The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-30
RAILWAY STATISTICS.
Mileage and Capital Employcd-The Acci.
dent Record,

lillcaSc anu Cnpit1i EmplOycu-The 3ccl-
dent Record.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 29.-There
will be issued this week from the statis-
tician's Office OF Interstate Commission,
the third annual report on Statistics
OF Railways in tho United States"
This report gives comprehensive sta,is-
tics covering the operations OF railways
for the year ending June 80, 1880, and q
statement OF earnings from passenger
/ and freight service. together with oper.
ating expenses and fixed charges for
the nine months ending March 81, 1891.
Tho total length OF track for the Un-
tied States, including all tracks, sidings
and spurs is 209, ,0G0.67 miles.
The number OF railway corporations
OH Juno 80, 1890, was l,707. ~
Twenty-Five companies representing
4 mileage OF ,64G.l0 miles, has been re-
organized during the year, and 81 com
panies representing amileagc OF ,9O5.S1
miles have merged their corporate
existence into other corporations.
Fifty companies representing Il
mileage OF 6,l9G04 miles has been
consolidated with other companies.
Thus S,l0l.9! miles OF line have during
the year disappeared as independent
companies. There nrc "a companies in
the United States whose gross income
is $S37 100000, out oi total gross in
come OF all railways in the country OF
81, ,05l ST. 1872, that is to say, II railroad
corporations receive SO per cent. OF the
total amount paid by the people OF the
United States for railway service.
The total number OF locomotives in
the United States is 29,92S, OF which
S,SS4 are passenger locomotives and the
balance freight.
Tho number Of cars used on the rail.
ways OF the United States is l,1Gi, ,l3S,
OF which 2G,5ll are in the passenger
service.
The total number Of men employed
OIL tho railways OF the United States is
740,30l, being an increase OF 45,55S over
the number employed i'll 1850.
The l5G, G,404.0G miles OF line which is
made the basis OF statistics in this re-
portis represented by railway capital to
the amount Of $9,450,444, lT2.
The number Of passengers carried by
the railways OF United States during
the year was 492 ,4S0.S6o
The number OF tons OF freight carried
by the railroads OF United States dur
ing the year covered by the report was
G3G,44l ,6lI.
The total number OF ipersons reported
by railways. as killed during the year
was $3.50, and total number reported as
injured was 29,034. OF the total num-
Der killed 2,45l were employees, 2S5 pas
sengers and 1854 were classedas "other
persons" In this latter figure arc in
.cluded the large number OF suicides.
OF the total number injured 1880 were
employees. 22,444 passengers, besides
1000 uaclassiiied. If the number OF en-
ploycs killed be assigned TO the
total number, it appears that
ono death occurs to every 500
men employed on the, railways, and
one injury occurs TO every thirty-threc
men employed. The largest number OF
casualties occur to men engaged di-
reclly in handling trains. Thus while
trainmen represent but Is per cent OF
the total number OF employees, the
casualties sustained by them account
for IS per cent OF tho total casualties.
a passenger riding continuously Mt
the rate OF thirty miles per
hour might expect immunity from
death by railway accident ior 100
years, but an engineer, brakeman or
a conductor under the same conditions
is liable to 4 fatal accident at the cxpir-
alton OF fortyycars. Themost common
accident to which railroad employees are
liable results from coupling and un-
coupling cars. The total number OF
casualties that can be traced to this
source are s,2l0, oi which 1868 were
fatal.