The record-union., 1892-01-02
THE RAILROADS.
Epitome of their Operations During
the Fiscal Year.
The Southern Pacific Company En-
pIoying an Army of Nearly Il 8, 900
observation-disclosures Report.

observation-disclosures Report.
The annual report of the State Board of
Railroad Commissioners, just issued from
the State Printing Office, for tho fiscal
year ending June 81, 1891, is very inter
esting one. Less space than usual is de-
voted to tabulated statements that the
average reader but poorly understands,
while the chief features of the railroad
business of the State are given concisely
and yet in readable form. The Com
missioners say;
1--WE have heard and determined thirty
two cases thus far, and in nearly every
case relief has been granted to the COM
plainants.
I'm this, our twelfth annual report, we
have eliminated most all of the details
and statistical matter that has heretofore
been the custom to embody herein, and
have submitted for publication the ma
terial matter that has gone to make up
the essential features in each case SUBJ
United to this Commission. This part Of
our report we deem very essential, as it
gives to the people of California the gem
eral formula Of all cases presented, and
aids those having grievances to set forth
their cause of complaint in simple form.
''At the last session of the Legislature
an Act was past requiring all officers,
boards of officers, commissioners, etc.,
to make their reports to the Governor on
or before the 10Th day of September, and
every two years thereafter, which was
approved March 10, 1891. This will ne
cessitate the changing of the fiscal year
from January 1st to July 1st, in order to
comply with the law. We are of opinion
that the change will be met with a de-
gree of satisfaction on the part Of a ma
jarity of the railroad companies reporting
to this commission"
Secretary J. V. Kelly has included with
the report very valuable wall map of
the railroads of the State, giving all the
recent construction, new terminal points
and other features of great value to the
railroads and their patrons. This map is
twice as large as any other ever issued by
the commission, and is very handsomely
autographed.
The first eighty pages of the report con-
tain detailed statements regarding the
complaints made to the board and the &C
ton taken thereon.
There is an important communication
from General Passenger Agent Goodman
of the Southern Pacific Company on the
subject of Railway Ticket Brokerage"
in which the writer takes the stand that
and that it ought to be abolished. Mr..
Goodman says:
''It may be charged that railroad COM
panies have ayailed themselves at times
of the services Of ticket scalpers or ticke ct
brokers. If this be true we believe it can
be shown to result from some inequality
actual or fancied) on the part of the rail
road company doing so, or more likely
from spirit to conduct competition I'M
fairly.
1--WE think railroad companies are
fairly entitled to the protection of the
State and the nation in this matter. Fraud
exists and is practiced chiefly as result
of desire of the railroad companies to
do that which is public benefit. The
larger profit from the fraud accrues not
to the traveller, but to the middle-man,
who does not contribute in any way to
the service performed"
There is also a long communication
from Vice-President j. G. Stubs, in
which he takes the same ground as does
Mr.. Goodman.
General Manager A. n. Towne fur
nishes the following statement of new
constructions by the Southern Pacific
Company to July l, 1891: Porterville and
Poso, 34.59 miles; Oakdale and MERGED,
1882 miles; Marysville and Knight
Landing, 27.73 miles; Ontario and Chino,
81 miles; Avon and San Ramon, 20. 262
miles; Los Banos and Ammonia, 88.067
miles.
income from operation was l2,SSl ,491 ~;
the Southern California, $3.50, 448 "a; At
lanuic aud Pacific Gn California;, SOL
763 So; San Francisco and North Pacific,
SIT, 2S5 10; North Pacific Coast, 81, O47 As;
Pacific Coast Railway, $50, 40 O6; Nevada,
California and Oregon, 9,345 rs; Eel
River and Eureka, ST. 1873 p; Nevada
- ~ n.
and Tulare, S33, GIG 43. The total net in
come from operation was Sl3, 1855, 800 80.
The'total number of passengers carried
by all the lines was 19,3l9,271, of which
the Southern Pacific carried 1856, 283
The average rate of fare was 81 cents a
mile.
The total freight tonnage of the South
err Pacific Company was 6,292, O69 tons
by the Southern California, 3S3, 3l4; At
lantic and Pacific, 246, 200; San Francisco
and North Pacific, 163, 1905; North Pacific
Coast, 81 1899.
The Southern Pacific had 1881 EN-.
| ployes in this State; the Southern Cali
| fornia, 1,228; Atlantic and Pacific, 63l
San Francisco and North Pacific, Adj
North Pacific Coast, 355; Pacific Coast
Railway, SO. The total number, which
includes the employees Of fourteen other
! lines, is 1903.
| The total number of locomotives run
was SOC, of which the Southern Pacific
| Company ran ri. The total number o.
passenger cars was 1,124, of which the
| Southern Pacific had 931, and of freight
| cars $3.50, of which the Southern Pacific
! had S,533.
| The total number of persons killed by
accident on California railroads during
! the year was 122: Is were killed in COLI.
sions, 2 by derailments, 2 in coupling
cars, at grade crossings and 80 by other
causes. The number of passengers killed
was is. injured lis; employees killed, 40
/ injured 40; other persons killed 55, in
| jured lbs.
/ The statement of wages paid to different
! employees is full and very interesting,
/ The Southern Pacific Company paid
/ general Office clerks an average of So 70 q
! day; station agents, 8 81; engineers
/ 81 IS; firemen, 81 81; conductors, So 92
/ brakemen. & 80; machinists, 50 go: car
| penters, So IS; section men, 81 54; tele-
graph operators. So OF; laborers, 81 95
| Nearly all the other lines paid about the
same wages, shading trifie lower.
! The consumption of fuel by the roads
amounted TO 636, $40 tons of coal and $780,
! 9SS cords of wood. The total cost of fuel
was ST ,5S4, 7S5 Ga, of which the Southern
Pacific Company paid 81, 072, 66l A, burn
| ing $4,000 tons of coal and 6l2,S37 cords
of wood.