Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-30
INTERESTING.
The Annual Report Of the Railway
StatiStiCiSn.
THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED
Injured and Manned During the Year---A
Passenger Night Ride 30 Miles an Hour
for 100 Years and Not be bur.
but an Engineer Would
Only Last 40 Years.

WASHINGTON, D. c., November CO.
There will be issued this week from the
Stetistician's Office OF the Interstate
Commerce Commission the third annual
report on statistics OF Railways in
the United States" This report gives
comprehensive statistics covering the
operations OF railways for the year end
ing June 30, 1890, and statement OF
earnings from passenger and freight
service, together with operating ex-
penses and fixed charges for the nine
months ending March 81, 1891.
The total length of track for the
United States, including all tracks,
sidings and spurs is 200, ,O6O.67 miles.
rhe number OF railway corporations
on June 80, 1890, was 1,797.
Twenty-Five companies representing
mileage of 1,6is.l0 miles, have been
reorganIzed during the year, and thirty
four companies representing mileage
OF 1905 81 miles have merged their cor
porate existence into other corporations.
Fifty companies representing q mileage
of 6, 1876 "a miles have been consolidated
with other companies. Thus s.lO1 81
miles of line have during the year dis
appeared as independent companies.
There are seyenty-four companies In
the United States whose gross incomes
is SS37, 600, 600 dollars out Of total
gross income OF all railways in the
country Of 81, 55l, ,S77, ,632, tnat is to say
Seventy-fouur railroad corporations re-
ceive 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 90 of which
$3.50 are passenger locomotives and the
remainder freight locomotives. The
number OF cars used on the railways OF
the United States Is /, ,l64, l3S OF which
26. 5ll are In the passenger service.
The total nuber of men employed on
the railways OF the United States is 749,-
301, being an increase OF 1855 over the
huber employed in 1889.
The 156. .4O4.06 miles of line which is
made che basis of statistics In this re-
port is represented by railway capital
TO the amount Of 80, ass, 9,444, 172.
The number Of passengers carried by
the railways OF United States duriug
the year was 492, 430, SOS. The number
of tons OF freight carried by the rail-
roads of the limited States dnringS the
year covered by the report was $50, AL, :
6l7
The total number OF persons reported
By railways as killed during the year
was 800, and the total number injured
was 90 034 OF the total number killed,
2.451 we're employees, 2S5 passengers,
and 1854 were classed as "other per-
sons" In this latter figure are included
the large number of suicides. OF the
total number injured %, 800 were eni-
ployes, 2,444 passengers, besides 4,20O
unclassified. II the number of em-
ployes killed be compared with the total
number employed. 1t appears that one
death occurs for every 300 men en-
ployed on the railways, and one injury
occurs for every thirty-three men en-
ployed.
The largest number of casua ties
occur TO men engaged directly in hand
ling trains. Thus, while trainmen rep
resent but ls per cent. OF the total
number of employees, the casualties sus-
tanned by them account for So per cent.
of the total casualties. A passenger
riding continuously at the rate OF thirty
miles per hour might expect immu-
nifty from death by railway scci-
dent for l ZOO years, but an engineer, a
brakeman or 4 conductor under the
same conditions is liable to fatal ac-
cident at the expiration OF forty years.
Tho most common accident TO which
railway employees are liable results from
coupling and uncoupling cars. The to-
tai number OF casualties that can be
traced to this source are s,2l0, OF which
500 were fatal.