The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-05-15
rnAcKrALK.
me Annual Report Of the Atchison. To-
Pska Santa Re.
Railway Register.

Railway Register.
We present this week 10 our RI ads rs
the annual report Of the operations OF
the Aichisop, Topeka & Santa Fe for
the ear 1888 TIE statements therein
made are full and com plete, and show
condition of affairs that is gratifying III
the extreme The annual reports # the i
company have always shown q steady
and healthy growth and prosperity that
have indicated the wisdom and sagac-
ity of the men who pushed the track
across the plains and along the old
s'Santa Fe trail" TO the Rio GIande.
The gross earnings for The year were
$i4 .I17,347. This amount is $685., 957
less than the gross earnings of the pre-
vious year. but when we consider the
causes thai led to this result, the only
wonder Is that the decrease was no;
larger. In 1893 competition was strong
er and led to reductions IN through rates;
then the legislature of Kansas arbitrar-
lily reduced passenger and freight tariffs
TO the extent of st least % per cent.
Still, as We will see hereafter, the in
crease in the volume OF the taFIffic cem
pensaied for the lower rates.
The net earnings Tor the year were ST.
1863, 100, or 81 ,233,0S1 more than those
OF 1882. This greater economy of OPERA
ton was cue to several CAUSES. There
was q more compact Organization, and
in consequence every class OF expenses
for conducting traffic was reduced.
Then, too, in 1881 and 1882, large sums
we're expended in DeTfectIng the road
bed by laying heavy steel rail, building
massive culveFts and iron bridges, and
doing other such work, Sd that when
this work of practical reconstruction
was finished in 1882, jt was possible TO
operate the road at maximum of tx
pendituIe for maintenance Of permanent
way. This fact luther appears from the
statement of the expenditure for repairs
and renewals per mile for the pt riOd
between 1874 and 1883 In 1879 this
was 81 ,456: in 1880, 81 ,456; in 1881, 81,
$50; in 1882, 81 ,532; and s. $50 in 1888.
The unusual expense In 1881 and 1882
is apparent, ard il will also be seen that
more WAS paid out on this account per
nile In 1888 than IN 1880. Nor has this
economy BEEN at the cost of sighting
any portion or department of The road.
The ratio of operating expenses 10 earn
IDgs In 1888 Was Al s per cent against
50 40 per cent III 1889, and 63.S7 er
cent. in 1881.
In 1888 the number of tons trans
ported one mile was $40. 73I, ACT, against
AGO, SOS, $50 in 1882. In the former year
the rate per ton per mile wss 1.99 cents,
IN the latter year 1T was 2 % cent?, and
IN 1880 it was 2.43 cents. TINS shows
that the experience Of this road Is the
same as that Of all Others IN the matter
ofthe gradual reduction Of rales Here
we see that in four years the reduction
amounted 10 nearly % per cent.-still
the increase in tonnage sufficed to pro-
duce about the same revenue. The
passenger de paItment shows a SINH
lar STATE of affairs; in 1893 tie number
of passengers caTrI' d one mile WIS l06,-
0s9 30l, at u rate p pIssenger pr mile
of 2.92 cents, against lUS, Gas, 356 ia 1882
at rate per passenger per mile of 80
cents. Here In single year is d Teduc-
ticn in the rate of about % ger cent,
and yet the decrease in revenue is only
about Is per cent.
The company continued To eXFend
large amounts for construction aid
equipment on accruut of The main lines
and auxiliary roads. On The main line
of the road s ,20S .959 was thus used and
ST, S48. l4j was paid out for the con
struction of new auxiliary lines. The
| total amount charged to this account
during the ear was S., 545. ass.
The new lines in progress consist OF
thee short branches IN Kansas, with an
aggregate length of 40 miles of branches
IN New Mexico. Thess extensions were
made necessary by the growth Of the
country and others must also be built
within few years.
After payment of all fixed charges,
sinking fund Requirements and dIvI-
dends of 6 per cent. on the capital stock,
a surplus of $f,412, 1875 was let, which
of Axy ah [On0 nln
| for depreciation in the va ue OF mateIi-
ais ON hand at the close of the year
! $500, 600 was taken off for account of fu-
ture renewals and repairs; $250,OO0 was
credited to the fire insurance fund, and
| 1922, 1873 was carried over to the next
year.
Tie Subsidiary 81 stems owned by the
! Atcblsun INSIST of 81 miles owned
| Jointly with the Union Pacific. the Sono-
| IA system of $50 miles, and the 393 miles
OF the Southern Kansas system. The
| rst Of thu So svstpms caused small loss
! ii 1888. jne Sunora Io4,i YVES also Op-
Grated 81 loss of nearly 100000. THIS
| ~ 1s ON arc. u;t ii the uGdevelnped con-
| dition OF the road aud liz 81: flic aud the
| prevalence during part OF the year q!
| yellow fever II Guaymas. The interest
| on the Sonora bonds of $283 500 was also
paid
The Southern Eaiisas system paid in
DIVIDENDS 1924 GOA, which, as all the
stock is owned by the A'cbison, went to
swell the income of that company AZ
te.r payment of tins dividend and all
other charges a surplus OF $l1S,009 re-
| manned On hand The gross earning of
;he South, RI Kansas in 1888 were 81
| per cent more than those at 1882 and the
| net earnings we're H per cent more. IL
this road the 'mpany the5efTe has =
property exceedingly valuable ia itself
rs well as important on account of The
indirect benefits cor ierred
The ccinTa"y, now has nearly a mil
| lion ard u quarter .cTes ot land u1s III,
| which, reckoning tl.-t east of D. dye Al
81 - per acre aGG t,a' wcs' of DJdge at
| 81 90 per acre, an Xcsc,li' civ moderait
estima'e, amnGn Ia $2,590,375 The
land grant ass is are valued at So S2l =
sos and fl Ell The lana graft bonds of
81. 7O6 500.
There sra many reasons why All in
crease of irniuge may be looked for
during tha present ar The mcst con
sDicious of these is the az ening of The
Atlantic 81 Pacific through route to the
Pacific and the compile ticn of the Mex
ican Central. Both of these roads will
add largely to the earnings of the road.
The history of the Atchis1n, Topeka
& Santa Fe shows the almost miracul-
GUS growth of the plains of Kansas and
the territory of New Mexico. Few,
when the road was projected, thought
that it would ever pay,-at least not for
many years. Yet here we find il al
ready become one of the best paying rail
way properties IN the United States
|
An Expected Development
SAN Francisco. May S.-The Sharon