The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-04-07

PREVIOUS Hear-The Company In an Ex-
cellent Condition.
The board of directors Of the Norfolk
and Western Railroad Company has
issued its eleventh annual report for
the year ending December 81, 1891. The
report, which is very extensive, shows
a most gratifying increase in all de-
partments over 1890.
The company had in operation at the
beginning of the year 1,O99.77 miles of
railroad, 31.40 miles Of second track,
and 2s5.sl miles of sidings.
Increased terminal facilities at Lam
bert Point, 11.2O miles of second track,
20.62 miles of short branches to coal and
iron mines, and 1924 miles of sidings
were completed and put in operation.
On the Maryland and Washington
division 116.45 miles of the line were
thoroughly ballasted, and seven wooden
trestles were replaced by substantial
CINE. house and repair shops were con-
structed at Shenandoah and a stone
passenger station and brick freight sta
ton erected at Buena Vista.
Work upon the Ohio extension was
prosecuted continuously throughout the
year, and rs miles, including the bridge
over the Ohio river, wore entirely COM
pleted, of which SO miles were on the
north end and 90 miles on the south end.
The company had in service at the be-
ginning of the year 80 locomotives, IT'S
passenger coaches and II ,407 freight and
other cars, and the additions made dur
ing the year consisted of 80 locomotives.
passenger coach and SAG freight and
other cars. At tho close of the year
there were in service $40 locomotives,
1TG passenger coaches and 12, $40 freight
and other cars.
Tho average mileage of passenger
engines during 1891 was 1906 miles
per day per engine as compared with
1884 miles in 1890, and of freight en-
gines 1927 miles per day per engine as
compared with SO. 90 miles in 1890. Tho
average mileage of freight cars of all
kinds during the year was 1850 miles
per day per car as compared with 1857
miles during tho preceding year.
The carrying capacity OF freight cars
shows steady average increase. The
average number of tons of paying freight
transported in each car has increased
from 0.75 tons in 1883 to 1911 tons in
1891. The average number of tons OF
paying freight transported in each train
has increased from lot tons in 1883 to
329 tons in 1891.
The gross earnings for the year wore
50. 1Ss, 042.O1 and the operating expen.
ses, including taxes, were Sc, 900, 677 90,
the proportion of expenses to earnings
being sixty-five per cent. The net earn
ings were S3.17S, BATS; other income,
interest," dividends, ETC., S155,645.42,
making q total income of SO, 334, 02O 20.
The total interest charges were So, &c.,
1902 leaving net Income for the year
of 81, 203,T89 from which dividends
were paid; April cad, II per cent. on
$4,000 shares of preferred stock, $472,-
500; October 22d, Il per cent. on AGO.
600 shares of preferred stock, 5000, 600.
The average gross earnings per mile
of the main line and branches were
$40, l46.47, as compared with $IO,116.OS
per mile in 1890, and the net earnings
per mile were S3,669.42 as compared
with SO, 563.7S in 1890, and for tho entire
system the average gross earnings per
mile were SO, 421.67, and the average net
earnings per mile were S2,9i31S.
The growth of the passenger traffic
has been very gratifying. In1ss5 there
were 3SS,0S7 passengers carried and in
1891 there were 1875 an increase
over 1890 OF 368,291 passengers. The
earnings from this traffic in 1890 were
S1.S34, 151.58 and in 1891 So, O97. 725.72.
AS compared with the previous year the
earnings from local passenger traffic in
creased Is per cent. and the earnings
from through passenger traffic decreased
per cent.
The freight traffic in 1885 amounted
to 1,199,790 tons as against 5, O59, sos in
1890, and 5,795, GAL in 1901. In 1890 the
earnings from this traffic were SIS,
7S4.30 and in 1891 they were $7,09O,-
1920. The earnings from local traffic,
that is passenger and freight traffic
originating at, or destined TO, points
aggregate earnings.
The mineral traffic increased during
the year 506,0l5 tons over the previous
year. In 1882 there were 1890 tons of
iron ore transported; in 1890 it amounted
to $50, 9S4 and in 1891 $50, 500, an in
crease of $685. tons or 10 per cent, as
compared with 1890. The shipments of
pig iron were 2S3,590 tons, an increase
of 47,746 tons, an increase of 7,746 tons
or 30 per cent. as compared with 1890.
The coal and coke transported over
the line during 1891 Including ATS, ago
tons used by the company was 3,2S2. 671
tons, an increase of 572,7s4 tons, as COM
pared with the previous year.
The growth of this traffic Is shown by
the following statement:
Year. Ti ,ss s a,1s so T2t aaa