Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-07-19
RAILROAD PROGRESS IN
1851.
An Increase Of Ii,Ise ms,es. iHaiins ths
Total In the United States at the End Of
1881, 1O4 ,S1S.

An increase Of Ii,Ise attes. Heking tbs
Total Ia the United States at the End Of
1881, 104,SfS.
From the Forthcoming volume Of "Poors
Railroad Manual of the United States.r which
has come to be acknowledged as an authority
on such statistics, the following synopsis of its
predatory statement OF the general facts Of
the year 1881 is made:
The ysar 1881 has been one Of extraordinary
activity in railroad affairs. Within the 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 104, ,813, being an increase
of IL, 142 miles over the previous year
The cost, at $25, 600 per mile, OF tie lines
constructed during the year was $233, 750, 900.
In addition, at least $75 000, 900 were expended
on lines in progress, and $100, 600 900, which Ia
at the rate Of only $1,000 par mile, on old
roads, in improving their tracks, In building
new stations, and in adding to their equipmenls
Tho total amount expended in construction
during the past year was, in round numbers,
s4O0, 900, 900.
1t now seems probable that the mileage to be
opened in 1882 will equal that for 1881. Up to
tho lst OF June. 1882, 3.677 miles OF line we're
opened, against 1,734 for the same period In
1881. The same rate Of increase win not be
maintained for the remainder Of the year, but
the aggregate for II Of new mileage is not likely
to be much short Of TO- 900 miles.
The earnings OF all the roads IN operation In
the country the past year equaled t725. s25, lie,
eslss e :sa.as ezer tee REssIon. year q
is per cent The earnings equaied eiS 50 PED
head OF our population. Their net earnings
....- -
over those for 1880. Their current expenses
GAS, ,565,071. The amount of interest paid
during the year on their funded debts was Sl28-
6S7, ,002; the amount paid in dividends was
93,342, 200, against S77, lis, All for 1880.
The cost OF operating our railroads for the
year Was SiiS, 900, ,UTi, or 81 per cent OF their
grcss earnings. The total amount expended
in their construction Of new lines and in oper-
sting and improving the old ones was over
900, 600, ,000--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 equaled 400,-
900, increasing the total number OF employees TO
1000, 600, or about one-thirty-socond part OF
our population, estimated at So, zoo, 900.
Tue tonnage transported ON ali the railroads
in the country in 1881 cannot have been less
than $500 tons 10 the mile, or $50 600 900 tons.
At an assumed vaiue Of $50 per ton, the value
Of the tonnage moved ON all the railroads of
the United States the past year, less one-third
for duplication, WAS, say, S12. .0no, ooa 100, OK
mora than 1900 per head OF the whole popula-
ton.
The gross earnings for the New England
States were S52 sSO s09, against S4S 755, ,609 for
1880, S4l, 329, ,825 for 1870 and cal 260, 203 for
1878. OF these earnings S3l, ,924, las wtse re-
ceived Tor transportation OF IN eight mails, ETC.,
and go, 900, ga for the transportation or pas
,,aS q q
against eli, 1893 .6s5 for 1880, si5,5s6,O9t for
1879 and 81 3,6s5, ,927 for 1873. The dividends
paid amounted to S5 393, ,030, against 81. 800 19l
Tor 1889 s7,2s6,203 Tor 1879. and H,566,65S
for 1873
r'he gross earnings Of the railroads In the
Middle States were S22s, ,39a, 22l, against $780,
CO3,7ls for 1880, si70, 3io,sf5 for 1879, and
Sl55,45s,963 for 1873 or gross earnings,
Sl76,7 2l3 were received for transportation OF
freight, mails, etc, and 9 1917, 993 for trans
portaton of passengers. Tho net earnings were
SS4, 500 704, AGAINST S83, 933 393 for 1882. $70,
4l6 $40 for 1879. and $6i, ,559, ,993 for 1878. Tho
dividends paid amounted to $33, ,3l5 581,
against S2S 479 89i for 1880, S911, l64 for 1879,
and S2l, 148, i22 for 1878.
The gross earnings reported on the railroads
in the Southern Stat. were $685. 737, ,pS7, against
S4s,3l7,754 for 1880, 1891, ,2s4 ioc 1879, and
$42 7g7, 2S4 for 1878. The net earnings were
e22 z4C,623, against els, l2i e34 for 1850, &l4,-
673,357 for 1879, and Sls,379958 tor 1873.
The dividends pa d amounted 10 &3, sos, 269,
against % 525 977 for 1885, e. 131, TO for 1879
and q, 805,7 for 1878 The earnings from
psssenssfs sss sfs, ,7sS, $50 -, -
The gross earnings OF the railroads OF the
Western States were s344, ,393 SO6, against
S29O, 5Ss. 100 for 1889, s232, SIS, GAG for 1879.
t2 9,S52. 275 for 1873. he net earnings were
Si34, ,756, ,S93 against s125. 166. 2i8 for 1880,
SOS 96l, ,9O6 for 1879, and s77. .95o, 80 for 1873
The dividends paid amounted to $4D, ,234, $40,
against $33, 1880 for 1880, S23, ,66i, ,262 for
1879, and $19, 34l, ,22l for 1878. The earnings
from freight, mails ETC, were *26S 420, $50, and
from passengers S75. 973, 274
The earnings OF the railroads In the Pacific
States, including the Central Pacific and its
leased inos, amounted to s35, ei5, 1876. against
$2S, 1885, $50 for 1880, S26 444, ,206 for 1879, and
S2G. .asi .0u7 for 1879. or THIS sum all .e21 a7z
was deiivei from passengers, and ga, ,Ss2, ,822
from transportation Of freight, mails, etc. Tine
net earnings we're 1856, 66. against &i0,-
Is6,l06 IN 1880; dividends. u, 7S7, 49i, sgainst
Is. 1872, 762 IN 1880.