Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-03-23

Comp arison Between the Railway Business OF
England and tn United States-.-The Business in
0}her CcIInfr;as

England and tn e United states..-The Business in
Other Countries.
From the n. Y. Times.l
Some fresh and carefully compiled !"
international statistics from the Rail-
aUay NeaUs, of London, are especially
timely Just now, when balloon seems
to be Juggling at every name in the share
list, and when, on the other hand, some
wary old heads are declaring that there
is no sufficient basis for the Z" boom."
Comparisons may be odious, but they
are certainly instructive, and SO, while
there are other and more direct
methods of ascertaining whether
we are OVERRIDING railroad building
there are scarcely any better
or more striking ones than that of
comparison with other countries. The
railway system of England is SO much
more nearly complete than any other
that it may be taken as a standard. On
Januay 1, 1880, there was in England IT,
696 miles of railway, and in the United
States there were "a, 233 miles, or near
ly III the proportion of one to five. But
the square miles to be covered by the
road were about as one to thirty-six, and
the populations to use them were about
as three to five, OF, to state it otherwise,
there is in England one mile of railway
to every 60 square miles of area, while
the United States, with five times as
many miles of road, has only l mile to
every 43 of area. These proportions are
reversed, however, as regards population
for there are 1000 people to every mile
of English road, and but 61O to each
mile IN the United States. From this
point OF view it is hard to avoid the con-
clusion that we are overdoing railroad
building, for these figures are eloquent
of large operating expenses, and a dis
proportlonately small constituency from
which to collect revenue. But there are
powerful counter arguments. The
future increase of revenue in England
must be comparatively small and slow,
if any, while in this country nearly
every week sees step in advance, and
measured by years the net gain is ex-
pressible only in leaps and strides.
Moreover, the gross capital charge is
much over billion dollars in favor of
this country. The cost of mile of rail-
road in England was 1902, 75O, while the
average cost In this country has been but
$57, 000, so that the total cost of rail-
roads in the United states is but 81, 1922
800 as against total of s., $50, O2O,-
600 for England These are figures large
enough for the boundless prairies, and the
traffic totals are not less well adapted to
American idiosyncrasies. In England
last lear there were over 500, 100000
passengers, and in the United States
there were over 200,000.000. AS re-
CARDS tons of freight, the total is actual
~ smaller for England than for the
United States, the figures being respect
lively 212, 900, 900 and $780, 100000 tons.
The receipts were, in England, ST., $50
per mile, and i'll the United States,
Sc, $50, the gross receipts being, for
England, $30S, $50, 900. and for the
United States, $500, 900, 900. Altogether
the account is a difficult one to balance,
even were not some items wanting, as
they are. But one thing seems clear,
If our railways suffer SO little by COM
parison now, and can hold their own for
but a very few years, the whole future is
hopeful.
AS a pendant to these figures may be
given few to tails for Europe. Greece
has just Z miles of railway; Russia has
II, 634 miles; France has 4,15O miles;
Prussia, $4,000; Austria Hungary, TO-
725. The proportion of one mile of
railroad to square miles of area is for
Russia, 167; for France, IA; for Prus-
STA, 1913; for Austria, 22.4. In Russia
there are $500 inhabitants for each mile
of railroad; In France, 1855; in Prussia,
2,114; in Austria, $3.50. All Europe,
excepting some five smaller states, has
II, $40 miles Of road. or one TO every
A. square miles and 3,340 inhabitants.
That is to say, Europe has somewhat
fewer miles of railway to square miles of
area than the United States, although it
has five times the population. Here
there may be an inference as to the
g overcrowding of our railroad build
ing, but, however some unfortunate
shareholders may smart for it, there is
proportionally bright showing for our
superiority In the vlgor and enterprise
which are such marked American
characteristics. The average cost of a
mile is least in mountainous Switzerland
($95, $780, and for all Europe is Sill 800.
The gross receipts of 1880 were, for all
Europe, Sc, 968, OILS, 900. That is SO, $50
per mile, or not very much more than
the earnings In the United States. From
all of which it appears that the compar-
ison of the United States with any
country of Europe is like placing a
mountain beside mouse. All Europe
is our only fair match now, and still we
grow faster than any other nation the
world has ever seen.
| WOrkingmen.
| Before YOU begin VOur heavy spring work