The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-12-10
Report Of the Auditor Of Railroad Ac.

CUuHlSa
Tie annual report of Theophilus French.
Auditor of Railroad Accounts, is mainly de-
voted to the condition Of the land-grant rail-
roads In whole or in part west north, or south
of the Missouri river. Mr. French SAYS that
during the pas year the condition Of all rail-
road property il the Unitei States has been
much improved, more especially that Of tie
railroads west of the Mississippi; that among
those railroads lying west of the Mississippi
the most marked improvement has been on
The great trunk line Of tie Union and
Central Pacific Companies, and OF which
the United States Government is q creditor
10 the amount Of nearly $4,000, 600. Stability
Of rates, even thou ID rates have been reduced,
aas given larger earnings which, III turn have
enabled liberal expenditures to be made for
maintenance and Improvement, to the manifest
ldyantage Of the travelling pubic and shippers
as we'll as Of tire properties themselves. AS to
the Pacific railroads proptf. he SAYS that branch
Ines have been and are il process of conStruc-
don, and stu more are PROJECTED. Steel rails are
beng largely substituted Tor hon rails ; ties
IRE kept well renewed; grades are beng re-
duced. and bad sections remedIed trestles are
being filed and road-Leds widened and bal-
listed shops an statlon-houses are being en-
arged, new and improved machinery has been
purchased, equipment has been increased SO as
to meet the I, quireinents of the traffic, and in
all this, wLio ecOno ny has been studied
safety Oh travel and public convenience have
not been overlooked. AT no previous time in
the history OF these great enterprises has the
value OF the properties been so assured or
Their prospects been 80 good for beneftIng
their own re, paying their debts and serving
lie people better and more cheaply.
oils OF \Ea 1ko3k 81
tory of accidents, from summary of which il
appears that of the passengers who travel bS
railroad in the United States, including en1.
ployes on trains, in every 1,50U, 900 earned one
killed and Tour are injured, Or to state 1t DIFF
lerently, thatin every 40,00G,U00 persons car
ritd one mile one is killed and four are injured.
The figures also show that about one-fourth of
the train accidents are the results of defects in
property while more than one-half are the re-
suit of carelessneos, lack of discipline or de-
foctive management
The continued Improvement in the business
of railroads Is noted by tue fact that for the
calendar year 1875, as c0mpared with 1878, the
ross earnings of nearly all the railroads in the
United States show an increase of $40, 00O, COO
or about per cent The WORKING expenses
show all increase of 81, 5U0, 000 or about 20 per
cent, and the Let earnings show an increase of
1872, $4,000, or more than IL per cent, while,
INC lllClOdSSQ HIS UGeudDNULO lHoi cSiC,.
" nearly 4.S0O miles.
noticeable feature of this increased bust
ness is that it has occurred nearly altogether
on the railroads of the Middle. Western and
Southwestern States; the business of those in
the Pa itic, New Eng land and Southern States
not having materially improved.
Mr.. French draws the following conclusions
from comparison of the Eastern and Western
railroads First that while the ratio OF
cf1T @I7O- 30
these Western roads IS, say, So per
cent, and on the Eastern roads 81
per cent, the Eastern roads have done
three lines the work at only double the cost.
Second, that both these Eastern and Western
railroads have reduced their rat, per ton Ter
mile IA per cent. and passenger rates about z
per cent. on al average. Third, that the aver
lge haul both Of freight and passengers. on
the Western, is nearly double that ON the Bust
ern roads. Fourth, that the average rate per
ton per mile on the sstern roads is down to
tue very low price of less than niae-tenths of
cent, and the rate for passengers per mile to
~ cents.
AS to the Northtrn Pacific, the Auditor
thinks that no other company is believed to
have straighter or more honest End honor
tbe record than their books exhibit but he
cr1ticizes the company for have donated such
large amount to preferred stock at par value
IN order to place loan of 49, 600 upon the
Two divisions of its road.
MIR. French devotes comparatively little space
O the important questions OF Into State trans
pOrtatlon. AS q substitute f0l the Re sgan and
Ill other pending bills upon that subject, he
proposes a law which ri III embody the follow
ing principles: That all common carr ers Ell
gagged IN transporting passengers and freight
from one st to Or Territory to another State Of
Territory of the United States are hereby
authorized to chirge and receive for said
ter,i3e such compensation as they may
Tx from time to line, provided that no
discrimination of amy i'd VII .tever
shall be made tn t the possible service and
facilities shall be Furnished on thes me day, at
the same price, for a freight offered, and, in
case any common carer evades or breaks this
provi ion, the party injured shall have his rem
edy in any United States court having juris-
d1ctlon.