Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-10

"These reductions in freight and passen-
ger rates, while they are valuable in them
selves to producers and travellers, are yet
more serviceable in showing that an enlight-
ened selfinterest is being developed on the
part of the transportation companies which
cannot but be productive of good alike to the
shipper and the carrier. A warfare between
common carriers and their patrons is alike
detrimental to the interests Of both, and
when disposition is shown on the part OF
the former to meet the just demands Of the
latter it would seem to mark the commence
ment Of better era"
MILEAGE-cosT.
1877 1873.
Standard gauge lines. $50. sOS7 ,937 1918
Sidngs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 225 .l4ll 246. O455
Double track standard ..... ........ 4.6312
Standard, equivalent of sin 1900.
gle track -....-..... z, loo 1855
Narrow gauge. ............ S.h35O 20 635O
Sidngs ..... Is $3.50 20. 1880
Aggregate OF single track. 1880 Isl .0SS0
Total length Of all lines,
rail and steamer, operated
within the State Decem-
Der 81, 1878 ............ 2,0l3. CO64
Constructed in the year OF
roadway and sidings 80. 81 1880 "a 25l0
OF this standard $50. 1853. 6SS0 So. 3210
And narrow gauge 57.5o I-sSOo
Average cost Of standard gauge
per mile, including equipment. 500, 266 sl0l.2l7
Ditto narrow gauge. ......,,.... Zo,oo' zs'Soi
The total permanent investment in roads
and equipment, including steamboat prop
erty, is returned for 1877 at S253, 914, 353 03
mot including the California Northern Rail-
road Company, for 1878, S26O, 81, 931 80.
STOCK AND DEBT.
The corporations represent S26S. 1884, SS1 81
of securities, of which SIG, 943, 62S 09 are in
the form of stock. This does not include the
California Northern Railroad Company. For
1873, securities, S275, 234, 526 "a, of which
stock S115, 534, 701 &C Black Diamond Coal
Company excluded.
1877. 1878
Gross increase for year
to Dec. 81 IT,. s24.lsO.5s1 % sa5, ,6ls ~
So.. '~ e 24s9l, 1855 II
A falling off OIL. 80l ,l6f %
Being 3l-l00 per cent.
Total operating, inter
est and other eX-
penses ........... 81, s4.6S5 80 ss2O21, 452 O6
Dividends paid for the
year .............. 4,s42,04o 90 None.
; In 1877 this was s per cent. on S54 275, 800
which was returned as paid up capital OF the
Central Pacific Railroad
1877. 1878
Total net earnings,
Guiding interest (Cal.
Mr.. R-..-........ 81, s26.5a5 SO $3.50, leG Al
up stock Of.......... 2.52 1887
Average earned per
mile operating on
standard gauge. ..... ,9l3 40 S,245 10
Do narrow gauge 1894 20 1858 70
PRoFIrs-cosT or OPERATING.
Per cent. of profit to stock and debts (divi-
dends and interest being included in profts),
1926 per cent. in 1877 and 1888 in 1878 !;
ditto. including dividends but excluding in
terest, 1201 per cent.
Per cent of profit to total property and
assets, including dividends and interest, 3.511
in 1877 and 1869 in 1878; including divi-
dends but not interest, l.102 in 1877 and 1.40S
IL 1878.
Total cost of operating river steamers and
barees exclusive of interest and dividends
in 1877, S14, S60, 6S5 % and in 1873, S15,01S,
5l7 50, or 81 per cent. OF gross income IN
1877 and 5S per cent. in 1878.
Average dead weight carried by c. 2. r.
r., one mile to each passenger, 49, 76 tons
in 1877 and q, 46S in 1878.
RATES OF FARE AND FREIGHT PER MILE.
On the Central Pacific Railroad the highest
rate for fare is 10 cents per mile the lowest,
Los cents for single fare and 4 mills per mile
for communication rates. For local passengers,
not including season, ferry or Communication
rates, the rate is LOS cents for foreign pas
sengers the rate is 3 "a cents, and the aver
age for ALL 295 cents per mile.
On the Central Pacific Railroad the highest
rate is 10 cents per ton per mile; the lowest
rate is &c cents per mile; the average rate
for local freight is 3.26S cents the average
rate for foreign freight is l. 999 cents, and the
average for all is 2753 per ton per mile,
which last is an increase of .0f6 cents above
the average for the year 1877. The average
for local freight is an increase of .177 cents.
and that for foreign freight an increase of
.112 cents, compared with similar charges for
1877.
Total number of persons employed by rail-
road companies in 1877 was s, AL in 1878,
7,77S.
COMPARISONS.
Placing the population of the coast States
and Territories at 107, 776 or in round mum.
bers l, 100, 900. and placing gross railroad
earnings at S25, 900 900, and the amount paid
per capita for railroad transportation would
be about SD Is. In Massachusetts,, with
l.650, 600 people, the railroad earnings in 1878
were $50, 00S. 513. or SIS Is per capita New
York, with 4, 700, 900 people, and SS4, 759, 329
railroad earnings in 1877. gives per capita
of SIS 03. But it is admitted the average
gross earnings per mile of eight leading New
England roads is ST., S99 80, and of, nine
others in New England and New York, S10,-
747 H. The Central Pacific Railroads show
ing of earnings per mile is 50, 9S5.
Then follows elaborate comparative tables
showing passenger and freight charges on
New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Massa-
chusetts and Connecticut railroads, and the
showing of California railroad charges of
like kind.
NATURAL HIGHWAYS.
The report next points out the value of the
uayieable rivers of the State, their vital in
fuence in keeping the cost OF transporting
agricultural products at a low rate, and the
necessity of preserving the rivers and bays,
and guarding against their destruction, and
improving their capacity for navigation.
Tables illustrative Of this necessity are given,
showing water and rail rates side by side.
The report adds:
cit will be seen by the foregoing that the
water-craft engaged on our inland waters
and along the coast comprises very IN.
portant part of the total OF the transporta-
ton facilities of the State.
AS a rule no railroad can supefsede trans
portation by water, unless it can perform the
like service more chesply and advantageous
": and when this happens II follows that
the shipper reaps the benefit.
The Commissioner holds that the statistics
chow the conditions of commerce in CaiifoT-
Mn do, not warrant the substituting of ocean
and river lines of steamers to compete with
railroads already built nor for the building
of Government railroads. Aid so given
,.,ould come out of the productive Industry OF
IA State. and It's effect would be to compel
10 i;tiies not in the remotest degree benefited