The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-08
BOOM OF THE RAILWAYS.
Poors Figures and Reports of Their
Progress Last Year.

The introduction to PoorS Manual of the
railroads of tie United States, for 1888, just
out, gives thirty pages of interesting stat
istics ami general matter concerning the rail
roads of the country. The summarized
fluctuations of the returns of the railroad
system OF the country Indicate more
prosperous co dit of those great enter
prises than was anticipat d. The earnings
OF tne year. As compared with those Of
preceding years, make following show
ing Gross earnings 1887. 800 $50, 702;
1886, $500 ,340, S35; 1885 $772 sos, S33; 1884,
$40, 6S4 ,9Js; 1888, 1898 772, g34; 1882, $40
2,H 800. Net earnings 1887, 1874 $50, ll9;
1856, $50 )6 1904; 1885, S269, 400 ,03l; 1854,
$2d>, o4, 1876; 1888, S293, 1851, PSI; 1882, $3.50,
316,6J6.
These figures. Poor says, clearly establish
the fact chat the period of depression in the
industries of the country, extending
through the years lSS4'S5, has been
passed., and that the couutry is about to
enter upon an era Of prosperity, which can
be checked on y bt soIle extraordinary aud
unlocked for ndust lal or political convul-
sion. 5 closely allied to all the industries
of the country are the railroads that no
other interest responds SO quickly to adj
verse or prosperous conditions of general
commercial enterprises. In this respect the
railroad system NAV be regarded as the
barometer of the entire industrial system
THE returns from the south for 1887,
when considered in connection with the re-
mark IDLE activity now being exhibited in
all branches of industrial enterprise in that
section, apparently indicate that the long
expected era of prosperity which has been
so confidently predicted for those states is
approaching In 1887 the mileage OF rail
roads in operation increased ,229 over the
total of 1886 and | $50 miles over 1884
showing that more than two-thrds of The
new mileage added in the past ur years
was brought into operation i'll 1887. In the
six years fro n 1881 to 1885, inclusive, there
were only unimportaut increases in gross
and nst earnings. During the three years,
1884 $685. earnings per mile were almost
stationary, averaging gross about $4,000
per mile, and net about 81 300 per mile.
But in 1887 great change became mani
fest. The attention of capitalists began to
turn the south-to the development Of its
coal, iron and ether mineral wealth, its
lumber and farm lands--aad many new In
dustries were introduced. As a conse-
quence, its railroad system has been ex-
tended at a rate uuequalled in the past,
and the earnings of the old lines have in
creased in ratio to the impetus thus given
them"
In the work of operating the railroad
lines of the country in 1887 there were run
643 91S, 1916 train miles. against 500, ~, 800
train miles in 1886; there were carried 42S,-
225, 5l3 passengers, each of whom Travelled
an average distance of 246S miles, paying
for such service an average fare OF 2.2T6
ce is per mile. which aggregated $240, 542,
SIC. There were moved 552, 074, 1852 tons of
freight, which were hauled II total distance
of 60, 06l, O69, 900, the average haul per ton
being los. ~ miles, and the average charge
for carrying one ton one mile being
1.00S cents The aggregate amount re
ceived from freight was S636, 666, 1913,
which equalled IS per cent. of the gross
earnings. Passenger earnings were q. 81
per cent. of the total, and earnings from
miscellaneous sources contributed the re-
manning $50 per cent. The amount paid
Tor interest on bonds during tha year
averaged Per mile a trie less than in 1885,
but this is due to the large amount of new
securities issued during the year on which
only a portion of interest accrued and was
paid. The renewal of dividend paynen is
is becoming noticeable the past year, show
ing an increase of per cent. in the total
amount paid.