Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-24
Railroads of the United States.

The PHILADELPHIA Press recently con-
tanned an interesting article on ''The
Progress Of American Railroads." the
facts for which We're CLEANED from the last
census report. According to this article
the total permanent investment IN rail-
roads amounts toss. 1S2. AS, 800. The cash
and other assets amount to S476, 45S. 352
more. The capital stock. common and
preferred. amounts TO S2,6l3,6J6 2G4; the
funded debt to 81 500, el5. 401, and the I'M
funded debt TO 1921 ,20O.S95. In the above
figures the accounts OF 1,Ol7 railroad
companies are represented, and it required
nearly two years Of constant effort TO OBJ
tain them, because Of the uuwIllingness
Of some Of the companies to furnish
schedules or to give out any information
respecting their affairs.
To build the roads enumerated in the
census cost 1120O0.O0O, or nearly s47,-
900 mile. and to equip them S41S, 100000.
They are owned by 1900 persons, and
on an average each person owns $500
worth of stock. The entire funded debt
Of the roads, being as stated above, s., $780,
9l5 401, is equal to the interest bearing
national debt, and the total municipal
debt of the country combined. The total
income is $685., 900, 900, and the expenses
1927, 000, 900, leaving a net income of 1884,
900, OOs. OF this sum $70.0OO.OOO was paid
to stockholders as dividends and the bal
snce was retained as available income.
The earnings are derived from the fol-
lowing sources in the following proper
tons: 24.83 per cent. from passengers,
II SO per cent. from freight, 1.52 per cent.
from express, 100 per cent. from malls
and .lG per cent. inspected. The ex-
penses are distributed as follows: Main
tanning road and real estate, 29.08 per
cent; repairs to machinery and cars,
15.5S per cent; operating and general eX-
penses, 55.34 per cent.
The reported freight tonnage during the
year was 300, OOO,O 900 tons. About 90,OO0,-
600 tons of this freight was coal, A., 200, 900
tons grain, 5S,0OO,OOO tons merchandise
and miscellaneous matter.
For moving this freight per ton for each
mile the roads received I.29 cents, and
for each passenger carried per mile they
received 251 cents.
Of employees engaged on railroads Of the
United States in the census year:
General officers. 1916; general office
clerks, $3.50; station men, 60 $50. Train
mens-Engineers, 1897; conductors, H.
419; all others, 40254. Total, 70, $50
Shopmen-Machinists, y, 766; carpenters,
23,202; all other, 43, 7l6. Total, S9,714.
Trackmeh. 12s 4S9; all other employees,
81 ,694. Aggregate, 41S,95T.
According to the Press, this number
exceeds the number of employees on the
railways of England and Wales by $780,
900, and exceeds by 100000 the aggregate
number of persons, as returned by the
English census of 1881, employed on rail-
ways. canals, rivers and seas.
The aggregate average salary paid on
fifteen of the leading roads, employing
l53, 900 persons, is 81 j month. The
Central Pacific pays the highest salaries,
the average being $63 q per month, and
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy the
lowest, the average being So per month.
The profits are not large if the census
reports are correct. Taking them all
together the AVERAGE Der cent. Of profit is
G.32 per cent The per cent. of profit
varies between l and % per cent. Nearly
one-fifth Of the roads pay profit Of less
than l per cent, and one-tenth less than
> per cent. Not one road in Il hundred
pays over % per cent.
The field attempted to be covered by the
tenth census was great and the work done
was immense. 1t is not to be wondered
at that the completion of the census has
been so long delayed.