Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-21
RAILWAY STATS

Two valuable contributions to the
statistics OF American railways have
just appeared, one being the first
annual report Of the statistician Of the
Interstate commerce commission, and
the otner the introduction TO Poor's
Manual for 1889. The statistics OF the
former show the mileage, traffic and
other facts for the year ended June 30,
1888, while the statistics OF the latter
are to the close OF that year.
A comparison of the figures
presented by these reports, SO far
as it is practicable to do so,
shows no essential differences, so
that each is In all important respects
verifcution of the other. twill he suf-
ticient to note some of the facts OF the
later report.
From this it appears that at the be-
ginning of the present year the length
of track laid was fraction over one
hundred and iifty-six thousand miles,
which was an increase for the calendar
year 1888 of seven thousand and twenty
eight miles. This increase was but
little more than half that OF 1887, the
greatest on record, and was slightly
less than the increase Of 1886.
The statistics OF the annual in
crease of mileage since 1865, when the
total was a fraction over thirty-fve
thousand miles, show three notable
waves Of progress in railway construc-
tion. The first, beginning in 1865,
reached maximum of nearly seventy
four hundred miles in 1871, from which
there was recession to seventeen hun
dred miles in 1875, the financial crisis
OF 1873 intervening. There was no
marked improvement until 1879, and
this wave OF progress in construction
carried the increase in mileage to over
eleven thousand five hundred
miles in 1882. The commercial
stress of the following year brought
on another decline in railroad building,
from which there was a recovery in
1885, the succeeding year having the
largest record of construction, the in
crease of mileage in 1887 being twelve
thousand eight hundred and seventy
two miles. 1t thus appears that the
years Of the most extensive railroad
building have been followed by from
three to five years of more or less de-
preston, and if there is any lesson to be
derived from this experience it suggests
that railroad construction on a large
scale will not be renewed earlier than
1891. The organization of new
states, however, may affect a change in
,yb at NJ, haa the r,,1. q
history of railway construction, since
there will in all probability be mate
rally increased demand in the new COM
mon wealths, within the next twelve
months, for enlarged railway communi-
cation.
AS to earnings. the results last year
were not wholly satisfactory. The gross
earnings were nearly twenty million
dollars greater than those of the previ-
GUS year, but the net earnings were over
thirty three million dollars less, due to
the rate wars and expensive strikes
of 1888. The freight traffic of
last year was the largest ever carried in
the history OF the country, amounting to
nearly six hundred million tons, and
VIC kJdSSCnSSE was dioO ldtSSly III
creased. Had the freight and passenger
rates of 1887 been maintained last year,
the difference in the extent of business
done by the railroads in 1888 would
have yielded them over one hundred
million dollars in excess of the earnings
of the previous year. This, then, is the
sum, as nearly as it is possible to ascer-
tain, to be charged up against rate
wars, evasions of the law, and
other conditions for which the re-
sponsibility is almost wholly with the
managers of railroads.
AS to the present year, the statement
OF gross and net earnings Of eighty-two
companies for the six months ended
June 80 shows small increase over
last year, and in view of the large fall
ing off in the traffic Of eastern lines dur
ing June, in consequence of the floods,
the exhibit of earnings for half the year
is to be regarded as very satisfactory.
Whether they will be equally so for the
remaining months of the year will de-
pend upon how the issues which now
complicate the railroad situation shall
be determined.