The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1882-07-20
RAILROAD PROGRESS IN 1881.
An Increase Of IL .l42 Nilcs, Making
the Total In the United states NJ tho
End Of 1851, 1Ol, l,Sl3.

An Increase Of IL. l42 Miles, Making
the Total In the United states NJ tho
End Of 1851, 1Ol,S13.
From the Forthcoming volume OF "Poor's
Railroad Manual Of the United States,' which
has come to be acknowledged a. an authority
on such statistics, the following synopsis OF its
predatory statement OF the general facts Of
railroad progress in the United States during
the year 1881 il made:
The year 1881 has been ono Of extraordinary
activity in railroad affairs. Within tho year
9,35S miles Of railroad have been built, the
greatest number for any one year. The great
est mileage for any previous year was 1879
miles, in 1871. The total miles in operation at
the end Of 1881 was 1O4, ,Sl3, bcng An increase
Of IL, 142 miles over the previous year.
The cost, at $25,OOO per mile, OF the lines
'constructcd during the year was &233, 75o, 900.
In addition, ct least e75, 0OO, 900 were expended
at the rate Of only 81 900 per mile, on old
roads, in improving th.ir tracks, in building
new stations, and in adding to their equipments.
The total amount expended in construction
during the past year was, in round numbers,
e400, ,000, ZOO.
It now seems probable that the mileage to be
opened in 1882 will equal that for 1881. Up to
opened, against LIZA for the same period in
1881. The same rate OF increase win not bs
maintained for the remainder OF the year. but
the aggregate for it Of new mileage IL not likely
to be much short Of 10000 miles.
The earnings OF oil the roads in operation in
the country the past year equaled e725, 325, 110,
being IN increase over the previous year OF
$4,000, ,OO0, the rate OF increase being nearly
is per cent. The earnings eqnaled &l3.6 GO per
head Of our population Their net earnings
were &276, ,c54, ll9, N increase Of 324, 500, 600
over those Tor 1850. Their current expenses
34i9, ,565,07l. The amount OF interest paid
during tho year on their funded debts was el28.-
687 ,0O2 the amount paid ia dividends was
eos, ,342, 200, against &77, 115 All for 1880.
The cost Of operating our railroads for the
year was $449, 565,07l. or 60 per cent. of their
gross earnings. The total amount expended
In their construction of new lines and in oper-
ating and improving tho old ones was over
$3.50, ,000. .O0O-the greater part of this vast sum
being paid in wages. The number OF persons
employed in operating them the past year aver
aged fully twelve to the mile of operated line,
or 100000 in all. The number employed in
the construction of our railroads equalcd 4OO.-
600, increasing the total number Of employees to
1000, 900, or about onc-thrty-second part Of
our population, estimated at SO, 2OO,O
The tonnage transported on oil the railroads
In tho country in 1881 cannot have been less
than 3, 500 tons TO the mile, or $50 ZOO, 600 TONS
At an assumed value Of $50 per ton, the value
Of tho tonnage moved on all the railroads OF
the United States the past year, less one-third
for duplication, was say, $l2, ,000, 00O, 600, or
more than $500 per head OF the whole popnlar
ton.
The gross earnings for the New England
States were e52, $50 SO9 against s4s 755, ,6O9 for
1880, S4l 329, ,S25 for 1879, and S4l 26O, 2o3 for
1873. or these earnings &3l, 924. lbs were re-
ceiyed for transportation OF freight, mails ctc.,
aud $40, ,956, ,664 for the transportation Of pas
sengers. The net earnings were $15.9l6. .373,
against ST, 1913 ,6s5 for 1880, SIS, $50. o9l for
1879, and 81, 3,6S5, ,927 for 1878. Tho dividends
paid amounted to %, 393 030. against 81. 900 191
for $780, 1926. 2O3 for 1879. and 1856, 655
for 1873
The gross earnings Of the railroads in the
Middle States were $22s. sos, 22l, against $780,
,713 for 1880, $l7O,310,846 for 1879, and
&l55, ass, ,963 for 1873. OF gross earnings
el76, 7S0 223 were received for transportation Of
freight, mails, etc, and 1,6l7,99 for trans
portation Of passengers. The net earnings were
es4, s62 704, against e83, ,923 1893 for $780, S7O,-
49, $40 for 1879. and e6l SIS, 993 for 1878. The
dividends paid amounted to $33, 3l5. 581.
against S2S, ,479 89l for 1880, SOIL, 164 for 1879
and s2l, las, 422 for 1873
The gross earnings reported on the railroads
in the Southern States were $63, 737, ,C87 against
,754 for 1850. $43,9l7,2S4 for 1879, and
$42 797,284 for 1878. The net earnings were
e22 24O6 against S1s, 124, ,O34 for 1880, 4l4,-
673,357 for 1879, and Sl4,379,9 ,958 for 1879
The dividends paid amounted to %, 593, 269,
against s., 525 977 for $780, g. l3l, ITO for 1872
and ~, S05.799 for 1878. The earnings from
freight, mails etc, were $40, $50, ,755, and from
passengers Sl3, 7S6, ,332.
The gross earnings OF the railroads Of tho
Western States wero 1914, 1898, ,SO6, against
$500, 5ss. 100 for 1889, S232 379, GAG for 1879,
& 9.S52. 275 for 1873. he net earnings were
&l34. .f56, 1893, against $l25, l66.2ls for 1880,
SOS. .96l, ,906 for 1879, and s77.95s,2 for 1873.
The dividends paid amounted to $40, 234, ,S29,
against S3S, 1850 for 1880, S23, sci. .262 for
1S79 and $40. 81, ,222 for 1873. Tho earnings
from freight. mails, etc., We're S26S 420, ,532, and
from passengers S75. 5.973,274.
The earnings of tho railroads in the Pacific
States, including the Central Pacific and ito
leased lines, amounted to S35. 1915, 1856, against
SIS, 73d,i60 for 1880, f26, 44i. 206 for 1S79 and
sc, ,ssi.ne7 for 1878. or this sum l,023.37
was derived from passengers, and S24, ,s32 s22
from transportation Of freight. mails, etc. The
net earnings were SIS, SIG, ,o66, against SlO,-
7s6, log in 1880; dividends, s7,7s7 49l, against
g. 992. 162 IN $780,