Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-24
A Multum in Paryo of Rail
road Information.
Statistics From the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
An Epitome of Facts About All
Branches of the Service.
The Mileage-value of the Property
Public Service of Railways
Accidents-Suggested
nIs,,e 10


Commerce commission the third annual
report on the statistics OF railways In
the United States.v This report gives
comprehensive statistics covering the
operations of railways for the year end
ing June 80, 1890, and statement OF
earnings from passenger and freight SER
vice, together with operating expenses
and fixed charges. for the nine months
ending March 81, 1891. A marked
feature of this report, which adds
greatly to the value of its statistics, is
the division of all statistics into ten terri
torial groups, as shown by the above
map, by which the differences in condi-
tions of operation in various parts of the
country are clearly brought to notice.
Formerly all statistics have been massed
for the entire country, and the averages
deduced have been for all the roads in
the United States. The comparisons
rendered possible by this report show
marked differences in the different parts
Of the country.
MILEAGE.
Railway mileage in the United States
on June 80, 1890, was 163. .597. .O5 miles.
The increase in railway mileage brought
into operation during the year was
5832.22 miles. Michigan shows the
largest increase in railway mileage dur
ing the year, being 459 0S miles, and
Georgia comes next, with an increased
mileage of 1894 miles. Group V, made
up of the states of Kentucky, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Flor
ida, shows an increased mileage of
1902 miles during the year. The total
length of track for the United States,
including all tracks, sidings, and spurs,
is 208, ,6l2.55 miles.
NUMBER OF CORPORATIONS.
The number OF railway corporations on
June 80, 1890, was 1897. OF these 81 are
classed as private roads, with total
operated mileage of 812 miles. Nine
hundred and twenty-seven of these cor
porations are operating companies, and
735 are subsidiary companies. that is to
cay, the mileage which they own is
leased to other companies for purposes
of operation. Twenty-Five companies,
representing a mileage OF 1916. 10 miles,
have been reorganized during the
year, and "a companies, represent
ing a mileage OF 1905 81 miles, have
merged their corporate existence into
other corporations. Fifty companies,
representing a mileage of 6, 1876 04 miles,
have been consolidated with other COM
panies. Thus s, 10l 81 miles OF line have
during the year disappeared as inde-
pendent companies.
Forty railway corporations operate
77,S72.63 miles of line, or 17.51 per cent
of total mileage. The average length of
line for tlese 40 roads is nearly 1000
miles. There are rs companies in the
United States whose gross income is
$846. .SS8, 900. out OF total gross income
of all railways in the country of 81 ,051,-
S77 ,632; that is to say, rs railway cor
porations receive 80 per cent of the total
amount paid by the people OF the United
States for railway service.
EQUIPMENT.
The total number of locomotives in
the United States is 29,92S, of which
1884 are passenger locomotives and 49,
l40 are freight locomotives. This shows
10 freight locomotives and passenger
locomotives for each 100 miles OF oper-
ated line. The number of cars used on
the railways of the United States is
l,164, 1888, OF which 26.5l1 are in the
passenger service. The number of cars
per 100 miles OF line is IA. The num-
ber of tons OF freight carried one mile
per freight engine is 4,72l, ,627, and the
number OF passengers carried one mile
per passenger engine is lab, 142. Fig
ures OF this sort measure the economy of
transportation by rail. The larger por-
ton OF equipment is found on railways
in the eastern and middle states.
Thus, in the New England states
group |, there are 2S locomotives
per 100 miles of line; Ill the middle
states, group II, 46 locomotives per 100
miles of line; while in the states west
OF the Mississippi the number does not
exceed 10 locomotives per 100 miles of
line. The number of locomotives fitted
with train brake is 20, ,l52, and the num-
Der fitted with automatic coupler, 955.
The number of cars fitted with train
brake is l28 ,241, and the number of cars
fitted with automatic coupler is 114 1854
When compared with the total number
sof locomotives and cars, it appears that
much remains to be done in the matter
Of train brakes and automatic coupers.
MEN EMPLOYED.
The total number Of men employed
on the railways of the United States is
749, ,S01, being an increase of "A, ,55S over
the number employed in 1889. The
average number OF men employ ed per
100 miles of line on all roads is 479. In
the New England states, group !, the
average number per 100 miles of line is
ZIG, in the middle states, group IL, it is
1867; in group ", covering the states
OF Virginia, North Carolina, South Car
olina, ard part of West Virginia, it is
379 and in the various sections OF the
western states the number ranges from
x50 to $50 per 100 miles of line. These
figures Indicate the increased density OF
traffic i'll the eastern and middle states,
groups | and Ii, respectively.
VALUE OF RAILWAY PROPERTY.
The 156 404.06 miles OF line, which is
made the basis OF statistics in this re-
port, is represented by railway capital
to the amount of SO ,437 1853, 372, which
is equivalent TO $50, $40 per mile of line.
Assuming that the remaining mileage is
capitalized at the same rate, the total
capitalization OF railway property in the
United States would be 1851 1878, $50.
The increase in railway capital for the
year ending June 80, 1890, over railway
capital for the previous year, is $685.
O70, ,238. OF this amount $3.50, 900, 900 at
teaet is due to the increase in capit2li-