The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-12-24
RAILWAY STATISTICS.
NINE MILLIONS ARE INVESTED IN
RAILROADS.

. WAsuNaroN, Dec. 22 The fourtl
statistical report of the Interstat,
/ Commerce Commission, prepared 10y
/ its statisticion, has just been submit
/ ted. It comprise, "a text of about lOJ
puges and contains many important
summaries and comparisons pertain
ing to the operations of railways
The following is a synopsis of the re
port: Mileage mileage i'm the
United States on June 80, 1891, wa.
/ 1G8. .402.7l miles. These figures indicate
the length of single track mileage. the
total mileage Of all tracks being ZIG,
| Ill91I miles. Some of the States are
exceptionally well provided with rail.
way facilities, as may be seen 10y the
table of the report, which shows tha
| length of line in the several States per
100 square miles of territory. such
assignment shows for Connecticut
2OT7 miles. for Delaware. l61O miesi
for Illinois, 1925 miles; for Iowa, 1872
miles. for Massachusetts. $3.50 miles,
for New Jersey, 27.71 miles; for New
York. 1919 miles: for OHIO, 1865 miles;
for Pennsylvania, 22.71 miles The
only countries i'm Europe which have
an excess of 1u miles per 100 square
miles of territory are: Germany. with
1914 miles; Great Britain, with 1912
miles; France, with HOG niles Bel
gum. with 1928 miles; Holland. with
1873 miles, and Switzerland, with l2,l0
miles. No country in Europe, Sweden
alone excepted, has 10 miles of line
per 10000 inhabitants, while in this
country, ON the other hand, but two
States have less than 10 miles of rail
way per 10000 inhabitants.
The increase in railway mileage
during the year was 4,su560 miles.
This is less than the eayerage of increase
for several years past. The greatest
activity in railway building seems to
have been in the States lying south of
the Ohio. and east of the Mississippi
Rivers, the total increase in these
States being l,67O.s3 miles.
RAILWAY CORPORATIONS.
There were ON June 30, 1891, i7Sj
railway corporations, of which $50 we're
independent companies for the purpose
of operation aud 7l7 were subsidiary
companies, the remainder being pri-
vate lines. The report further shows
that sixteen roads have been abandon
ed during the year, and that ninety
two roads, representing "A mileage of
1O,ll6.2j, haye disappeared by pur-
chase, merging or consolidation.
The actual number of railway cor
porations in 1891 is less than the mum
Der which existed in 1890, notwith-
standing the fact that a considerable
number of new lines we're chartered
during the year. The tendency toward
consolidation is clearly indicated by
the report. On June 30, 1891, there
were forty.two companies, each OF
which controlled a mileage in excess of
1000 miles and nearly one-half Of the
mileage of the country is the property
of these forty.two companies.
THE BIG COMPANIES.
Another classification contained in
the report shows that there are eighty
railway companies, each of which has
a gross revenue in excess of 100000
The railways of this class control
G9.4S per cent. of the total mileage Of
the country, receive S2.O9 per cent OF
the amount paid by the public for rail
way service, and perform S37G per
cent. of the total passenger service
and S2GG per cent. of the total freight
service of the country.
Out of total of Sl,O74,OOO tons OF
freight carried one mile, the railways
in question carried G7,OOS,OOo.
The total capitalization of the rail
ways of the United States was 59,S29,,
475,Ol5, or 5G0,9i2 per mile of line This
shows an increase in outstanding capi,
tai of S6O2 per mile of line as compar.
ed with the previous years report
Equipment Trust obligations have
increased from $40, ,47s,2l5 to S54, ,7J5, ,157
A few years ago the opinion prevailed
among railway men that the leasing OF
equipment by railway companies was
fast disappearing. This opinion is not
supported by the facts,
The gross earnings from operation
during the year were slO96, ,76l, ,395, OF
s6sOl per mile of line. Operating ex-
penses were s73l, ,ss7, ,o93, or sl5,3S per
mile Of line, leaving a net income from
operation Of 536l,S73,5O2 or 92263 per
mile Of line. The net income per mile
of line was less than the net income OF
the previous year by s37
PASSENGERS CARRIED.
The number of passengers carried
during the year was 53l,ls3,95S. The
number of tons of freight carried was
G75,G0S,323. The total number of miles
run by passenger trains was 307, ,927, OPS
and the numer Of miles run by freight
trains was 4lG,274,jOS. The ayerag,
journey per passenger was 2ilS mile.
and the average haul per ton o.
freight was l2u miles.
The report shows that casuultie,
during the year we're greater than il
any previous year covered by reports
to the commission. The number killed
during the year was 1929, aud number
injured was 33,s5L
This report emphasizes more stroug
ly than previous reports the necessity
of legislation compelling railways Il
adopt train brakes and automati
couplers, and also suggests that SOM
steps be taken besides the adoption o
the train brake to prevent the fire
quency of causaulties from fallinl
from trains and engines.
The large number killed and mjur
ed from collisions also bring, promi
uently into notice the necessity o
some extensive use of the block system
q in the handling of trains and NOR
] perfect application of the principle o
personal responsibility in the case o
accidents. An Investigation into TIA
the matter Of handling trains is ne,
S commended.
II is recommended that express com
panies and water carriers engaged II
Interstate traffic be required to max
] reports to the Interstate Cummerc
r Commission similar 10 those now mad
I by railways, and that persons, compa
MES, or corporations owning rOllin
stocks used in Interstate traffic shoul
). be obliged TO make annual reports S
r far as may be necessary fora cOmplet
statement of the kind of rolling stoc
ID used by railways.