The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-16

A patent frog block, to be placed on
both sides of frog to prevent brakemen
from catching their feet in the frogs
while switching and coupling has been
purchased by the St. Paul road for an
experiment.
George" the colored bootblack, who
will shine EN- for nickel if he can't get a
dime. is now working the upper depotfo
what it is worth. The musical cadcnces of
his soft, melodious voice are frequently
heard when there is any one there to
listen, and when there is not he sits on one
of the benches and doses peacefully, mo
mentariy forced by habit to say in lis
dreams, ''Shinc en- up; shinc2 Shine 'em
for nickle if | can't get dime"
The annual report of the Milwaukee
railway is furnished the press which in
dictates the gross earnings to be $23, 40
$40; gross expenses, Sl3, $50 Cos SO
Operating expenses per mile of road
1888. $3,02S,S 1884, 50, 5000; de
crease, $129.30 Net earnings per nile
of rOad-1S83, 80, 1890; 1884, $2,01G-
rs; decrease, $16155. The average price
per ton per mile received for freight for
1884 was /. 30 cents against 1.39 cents in
1888. The entire cost of the companys'
property. including rolling stock, depot
grounds, cattle yards, elevators, machine
shops, warehouses, docks, and other prop
orty, together with five bridges across the
Mississippi river, is represented by stock
and bonds as follows: Common stock,
$780, ,2G1 preferred stock, SIC, $40, :
983; total stock, SAT, 445, 244; mortgage
and land grant bonds, including all lines
on purchased roads, 300, 254, 900; total
capitalization, stock and bonds, $l48,>
900, 244 for 1904 miles, being at the rate
of $50, 745 per mile At the date of the
last report the company owned 4,760
miles of road. During the year 1884
there have been constructed Al miles, as
follows: In the state Of Iowa, compile
ton of the Ottumwa line, 40 miles; in the
state of Wisconsin, from Fox Lake June
ton to Fox Lake, 8 miles; on the line
from Eau Claire to Chippewa Falls, 1
mile; total miles Length of the road al
the last report, 4.760 miles, making the
present mileage on the road 1904 miles
In summing up their report the directors
say all of the above mileage is owned by
the company. No part of it is held upon
leases on which rents are reserved, and
the property is only lncumbcred by the
bonded debt above mentioned. The COM
pany has never guaranteed the bonds as
Indebtedness of any other company, and
has no contingent liabilities of any kind
or description.
At meeting of the lines interested in
the Missouri river business the following
resolution regarding the carrying of jewe'
lers' sample trunks as ordinary baggage,
about which there has been much dispute
lately was adopted: Whereas, the risk
taken by railroad companies in carrying
In their trains as ordinary baggage jewe-
lers' sample trunks, the value of which
may exceed $4,000. is entirely too great
for the amount of passenger revenue re-
ceived from the owners. ResOlDed, That
1t is the sense of the lines in this associa
ton that they should refuse to receive such
trunks or haul the same on their trains as
ordinary check baggage, and that the
arbitrator be requested to take up the mat
ter and divise plan to regulate the car
rying of such baggage.