The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-17

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421 miies). and at certain points where, on
/, account Of The character Of the population
the reduction was deemed likely to have the
best effect, specisl limited tickets were pni
on sale at little over three cents per mile.
This working well, the area on which these
tickets were sold wss extended from time
10 time until November, 1879. when, be-
coming satisfied OF the benefit accruiDg
from the experiment, rate for limited
tickets Of three and one eighth cents per
mile was extended over the whole line OF
road. The result has been that from The
10th of November. 1S79-wben this hIe
went into general effect-untiI the goth OF
September. 1880, the increase OF local
passenger revenue was about 30 per
cent. over The revenue for the same
period OF the preceding fiscal year.
Whilst. OF course, this increase Is due To
considerable extent TO the Improvement
in the condition OF the country on the line
and its increasing development, yet l con-
slider 1t chiefly attributable TO the reduction
OF rate, because / find that The increase Is
relatively as great in the agricultural dis
tricts as IL Il IN the manufacturing and
mining districts. i am therefore fully sat
istied with The results Of what was started
as an experiment on our line, but what !
now regard as the proper and fixed policy
OF the company.
Our arrangements for interchange OF
tickets with foreign roads are OF most ez-
tensive and satisfactory character.
Our receipts from the through business
sent us by foreign roads was about $1,000
more in this current year than In the pre-
yious one, though not quite as large from
business sent by Us 10 foreign roads. Our
through travel TO and from the West was 4
good deal diminished by the low water that
prevailed in the Ohio.
In view OF the fact that the improvement
in our passenger business has occurred
without any change IN our connections, L
regard The results OF the year IN that de-
partment as very satisfactory, and us giving
fair ground for anticipating very coDside-
rabe increase in our passenger trafhc so
soon as we reap the advantage OF our all
rail connections with the West.
THE FREIGHT BUSINESS
has increased by the sum OF S549, ,043 90.
There has been steady and healthy In
crease IN the handling OF all varieties OF
freight, and the prospects are most fayora-
BILE for a propOrtonate advance IN our
freighting business OF the current year.
The local interests on the line OF the road
are steadily improving, aud our connections
at various points being largely extended so
as 10 justify us in looking forward 10
larger increase OF business in The next sea-
son than we have ever before had
THE TONNAGE
OF the road amounted to 941, ,l24 tons. being
an increase over previous year OF 25i,59'
| tons; OF which we hauled eastwardly
6l2, 129 tons, and westwardly $685. tons
The average haul was 24j miles, being al
increase OF one mile over the previous year
The total increase OF revenue tonnage was
81 per cent. The percentage OF increase o
| west revenue tonnage as against las
years operations was % per cent. The per
centage OF increase on east-bOund tonnage
was 80 per cent, thus more nearly equal
i2ing the proportions OF east and west
bound business. In addition to the reye
me tonnage, we handled lf2 III tons o
company's freight, including fuel. rails
lumber, Sc. The total cost OF hauling
ton Of freight one mile was 64Sl0OO OF
cent. Dscarding from this computation
the cost Of hauling company's freight, ant
the cost OF handling, a ton OF revenu
freight per mile was 100000 OF cent.
The increased mileage OF loaded car
hauled OH this road was 40 $40 per cent
whilst the increased mileage OF empty car
was but 30 7-l0 per cent.
The increase OF car-service mileage don
by us on oi her roads was l79 per cent, an
the increased mileage OF foreign ears on Oh
road was 1924 per cent.
THE ROADWAY.
During the fiscal year 80 63.100 miles
steel rails were laid, making the amount
steel rails on the 30th OF September, 1881
in the main track, 323 44.100 milts. Ieavin
as of that date TO be relad 100 39.l00 mile
Since then other steel rails have been col
tracted for, and the work OF relaying vi
he continued with the view OF having II
J whole road laid with steel rails by Septen
! Der 30, 1881.
= Considerable work has been done upc
/ masonry and bridges, and large amour
of broken stone ballast mas been put in
the roadway, and the result OF The year
operations has been in every way greatly
improve the condition OF the company
roadway, track, and buildings.
The cost of all tuese improvements, !
Guiding the steel rails, has been charged q
. rectly to the operating expenses oil the yea
: and has thus swelIed their amount.
w HPn the GOdQ - NfH'PP'O -
new steel rails, and when we get 1t fuI
y baiasIed with good stone ballast, anu tD
diminish these charges upon operating c
penses (Which really belong lesitln ately
t a certain extent 10 construction charSes],
hope to make a marked reduction IN q
cost per mile per ton in transporting ireigi
Total length of the main line from jaime
River wharyes 10 Huntington, 423 S6 mile
Ouinnimont, Morris Creek, and 81. Alba
y. branches, All miles; side.tracks, 9S
miles-total, 526.9S miles. The side-trae
were increased in length over the previo
IL year 81 miles.
The Low-MOor branch has been turn
over to the Low Moor Company, ana
- therefore dropped from our list OF brancn
q For the proper and more econoini'
3 handling OF our trains lind 1t essential
- have much greater length OF sldlngs tn
we now have, and | propose 10 put
9 with due regard TO economy ana wof
70 ing. some fifty miles OF additional slams
II so located as to be IN the most adyantageo
positions. Ny present intention Is 10 !
this work over probably two years. so u
but half of the expense will fall upon
ensuing fiscal year.
We have been almostGentirely free fr'
slides during the past year.
EQUIPMENT.
8 We have: Locomotives, S6; passeng
"a. cars, 81; sleeping.cars. a; parior-cars,
% officers ears, .; pay-cais, /; baggage, ma
., and express-csrs, Is; asst freight-cars,
IS box freight-cars, s2s; eisht-wheei co
d hopper cars, 66l; eight'wbeeI coke ears,
~ fonr-wheel coal-bopper ears, 3li; TO-
wheel coke and coal cars, 241; CONDOR
D. 300: hopper-bottom gondolas, 200; pl
le form-cars. 1s6; stock-ears, lll--'otai ireig
x cars, 2SSO; conductors cars, SO; shan
:; ears. for laborers, 2s; derrick'cars, q; g
ef -, n 40 .ars 1QT