The morning call., 1892-02-13
ALONG THE RAIL.
Interesting Comparative Figures
From POOr'S Manual.
The Southern Pacific Company Will Shortly
Have Another Grievance Committee Ap-
pear at Headquarters

"Poor's Manual of Railroads for 1891"
just issued contains much valuable informa-
tlon for the year 1890 concerning all railroads
OF the country. The dates at which the re-
ports OF the several lines are made up aud
submitted causes the manual to be about
six months behind the time when it would
be Issued IL all railroad accounts could be
closed on tie 1st of January of each'year.
The reports show 1916, 817 miles of track in
use December 80, 1890, of which 5498 miles
were laid during that year, On the different
railroads 500, 4390S2 passengers were carried
ana 701, 314, 437 tons of freight moved. The
gross earnings were S1,O86, 04O, POT, and the
net profits of operation $341, 500, 800. Other
receipts brought the available net income
up to S455, 1882 There was paid out as
interest on bunds $500, 800, 1888; other in
terest, S6.576, S9I; dividends, $50, 303,6l6.
ne gross earnings per mile OF 10 al were
Sb946-greater than ever beforehand the
net earnings S2l95, an increase OF 500 over
Inc previous year.
COMPARISON OF REPORTS.
a comparison of the reports made by
some OF the great railroads reaching to the
Paclhc Coast gives some interesting figures.
During the year 1890 the NOrthe TN Pacific
carried 6O8,207 more passengers than 1T did
the previous year. and the Canadian Pacific
1896. The gain of the Southern Pacific is
527,S 39. but as this includes ferry traffic,
which the other roads do not possess. the
showing is not so favorable as it would at
hTst appear. AS matter of fact the local
and overland travel fell off I'LL over the
previous year, so that the sole gain was in
ferry travel.
In freight the gain Of the Southern Pacific
was 53l,863 tons, which is less than any of
the ether great transcOntinental roads, eX-
cept the Great Northern, which increased
1881 tons. The increase Of the Union
Pacific was 1881. 033 tons; Atchison, 9S2,-
4lI; Northern Pacific, 69l 991; Canadian
Pacific, 639,S74. On this traffic the average
receipts per mile per ton were as follows:
AtchisOn, 1923 cents; Great Northern.
l2lO; Northern Pacific, 1.400; Union Pa
cihc, 1880; Canadian Pacific, $40; South
eTn PaclHc, 1.671, the highest Of the lot.
The local rate on this line is given as 2.76l
cents per mile.
SOMETHING OF NET PROFIT.
Another very interesting fact is brought
out by comparison of the Central Pacific
Company with the great Pennsylvania Rail-
road. The receipts Of the California road
are Sill per mile and of the Pennsylvania
company S26,9S1. But with only one-sev-
enth or One-eighth of the passenger traffic
and about one-twentieth of the freight traffic.
the Central Pacific Company makes a net
profit per mile of S44j6 against S8911. or one
half as much profit per mile as is made by
the road which is one OF the greatest and
most prosperous of the railroad Organiza-
tons OF the country. And incidentally it
may here be remarked that whereas the
Central Pacific freight charges are 1.67l per
ton per mile, those of the PENNSYLVANIA
Company are only Al, or little more than
one-quarteT as much.
The net profit from the operation Of the
Central Pacific seems TO be far up toward
a lie Int IF ha nt,oc IF
the Pennsylvania company dividends have
been paid right along, ranging from to s
per cent. In 1890 the dividends amounted
to az per cent. The Central Pacific dlv-
dends however, have been dwindling in
spite Of its increase in traffic at the highest
rates, so that in 1890 they we're only per
cent. This latter fact calls to mind the
following from the report recently made TO
TIE Interstate Commerce Commission: " 1t
certainly appears from the above exhibit
that the motive for ownership in railway
stock is quite different from the ordinary
motives which lead men to invest in cor
pOrate enterprises, thus presenting add
tlonal proof that railways are business
not subject to ordinary business rules"
FRUIT AND PRODUCE MEN.
A special excursion OF Eastern fruit and
produce dealers arrived yesterday at River
side. There are over 100 in the party.
which is in charge of the Raymond & Whit
I'd inst, and came by way of New Or
leans. They plan TO reach San Francisco
on Friday, at 9:45 o'clock in the morning,
and will remain here several days. The eX-
CursiOn will return by the Central route,
and will reach Boston on March ). after a
round trip of over $500 miles. The excur-
sion is in charge of Emerson W. Judd of
Hyde Park, Mass, assisted by George f.
SimOndS and Robert II. Stewart.
l.. NJ. Fletcher, Pacific Coast Freight
Agent of the Texas Pacific and Missouri
Pacific, will leave here in few days to
attend a meeting:of the Commercial Agents
Of these lines, which will convene in st.
Louis on February %.
BADGES FOR EMPLOYEES.
The Southern Pacific Railroad COMPANY
has issued shield-shaped badges to the en-
ployes at th6 ferry landing, and hereafter
strangers will be able t0 des gnate who the
persons are on the inside Of the gates and
receive any information they desire At
present the day force, consisting of Assist
ant Foreman Jones, John HereOn, Patrick
Berry and Thomas SchOetf, wear the badges,
but when evening comes the night force be-
COME possessOrs. of the highly polished
GeTman-silver embiems of authority.
There Is considerable murmuring among
Southern Pacific trainmen on account OF
the low wages paid, and 1t IL said that
another Grievance Committee will soon ap-
pear at Fourth and Townsend street.
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