Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-07-12
Onr RaiIroad I'm ter sta.

Onr RAILROAD Interesta.
The progress made by railroading II
the United States is one of the leading
wonders of the age There are plenty
of men living VINO distinctly recOllect
the first railroads in the country. Less
than fifty years ago there were very few
miles of railroads in operation and
those engaged in the business were
looked upon as more visionary than any
thing else. In 1888 there were only
l,S43 miles of railway in the whole
United States. Last year alone the
number of miles of new road built,
amounted to $3.50, while the entire
Ines of the railroads in the country
reach ed the colossal figures OF 4,813
miles. During the last ten years the
progress in building railroads has been
the greatest. In 1870 there were 80, 914
miles in operation, while it is now dou-
blei, and this year it is thought 10000
miles more of new road will be added
to the already grand totals. Railroad
men tell Us that this extraordinary pro.
gress in building roads will be exceeded
tor many years to come. The vast area
and undeveloped resources of our coun.
try offer inducements held out by no
other country. If we continue to grow
at the present rate in 1890 there will be
no less than 1000 miles of railroad in
operation. Surprising as these figures
may seem the cost of building railroads
is still more surprising. five estimate
the cost per mile of the lines laid down
last year at only $25, 900 per mile, which
is low estimate, we find $233, 75O, 1000,
in itself an enormous sum. To this
must be added the cost of the old lines
IN repairs, say at least 81, 600 mile, and
the cost of building stations aud other
improvements, and the entire expendi-
ture in railroad accounts for 1880, foots |
mp the round sum of $4Oo, 100000. Es-
timating then the cost of the entire
railroad mileage already given 81 $780,.
600, which is much too low, however,
and We get as the total cost the enor-
NOUS sum of 81, $50, 1876 900.
If such be the outlay in the construc |
ton OF railroads, what must the earn
ings be to make railroading remunera-
tive? The figures will cause us tv open
Our eyes and stare in establishment. |
Last year the combined gross earning |
Of all the roads was 1925, 1926, 119, an in
crease of $11O, 600, 900 as compared with
the previous year. The net earnings
w ere S276, 000, 900; the interest on their
bonds and the dividends on their stocks
amounted to 1920, 600, 900 more. Toop-
srate the roads required sixty.two per
cent. of the gross earnings, or about
$A5O, OOO, OO0 The earnings of the lines in
the Western States far exceeded those
OF any other section IF the country
to 1914, 900, 900; those of the
Middle States to $228, 900, 900, while the
New England and Southern States to Z
SOS, oOO, 900 and $63, 200, 900 respectively.
These roads give employment to Il $780,
900 men, 400, 200 of whom are now en-
gagged on new lines. The tonnage car
RED about $500 tons to every mile of u
road, or $50, 10000 tons in all. If we
20 few steps farther and estimate the u
average value or the above merchan- y
lie at $50 per ton, we have the enor- y
nous sum total of $12 600 OOO,O as tt
he value of the freight carried. y
These are a few of the facts which a o.
study of our railroad interests reveal.
Fbey sound almost like occurrences in
/ fairy tale. But for these railroads, IL
he farmers of Kansas and Minnesota %
7onld be getting but twenty-five cents =
! bushel for their wheat, with buyers ID
ew and far between. They have made "
csSible our vast exports of grain and Ia
to European countries. We d
ave sent 1886, COO, 900 worth of exports 81
Europe in a single year that were 10
aised in the Western country. Rail- w
Dads have been the most potent agents ." 80
D The cause of civilization, this coun. ~, ="
~ has ever had, and the nation owes =
hem debt of gratitude, while they in "a
III n owe more than five hund! ed mil iN
Ons of dollars in funded debts. 70