The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1878-08-13


for the year was II. .3jl, 800, of whicl
80, 800, l0l was paid, and 81, ,652, S0i wa
unpaid. This class of liability amount
ed to S2, 1880 per mile of road, and
equals 81 23 per cent Of the earnings.
| Eight roads paid no part OF their inter.
est, nine roads paid n portion of it,
while the earnings of 10 roads were
/ 81, 729, 29S less than their combined
operating expense, interest, and rental.
/ The operating expenses, interest, and
rental amounted TO S37, 953, 762, or %. 81
per cent of the earnings, leaving a net
income for the year from the combined
accounts of all the roads OF 81, 100, 140,
or $3.50 70 per mile of road owned, and
1906. 20 per mile of road operated.
THE EARNINGS
per train mile earning revenue were
81 As 3-4l, and the operating expenses
were S0.96. The interest and rental ex-
pense per train mile was 1886 cents;
making a total of all classes of expenses
per train mile of Sl.42l, leaving net
profit per train mile of 3.2l cents.
RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION.
There were 44.53 miles of railroad
built in the state during the year, max
ing total of 3, i55 miles completed and
operated in Michigan at the close of
1877 OF this 2,3Si4l. or more than
two-thirds, are laid with steel rail.
HIGHWAY CROSSINGS.
There are in this state 3,670 highways
crossing railroad tracks at grade. From
this it appears that train of cars in
passing over our roads crosses a high
way at even grade oftener than once for
every mile il travels.
STATIONS, EMPLOYEES. EQUIPMENT.
There are 75l railroad stations, MAX
ing the average distance between them
4 5S miles.
The railroads gave employment TO
Ii, 305 persons within our own borders,
and the total number employed was 2S,-
$50.
The equipment used for doing the
business consisted l ,3i1 locomotives and
%, 100 cars of all kinds.
TRAIN MILEAGE.
Passenger trains ran a total of $500
666 miles; freight trains, 1851, 7l2
miles: mixed trains, 253, ,2ll miles: con-
struction, 1.G12, si3 miles, making the
total train mileoge %, 2S5, i32,-a reduc-
ton from the previous year Of ! ,l09, ,S14
miles. The total number of
PASSENGERS CARRIED
during the year was 9,9l4,Si or $685.
so less than for 1876. The total pas
sengers carriad one mile was 40i, S6S, T.
n7G or 6S 13s 56I less than in 1876.
The average distance travelled by each
passenger in 1877 was 407l miles,
against lS. - miles in 1876. This fall
ing off IN the passenger business was
equivalent. II il had been done at the
rate current for the year, 10 loss Of
~, 730, 729. 52. The average passenger
train load was but 45.7 persons, or not
quite one passenger car full.
FREIGHT CARRIED.
Our roads carried 1892 tons Of
freight during the year, or ,, 292, ,Gjj, q
i2l tons one mile; falling off from
the ton mileage Of the previous year Of
81 ,3OG. 2G6 tons. The average on-haul
was 1891 miles, a decrease of LA
miles from the previous year. The
average freight-train load was l29 %
tons, or not quite l3 carloads Of 10
tons each.
ACCIDENTS TO PERSONS.
There were during the year 209 acci-
dents to persons, II of which were ia
tai. None of those killed were passen-
gers. twenty-five employees were and
36 other persons unconnected with the
roads In any capacity. There were 2S
passengers, 100 employees, and 20 9th
ors injured more or less severely.
Seventeen Of the passengers suffered
from causes beyond their own control.
while III contributed TO the injury by
their own carelessness. Eight passen-
gers were injured while attempting to
got on or of trains in motion. OF the
employees. % were killed and 100 inJur-
ed. OF these, seven were killed and
80 injured from coupling cars. More
than one-kourth 800 of the total num-
ber of acci dents concerned those who
il would seem might give themselves
entire immunity from this class Of
perils, being unconnected with the rail-
roads either as passengers or employees;
30 were killed and 30 injured. OF
these, 2s we're killed and IL injured
from being on the track. In other
words 33 persons were deliberate tres
passers aud suffered for their temerity.
FREIGHE-TARrFF RATES.
The average rates OF freight received
10y the roads in this state during the
year was 1.032 cents per ton per mile,
an increase of mill per ton per mile
over the previous year. Had the busi-
Z. 80 l..r,, 81 ta N.r
been al. .ll6. .32S less tRaiiRp iiRp0N NEoqia, haye
The average rate for through freight
on our trunk lines was for the Mlchi-
gan Central 100 mills, for the Lake
Shore * Michigan Southern I.53 mills,
/ for tho Grand Trunk $40 mills, Tor the
| Detroit & Milwaukee 5.S7 mills, and
/ for the Flint & Pere Marquette a.
mills per ton per mile. But a. our own
people are more interested IN the Local
I freight tariff. IL may be noted that ioi
/ this class OF business the Michigan
Central received l.99 cents, the Lake
shore a Michigan Southern 7.OI mills
the Grand Rapids & Indiana 2. 60 cents
the Detroit 4 Milwaukee 2.5i cents
and the Flint & Pere Marquette %.
cents. Thsee rates are less for th'
Lake shore 4 Michigan Southern b,
10 Of n mill, aud for the MichigaI
Central 60 II a mill than the rates re
ceiyed by those roads IN 1876. From
this It is apparant that the two latte
roads. being able to control the rate
ON the eastbound traffic from Chicag
in the interest of remuneratIve busi
ness. took occasion to make a reduc
tion of rates on the local traffic OF on
own citizens.
THE GENERAL CONDITION
~ Michigan railroads was never bette
than today for the safe conduct o
business. The change since first en-
tering on the duties Of this Office bein
, verv marked, the commissioner pariis
nlarizes the greatly improved cond
tion OF the folloNing roads: Detroit (
, Milwaukee. Grand River Valley. Micf
I ican Air-Lins, Detroit, Lansing I
Northern. Chicago a Michigan LAX
shore. aud Grand Rapids 4 lndian'
Orr several roads put l,lle, 10 ne
ties into their tracks in this state dui
, ing the year.
BRIDGES.
par.icular attention has been paid
, these structures, and since entering q
! tbe dutics Of tins Office they have bee
/. : cause of constant anxiety TO the coz
missioner, Much is being done by u