Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-07-10

call permanent Waymen Gnelr nagmen are
gatekeepers; their switchmen, shunters
and pointsmen, and their conductors ticket
collectors.
"Our railway employees are notably pro-
~ficient, but the highest authorities agree
that we should have fewer accidents were
we to employ more men. Overwork is
one of the common complaints among
American railway employees. Ihave known
engine drivers to work from Monday
morning till Saturday night continuously
without sleep or rest. OF purse such cases
are rare, but they do occur. 1t would not
be permitted in England. Railroading is
a much more dangerous employment in
this country than in England, and we kill
and injure a much larger percentage of
travellers.
"Let me give you the figures to show the
appalling extent of the butchery and MAIN
ing of employees that is constantly going
on in this country. Train service is, of
course, the most hazardous, and of lao, 600
trainmcn employed last year on all the
railroads of this country, 1900 were killed
and more than 1000 injured. Of SO, 900
switch, flag and watch men, $50 were killed
and 1900 injured. Of the grand total of
725,OO employees, 1900 were killed and more
thar 10000 hurt. One employe out of 300
was killed and one out of every IS was
injured. Among the trainmen the record
is astounding. One out of every III was
killed outright during the year, and one
out of every IL injured. In England, of all
employees, one is killed out of every S75,
and one hurt out of every 1853. Of the train
men in England, one out of every $50 was
killed and one out of every 80 injured.
A to passengers the figures are quite
as much to our discredit. Last year one
passenger in 1885, 600 was killed in this
country, against one in 1000, 900 in Eng
land. In the United States one passenger
out of every 100000 was injured, against
n in $4,000 in England. In considering
these figures it should be borne in mind
that for every ticket sold the distance tray
eled is two or three times as great in this
country as in England"
"1s it true that W. are the greatest trav-
elers by rail in the world3"
without doubt, considering both the
number of passengers and distances tray
eled. If every inhabitant of the United
States travelled as often and as far as every
other, each would travel It's miles in a
year. Remembering that millions of PEG.
pie do not travel at all, it is easy to see
that those of US who do travel must travel
"SAS"o oSoA. IL aFCldSC JOuIlCS LII ills
country per ticket sold, it may interest
you to know, is o5 miles, and the average
number of passengers per train is AZ.
Every day of the year our passenger trains
run 10000 miles. Freight trains run
more than 100000 miles a day, and the
average number of tons carried per train
is $780,"
Nov tell me something about the f.
nances of our railroads."
In round numbers the railways of this
country earn 81 900, DOC. 900 a year, of which
S3OO,OO0.O0O is from passenger service and
S645,OOO,OW from freight. Mail, express
and miscellaneous make up the remainder.
The operating expenses are s645, 900, 900, so
you see that the freight earnings run the
roads, leaving the passenger and other
earnings net. In addition to this 1920, O0O,-
600 the roads have an income of $125, OOO, 900
more from interest on bonds and dividends
on stocks owned by the companies, rentals
of tracks, yards, etc, and miscellaneous in
come. What becomes Of this $445, 900 600
on hand after the operating expenses are
paid? Does it 20 to the stockholders in
dividends? Very little of it. Interest on
bonds and other debt takes 500, 600, 600 at
one swoop. Ninety-siX millions 90 to
rentals for tracks, yards and terminals, and
S2o,00O 900 for taxes. The stockholders get
just 49,, 600, 900 in dividends, and $50, OOO, 900
is carried as surplus.
"The holder of American railway stocks
is not always to be envied. There is out
standing a total of a. PSI, 600. 900 of stock.
The dividends paid on his amount to a
fraction less than 2 per cent. You wouldn't
like to lend money at that rate of interest,
would you? On three-ifths of the stock no
,-1 -~s| -
bonds the interest is not paid. On one-sixth
of the stock dividends from 4 to 6 per cent,
are paid. On one-eleventh of it from 6 to 8
per cent. is paid. Our railway system as
u whole is capitalized at nearly s59, 900
a mile, much more thar it cost, and that
is why a greater number of roads cannot
pay dividends"
They Sort the Type.