Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-11-25
THE BALTIC. & OHIO RAILROAD.
Work Accomplished During the Year.
Baltimore American, 10th inst.

r cry citizen who has at heart the inter
F ests of Baltimore, and who takes d
{ proper pride in her advancement. The
report demonstrates beyond question
that Baltimore's trunk line is the line of
the country in fact, the most important
in the world. A recital of few of the
prominent features is all that is neces-
!, sary to show the enormous work the
road has accomplished in the past year.
i The revenues for the fiscal year ending
September S0th aggregated no less than
i S1S,317,7 7,74O10, an increase, as compared
with 1879, of S4,123, ,75967, and an in
crease as compared with 1878 of S4,552,-
460.11. In other words, the revenues
were greater by about 25 per cent The
net earnings were $5,172,9 ,9SO.76, or
1881, ,735.67 more than in 1879. Compared
with the great increase in revenues this
shows at first sight a disappointingly
small gain-large as the figures are but
| he who reads the report carefully will
satisfactory. Twenty-four engines of
the largest class (the Consolidated" or
"Mogul" engines), and two engines for
switching purposes, have been built, at
the cost of S211,73S.61; S34 cars of large
ly increased capacity have been built;
! 697 iron hopper cars have been raised
from 10000 to 10000 pounds capacity per
car; 297 house and 727 gondola cars
have been increased i'll capacity from
! 10000 to 10000 pounds; so additional re-
| frigerator cars have been built; sol hop
per gondolas, 115 stock, and 1912 house
cars, each of 10000 pounds capacity,
have been constructed, besides passen-
ger coaches, and other miscellaneous
cars The cost of 1900 cars was $716,-
SS1.32. A very large amount was also
lexpended upon steel rails. Seven hun
| dred and fifty miles of track are now
laid with steel rails. The whole of this
has been charged to repairs. In other
words, over a million of dollars of the
revenues has been applied to the con-
struction of new rolling stock alone, and
instead of the sums being charged
against construction account" they
are entered against repairs" The divi-
dend is provided for, a splendid sHrplus
is left, and the stockholders find them
selves possessed of fuller and better
squipment by far than ever before in
the history of the corporation, and with
the roadway in splendid condition. The
increase in the tonnage is most remark
able. In 1871 the aggregate of through
merchandise, east and west, was 435,207
tons; in 1876 it had reached 1,093,303
tons; last year it was 1,425.629 tons; in
1880 the total was 1,9SO,397 tons. This
increase of about 33 per cent. is almost
unprecedented in railroad history. In
this aggregate enter the following items:
59S,992 barrels of flour, 25,962,696 bush
els of grain and 54,53O tons of lumber
brought to Baltimore; 165,454 tons of
live stock transported and 4,3SS,S56 tons
of coal, an increase for the year of 997,-
SS1 tons of coal.
But the half is not yet told. The in
debtedness of the corporation was de-
creased in the fiscal year by the sum of
s., ,S3O,S15.9S. And the profit and loss
| account shows an increase of 1885,
9S4.44, the surplus fund, which repre-
sents invested capital derived from net
earnings and which is not represented
by either stock or bonds, now amounting
to S4O,561 ,64237. With all this accom-
plished, the condition of the tracks, en-
gineS. and cars has been brought to a
very high standard, and the hotels own
ed by the company have been placed in
superior order.
AS regards the branch lines, the Wash
ington Road reports an increase in net
earnings of $22, 2,S22.SS, the Parkersburg
Branch an increase of $176,25O.49 Q,S62
tons of steel rails were laid), the Pitts
burg Division an increase of $279,545.O4,
the Central Ohio of $3S, ,75421, the Chica-
go of 72,142.93, the Lake Erie of $19,-
1876, and the Straitsville of 81, 2,59S.54.
The improved result on all the lines
worked by the company aggregated
S652, 2,S49.71. The condition of the Pitts
burg and Connellsville Road is very sat
isfactory, the net earnings being $1,011,-
| S27.09, and the excess of net earnings,
after paying $67S,S5S.4O for interest on
mortgaged Indebtedness, 1892, ,96S.69. At
| tention is also called to the improve
ments at Camden Station, the additional
| tobacco warehouse, the new grain ele-
vator now being built with a capacity for
| 100000 bushels, the Locust Point and
Canton ferry, the Baltimore Stock Yard
Company, the Central Building, and the
| Dry Dock. The Berlin Branch and the
Somerset and Cambria RailrOad-the two
new feeders and connections, the latter
of great value and impOrGance-are re-
ferred to descriptively. The Importance
of deepening the channel to the port to
81 feet at mean-tide, and of the con-
struction of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal, are strongly urged.
| From first 10 last the report is a
splendid one, and it is most gratifying
to know that there is every prospect not
only of continuance of the prosperity
of the great corporation, but even of Il
marked increase in it's already enormous
business and revenues.
Gov. Wilt, of Louisiana, has appoint
ed Hon. J. C. Manning, ex-Chief Justice
of the State Supreme Court, United
States Senator vice Spofford, deceased
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