The record-union., 1892-12-06
Increase
Population
per StllIaTe
DENSITY OF POPULATION AS RELATED
TO RATES.

DENSITY OF POPULATION AS RELATED
TO RATES.
The States surrounding and adjoining
Illinois now have an average population
OF forty-oue per square mile. The States
surrounding and adjoining California
have an average population OF one and
1our-tenths per square mile, and that is
largely made up by including OREGON,
whose commercial mart is Portland
The increase per square mile III the
population of these several States during
the past twenty years is worthy OF con-
alteration, and is an important factor in
determining what would be lust and
equitable charges for the TRANSPORTATION
OF persons and property in California.
The railroads of California extend
throughout its great and sparsely occu-
pied territory. The Carson and Colorado
Railroad, having l0S miles in this state
east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. is
obliged to seek market for the products
of its territory by the construction Of a
circuitous road along the Mountainous
border of the State of Nevada for IS5
miles, and thence via the Virginia and
Iruc6ee and the Central Pacific Roads 80
miles additional to san Francisco.
The situation of the Nevada, California
and Oregon Railroad is practically the
same, the traffic Of each passing over arid
unproductive areas and lofty ranges OF
mountains.
GRAIN RATES.
The cereals being at present the chief of
the staple products Of California, the cost
of marketing the surplus. the total bulk
and weight of which is greater than anv
other article transported, is OF great i'm
pOrtance.
\ comprehensive comparison of the
rates by rail to ocean transit at san Fran
cisco, Port Costa and other bay points. also
10 san Pedro, Port Hartford and other coast
gsf,v, ! ], J
State, with those existing in Kansas and
other States. the staple product OF which
is cereals, shows that the cost to the farm
ers of California is bat a small fraction
over one and a hall cents per bushel
greater than to the farmers OF those
States.
This comparison is made by estimating
the average weight Of the California
grains at htty-five pounds per bushel
and upon an average haul Of ijO miles.
KANSAS AND CALIFORNIA RATES.
To determine the relative reasonable
ness of the rales in Kansas and California
all Of the factors spoken Of elsewhere in
this report, and many others, must be
taken into account. Two significant
facts, however, may be mentioned:
First-The tact that nearly all of the
railroad companies in Kansas are bank
rupt, the deficits from 1SoS to 1891. after
payment OF operating expenses but prob
ably not complete mantenanceL the
taXes and interest, being many millions
OF dollars.
Second-The fact that in 1891 the con-
struction of railroads in Kansas came to
an absolute stop.
COST OF FUEL.
The cost of the fuel consumed in the
operation and maintenance OF the rail-
roads of California is unusually great.
and there is no probability of materially
reducing it. Therefore, being so inlporf-
ant and permanent an item Of expense. il
is briefly presented.
In California the principal fuel used is
COAL a small proportion only being wood.
With minor exceptions the results show
that the average cost CT wood Is fully
equivalent TO the cost OF coal, being from
81 10 to 81 a cord, delivered on the loco
motive tenders.
The actual average cost of the coal used
by the Southern Pacific Company on lis
lines in California IS So 40-l0O per ton, de
livered on the locomotive tenders. The
average cost TO the san Francisco and
North Pacific Railroad Company IS s. %
Der ton. The average cost 70 the railroads
in Southern California is s. S0-I00 per
ton; the cost to some roads being as high
as 50.
The average cost of the coal used by all
of the railroad companies OF California is
at least 81 per ton, delivered on the loco