The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-07-07


From advance sheetsof IS Poor's Man
mel Of Railroads Of the United States fol-
1877-8-''the highest authority in the
United States-We learn that the number
of miles Of railroad opened during the
year 1876 vas 1856, against 1919 miles
for 1876; and 1,911 miles for 1874. The
excess of miles built, ~ compared with
the two preceding years, is due almost
entirely to the great activity in the
Southern Pacific lines, and in narrow
gauge lines in Ohio, Texas and Colora-
do. The miles operated in 1876 num-
bered 73,518; the capital and funded
debt amounted to "a, 468, 591 1856; the
gross earnings were 49,, 257, 1853; the
net earnings S186, 452, 1852, and the div
idends paid 368, 0S9, 668. Compared
with 1875, there is an increase of 1,749
in the number of miles operated; an in
crease of over $3.50, 600, 600 in the capi-
tai and funded debt; q decrease of S.
SOC, 900 in the gross earnings; an in
crease of nearly 81, 600, 900 in the net
earnings, AMI q decrease of 5000, 900
in the dividends. The increase in the
net earnings, although the mileage of
the roads has been increased and the
gross earnings have fallen of, betoken
an increased economy in railway man
agement. The dividends paid last year
were larger than in any previous year,
except 1875, but not as large in proper
ton to the capital stock as in many pre-
ceding years.
In the ten years from 1867 to 1876,
tho y.o;lroo1 rn;Ioor ~ x.yos noorlv douhlod
increasing from IS, 276 in the former to
40 in the latter. During the same
period the population of the country in
creased only % per cent, so that the
increase in railway mileage has been at
q rate more than quadruple that of the
population. Nearly two-thirds of the
increase has been in the Western and
Pacific States. The number of inhab-
itants to q mile of railroad is ,577. In
the West the number averages consider
ably less, being but 427 inhabitants per
mile. The Manual says that the expe-
rience of the New England States dem
onstrates that, to enable railroads to be
operated at q profit, a population of at
least $50 to mile of railroad is neces-
sary in this country, and that the history
of the railroads in the Western States
also proves it. The inevitable result,
the Manual also says, has come, and
that result can not be overcome until
the population shall again increase to
the necessary proportion.
1t is estimated that in 1876 the num-
Der of tons of freight transported was
more than fifty per cent. greater than in
1871. The decrease in rate of freight is
as the basis of decrease in
Massachusetts, New York and Ohio, at
&C. per cent. The average rate per
ton per mile in cents, was in the aggre-
gate, in those States, in 1876, 1928,
against 1.94 in 1871. The earnings from
freight transportation on railroads
the country are less by more
than $132, 900, 600 than they would have
been had the rates of 1871 been MAIN
tanned.
Siuce 1867 the capital stock of the
railroads has increased from 1856, $685.
900 to 92,248, S58,375, and the funded
debt from SAT-, 658, 900 to 1920, 1885,
$50. As the net earnings of the roads
in 1876 were $186, 452, 1852, and the divi-
dends amounted to only $68, 039, 668,
nearly $120, coo, 900 went to interest on
the debt.