Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1892-12-16
SOME STATISTICS.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-
STATE RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Interesting Figures Given in Regard to
Business and Other Ma,trrs-NumI'er
of Casunltics Greater Than in Any
Previous Year.
WASHINGTON, Dec. ~. The fourth
statistical report of the interstate COM
merce commission prepared by its stat
istican, Mr.. Caesar, which has just been
submitted, gives Il complete epitome of
railroad progress in the United States
for the period covered, railway
mileage in the United States
on June 3d. 1891, not counting double
tracks, was lGS, ,492.74 miles. Cunnecti-
cut had to every 100 square miles of
territory over 20 miles of track, Della
ware 2G miles, Illinois ~ miles, Iowa IS
miles, Massachusetts Is miles, New
Jersey 81 miles, New York lG miles,
Onio 10 miles, Pennsylvania 23 miles.
The only countries in Europe which
have an excess OF ten miles per 100
square miles of territory are Germany
with II miles, Great Britain with l6
miles, France with II miles, Belgium
with rs miles, Holland with lis miles
and Switzerland with IL mil is. No
country III Earope, Sweden alone ex-
cepted, has ten miles Of line per 10000
inhabitants, while i'll this country but
two states have less than ten miles of
railway per 10000 inhabitants. The
increase in railway mileage during the
year was 4,s5) miles. This is less than
the average 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. There are 1885 rail-
road corporations, OF which ss9
We're Independent companies for the
purpose of operation and 1877 We're
subsidiary companies the remainder be-
ing private lines. The total number of
locomotives used by the railways was
80, l39, showing an increase of 800 dur.
ing the year and the total number of
cars the property of railroads was ,215,-
Gil, showing an increase of 45,944 dur
ing the year. The number of men EN-
ployea during the year covered by the
report was ,S4 ,225, being an increase of
84,9S4. The total capitalization of the
railways of the United States was So
e2s, ,475, ,Ol5 or S6O,9i. per mile of line.
This shows an increase in outstandin.
capital of SGO2 per mile of line as COM
pared with the previous years report.
| The gross earnings from operation
during the year We're Sl,O9G, ,7Gl ,395 or
$6,sol per mile of line Operating ex-
penses were $1Il ,sS7 ,SJ3 or Sl5. .;,3S per
mile of line, leaving IL net income from
operation of 1854 ,S73, ,5Oa OF $2,aG3 per
mile of line. The number of p;.sspn-
! gers carried during the year was ;,il,-
l33,9sS. The number OF tons OF freight
carried was 675 .G0S.3e3.
The report shows that casualties dur
ing the year were greater than in any
previous year covered by reports to tho
commission The number killed during
the year was 7.Ol9 and the number in
jured was 3J,SSl Of these
the number OF employees killed
was 1850 and the number
injured was "6.llO. The number of
passengers killed was 1860 aud the
number injured 7,7Al. This report en-
phasizes more strongly than previous
reports the necessity of legislation COM
pelling railways TO adopt train brakes
and automatic coupers, and also sug-
gest that some steps b. taken besides
the adoption of the train brake tu pro
vent the frequency of casualties from
trains and engines. The large number
killed and injured firm collisions also
brings prominently into notice the ne
cessity of some extensive use Of the
block system in the handling of trains
and more perfect application of tho
principle of personal responsibility in
the case of accidents An invtStiga
tion INTO the matter of handling trains
is recommended.