roads for the State Of Michigan, has submitted
to tho Governor the 9th atnuai report Of tho
state Of Affairs along the various lines Of Ills
batltwtck. Tho report Is for the year 1915, aud
sets forth that tue rrturps from the vurious
companies show decided improvements over
those of former year4. There arc thfrty-slx
railroad corporations in the State, operating
totnl of 6,G90.2S miles, with q total pntd up
capital stock Is e14a, ,t3, ,23,i+ and total debt
liability OF Sf04,5a0,1 1876. The aggregate carn-
Tugs for the reported gear were sc, 80 2l96S,
decrcaae from thcresults Of the previous year OF
s702, ,o0oG CO, and the Income In adlttion 10 carn-
ings amounted to s241, 1905. m Increase OF
e41,5sa.iS. For operating the rontls the total
cxpcnse reaches $aASs5, 1G3.25, reduction Of
oycr e., co., 000. During the year the tuta NUN.
her VI passengers CARRIED was III, El5, lis, de-
crease from ttIe preceding year Of II, 800.
Tie Tonnage 0f freight vurrtp,l By the thirty
foar roads that have reported was 18474,1l,
ness Of 1875,
Freight rates ase spoken Of rs almost ru,t,ous-
y low, And l1cal carrtage represented ~ alulost
lie reports the equipment In use or owned by
the railroads dolug business in the Stats at
l,S8 locomotives VI all sizes. G30 passenger
carst e5a bagEago and express cars, 4,+57 6ox
cars, 7o ore cars, 6Sl cabonses, and a,oS4 other
carr for yariotls purposes, making 4 total OF
T., 43s cars, while tl.e total lumber Of persons
employed was 2,745.
THO record Of accidents for tho year shows q
total Of 20. of WHICH 0l Eraulted Ii, lleatl, and
lei In injury. OF those killed TIN wcru l,as-
acngeIs, 81 employees, and 50 othcrs; and OF the
injured 10 wcFc palsengers, sa cInployes, and 30
killed and ayo injured from causes beyond their
own control, seycnty.ninr persons uneopnccted
With tho rpa4s, ettlsGr ~ passengers a eu1-
plDyes, were killed or injured during tho ycdr,
I'LL through their own negligence.
In conclusion, the report takes up tho subject
OF bridges, upon which 1t reularka:
Indicted npon many that escaped death, 40 vol a.
tho immense uratu upon the resources Of several or
tue largcat corporations Ut the country by the fa!
IN. of within the lask ton months,
n,es Of this State. and lmpei them to gtater dill
Renco In ths prevention Of liku disasters Thi. Ia
Tue more important at the present time, aa 10
large number of our roads wefe built between
Isis and 1873. and from The fact that wo have 74O
27 feet, OF whIch a7l}, VI IN aggregate length os
u, 010 feet, or 1Ha nltlcs, aEc upon roads
built within tho yeats mentioned. The largo pro.
portion of these structures fcht on pills foandn.
iton, and many q them arc Of gteal hetghsa The
piles above lfts ground arc faat dceayac ana ~.
coming of no vatus ~ supports: tile size and
quality Of the timber 10 such as tu bo lrcac,crous
and unrel'able, and II our companies would avotd
other States. and from which We have had such
perfect Immunity In tbs past, they should with.
out any unnecessary delay. rebuild 4l1 bridges
thst are Of tho class 4ra,gn4ttl and hare btsn
safety - economy, and al! OLD tin.ber should bu
replaced. however eonud 1t may sppcsE. that has
been In usa for that length OF ttme.."