Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-12-21
REPORT
OF the EzaDsas Railroad Commissions;
which Shows More sGiles OF Road in
Proportion 60 she Population
lhan any Other state.
The Financial Showing Of the Systems Not
Quite -atisfaotory-Th Greatness OF
the atehIsOn, Topeka s. saRta
Re looms Up.

TOPEKA, KAN, December 6.-The sixth
annual report OF the state board of railroad
commissioners, which viii soon leave the
printers hands, shows In detail the progress
and further extension of the states railroad
systems the dOinRs of the past year IN
transportation, and the financial strength
and condition Of the various roads. The
construction Of the year, counting 22I miles
under contract to be built by December J.
is 545.I5. This makes the total mileage
$3.50. Three years ago Kansas had only
4,16S miles of railroad.
The report says that compared with the
population Kansas is the best equipped with
railroads of any state in the union, or any
country in the world. For every LOCO Of her
population she has five and oue-hslf miles
Of railroad. This, while it furnishes great
advantages, has It's corresponding draw
backs. The multiplication of railroads be
yOnd the POINT where the volume of bust
ness Is sufficient to yield remunerative rev
enues to companies charged with their
operation and maintenance must neeessa-
rily become, TO some extent, a mortgage on
the future, Since 1885 the conditions for
the rapid development of business in Kan
sas have not been favorable.
The reports for the year to the commits
siOners show that of the mileage in the Kan
sas sytems, 2, 512 were operated at a net loss
Of S67S, 629.4O. In addition to this, 4, 3OI
miles, while earning sufficient to meet Op-
Grating expenses and taxes, failed to earn
their interest charges.
FIGUREs REGARDING BUSINESS.
The aggregate amount of deficit in inter
est earnings was So, l29, 568.07 for the year
ending June 30 1888. The total gross earn
ings were S74,022, O45. 03-less by 81, $685.
O04.4l than the like earnings of the previous
year. The total expenses, taxes, interest
and dividends were 49,, S9S, 22z.14, making
the payments in excess of receipts So, S47,-
553.5I. The total amount of dividends paid
by all cOmpaEiss vas SIS, 3S5, $500. The
Santa Fe paid in dividends SALT, 939.75,
the Missouri Pacific s., 189, 731.SS, and the
Fort Scott S56L924.
The operations of the Santa Fe are shown
to have reached a colossal scale. The re-
port covers 3,022.7S miles of main and
leased lines. The total amount of its COM
mon stock issued TO June 30 was S7j, 600, co.,
an increase CT $40, SS6,75O. The bonded
debt amounted to SOS, 995, eco at that date.
The total cost Of construction and eQuiO-
ment reported June 80, applying to 4,768
miles was S476, So 3, 596.69, the average cost
per mile being S37, O28.S9. The freight ton
mage increased during the past year but the
earnings from this source diminished more
than half a million dollars. Passenger
traffic receipts increased as compared with
1887. The excess of expenses, taxes and
payments over earnings for the year was
So, SIT ,29O.ll. The total amount of lands
received by the company from its congress
siOnaI land grant was 2,92S, S6549 acres.
OF these all have been sold or contracted
for except ), 765 acres.