New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-29
RATLROADS IN MASSACHUSETTS,
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS
larles +. Adams, jr, A. d. Briggs ,,d


TURNS.
Charles i. Adams, jr., A. d. Briggs. and
Franci. H. johnson, the Railroad Commissioning a, NJ
sachu.ets have issued their annual report mas,.-,
volume Of 2ij pages For the first time the report a.,
in the history OF the state since the railroad system -
began more than 30 years ago, there was prot.,lv
speaking no railroad construction COINS on IN sss...
during the year. About 20 miles Of eonses,n,
track were buIt. but no new enterprise was boeuno,
completed On the subj Of free passes the 10 ard as
occasion TO say the system IS wrong and should 4.
broken up" Conductors Of trains should collect tGe,.
from every person them, except the IRAN bandA Ter
should never be- allowed TO receive fare. on the "a,
without giving the passengers paying such fares .,
ticket in RETURN which they should then collect Ike os,
tickets. Public officials travelling on public du,v
should buy their Tickets like other passengers and tb.
travelling expenses shoud he regularly refunded 70 them
rendered 10 this way. and m this way ouly
could the very serious abuses which grow Of tie ps,
system be cut OIL"
Elaborate statistics arey@u ~ mites OF road the eOs
o. construction. &C. which. ~ Summary show that tae
average mile Of single-track road Oh- mile Of double
tack being estimated at two miles ~ single track Of
which returns made 60 TO board has cost sl5Om
aud that its equipment has cost an additional sun Of
@55OO, making total OF $4,000 for the mile Of single
track equipped road. which is represented BY $4,000
OF capital stock and $1,000 OF debt The gros, yearly
u
20 percent, consumed IN the cost u op.ntion asl
So $50, 30 per cent remains profit Forty six p.s
cent OF the derived from the passenger bas
AMI IL per cent from freights, aud the remainder
from miscellaneous sources. Returns were made from
80 street railway companies which showed an agss.
gate increase OF capital stock amounting To SGs0j tse
total being S5,G6i,3jO The aggregate indebtednessd
these roads was S2s32O7 II, being an fncrese Of
800, 093 81 the previous year This makes ioss
apdd NJ -. One aft.D
dividends Of 10 per cent Of per cent. Of pr cent
OF per cent, Of per cent, Of per cent, and II
made no dividends.
Among other matters treated OF the subject Of casual
ties is one The total number incident TO the operation
Of railroads during the year has been 23l a. compared
with oi2 for the previous year or these 80 we're 10
Passengers and 81 20 employees. and the remnindeO OF
1870 were TO tre-passers tracks and Ia persons
at cros.in5 sc. one hundred aud fourteen resulted N
death to persons and II personal niary only Nor
than 26 per cent OF the casualties go were occasonef
by the unlawful practice OF walking upon the r4lr'sd
tracks. The excessive u'e ~ steam whistles, asAlsl
witch several complaints have been inp1e' has hesh
greatly mitigated, II not wholly abaicd.' Tue cons'
sOnsrs say: 1T il extremely guc,iiOlAble. even asa
matter OF law whether corporations have rsh, 10 use
the whistle To the Intense Annoyance OF th"if "sn"n
usual aud ordinary method oi signaling ahd coinu,
ncating th their cmpoyc'. aside from an 90, usG
danger" Meanwhile, 80 far ~ the most lradnl
OF complaint J. coH"eIn. the Use oi the whse
signal OF the Hp9rolch 81 locomotives u sthilois@
crosSiuGs iuri alton whatever Tor ne eontinunne
IN crowded localities uny longer exists lr "l'c'ic ~
station, and Ia the cabins OF s'-na.-nrn a' gsie
crossing, answers purpose mnch better han ne
whistle. should further Complaints tl'ftivr
be made 10 this hoard of aHnoyanc" ipm thls lcusr
use the whistle. the matter VIII not again br bulsM
To- the attention 81 the 0iircls 81 the corporation npl
Gated Lut II "il DE rrlered 90 the Atalucl GenIa
once with view 20 such legal preceding stan N
this matter. once for al. establish the rsnts md oiha
Tbr rI rineut of running cheap and slow trans g
very low rates "f fare 20 ana from Boston. Tor The 40
comuodatiun Of working ro pie, ha- been cohiAlel
H.. II q lNf BE-
1873 the beaB- ~ the fourth year Of tlr eAp.aenL
the rates 81 Ice on these trains GA gle Lsl ivlt vas
changed, and new tIih Was aGupl'l under Ah,.'
distinction Mas made account 0t dstarre iAerri.
fore tickets had been soi a. the a" oi 20 io Il goa
r.cd IN .c of tns. sit,, bee. /, l,75 Toe r'tegs
continued no i've cgui- tup rhib Q" ttshAll INA
raised 20 Ell ~. @ .nts
Ine ropJlt IN conclusion da.g-.gs De ncisai con-
amount ~ agricultural ptn'u't. mnyri - r'g 'ren
West i0 Et,t compared with t1ni Moved y VOLTS
Wa. POS per cent moved by ral .o 'p2 ~ c-ng
waller; IA I,1l n Wa 50 p,r cal D} li too pr sl
crt BY |stcr, ana Al Last, " I75 wa, SEQ pc -
Ll TIi 90 8,.Iptr C'lt DO! WdtE lns conn f''.'t,-
i,.,. mi canal f,ou Cl,as, 10 Ncu-lofk "hy mo.e
tnlu our-naii-irOm 1872 cent, pcr hu,Ic g. % LsG
tii.h thl' ih) ,"5u a'l -" 49, 80 M h narrated
detai, aud after thu complications ui th. present. Isi
system ale set iotih, thc commissioners saJ' ~
suDuTduItrs whose very existence drisnds On ~. a.
being done which thosc controins ~ liI"' WIZ IA
IA. IA continually - ns to do 10 tt''Ao ~, - IN
~ tui- fact g. bIt necessary foT any ftrson 70
down the raclE business STREETS 81 sag s"ls'ss.-
town IN thc county. he VOL -,. ih va ~, ,,sr,os
expensive uic hrar tine si-ls 81 iarai ',us- -
aud OF ear Shd dispatch ilnos, and al ihe IA u'A =
purchased aud rates oI tici<hi M"'c "ih.A q, I'D
on ali tnc CON Vanirs included lhe RMS slI ,ih-
pcrquises Ills army of Irtaineis ala cone ou,
railroad corporations, and Tie Ics'' %. ~ e+ at
and the corporations aIc eAd,tp ahtis'Hl'', - IA
arr always working To BRING ab"nt fniii"ia w.
which business whh tA,.d = itsA, WIZ ~" 49,
alNals etlNlu- 10 ,hrNt CON IH'ti'ti .....ie ri.
AS hong this stat Of aii'irs All
road wars Wl cont, "a. Tie L"ltS ol 49,, 80,
the tear, OF business public ln - ,aiu - Anu 80
ing viii be- equally disappointed a. N ~ ~" ',ssa-
able, low ever. tlat ,hc lrcyut ,oulr' @ih " rIssss
ateN renewed. Ihv severe LOSSES lhi bi't't Nfss4
uI the last lev month, VIII h"t pee h'A'''',' ,.a .ul
for a time matter. OF dIsputc vii tesa4h go
breaches OF coinlac, vii pass uin"ut.d 81, 90
"a war 80 rate, j. made uiur' ~rfti' ui .t..l.es
preceded IT, ana the wcibcf coHiali"Ls INA 'u' Ia h.,
continually nearer the cnd OF Iacr n-u1i,'s' Gh
able to Sustan she pressure. ~ ti'A 'l al
tn.y arr aD.uripvd tnrOug baukru siu, -! INC s..s
inns. "A. I.,,t "A, these see their aiyaaiaae % N-s
them. Competition l., thet'i"ic, a. "f'"' - uk.b
resulting IA consolidation tui this pso'rs- go. ,rrs
tp continue Indefinitely thIuJsh TIE l3hsdA 80. m
What shape thl> consolidation Mn W'u,, ,.tis RJs
another aud later pbasr OF d''e'r1'''' - -
In spclkug " the combination II Dec 10 aHaas ,'.
able rHec,s on IN. iuteI.tS Iioston, the nie'a
Cudes IN the cudI-C Vi ihls s'I1s-''' - 80. I'd q.
chusrtts and Boston 3ic tuuct ihoi' az ~, ..rrn1
vantage. WITH ota,r lucante, -.cms 3" D. 800
throu.,i a ,4Inmanlty o. utr mtts~ ~ ,''...s.
NcWI OH, ami ., niuSl d"p"ud upon ",I ~ 81 snc.
aud c-I,c, slly business c'niu'nniiy 70 $1,000 -
ctes vi ha1dins and of tisnsit A. VII v.n,i.l ~
induccu.rn. To- traIie 80 sctA ts euanntt lho NJ tbe
Vantage of an iui. I'nuont thorVusnlsrr eh e..te.
Mis- \, future ul phlIaIrirIa and ialtiii,He ,l,g
great dt gree To- dcIeui, T. iurt l" h'a,H = 6,eH
ins,lt an, unstau,,~ u " very uui,ui' 20 -. go
can 90 recovered. Inctd, the tfdo I,c1 ZOO W ss.
luunu Ia aupt would nut s,rm 60 dictate a. % n rf
drayuf to r,ruvrr a. ior "A Is ~ usic.s a. tii'nf.
nm sIn.ss ,f III, ,tiupnsnt To .tbauou i1n
pl.u and To .idupt nov uuv - ~ De- l" stA Il
lihe lost OrpUttuuilitS ntod "a h'' - ,un,f.
chiisetl ~ respects ~ thgOush f"s " u
uous hia 10 Adopted ami iu1iC tAsn tN''' i.sA
time AMI twenty millions 81 thr phnilt h"i'. lw
.s.ll F All IL
HuOslU tunnel, INST al "a LtinE t"'s''' .f.t4 Of
come yatt of tunk tir, ana tnat tfuhs no, 49,
competing at Aibsu, the liosi 80 thi N''l ,.f
Il mo iioN OYER ths NrH-lufA 'th"A = -
ext, ended to The mtunor bIiuEuE o, - te 10y
tue bal iu,Oio aud onio"