The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-12
oUrRANK THE WORLD.

UCaA4 " KttNS ~
OUTRANK THE WORLD.
Fine Showing of the United States in the
Matter of Railroad Statistics
Special to the Indianapolis journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The fourth sta
tist,cal report of the Interstate-commerce
Commission. prepared by it's statistician. Dir.
Case, winch has Just been submitted. gives
O complete epitome of railroad progress in
the United States for the period covered
Railway mileage in the United States on
June 80. 1891 mot including double tracks,,
was 16S, 4G2.74 miles. Connecticut had to
every 100 square miles of territory over 70
miles of track; Delaware, 16 miles; Illinois.
Is: Iowa. Is; Massachusetts. %; New Jersey.
"a; New York. 16; Ohio, 70. and Pennsyl-
vania. %. The only countries in Europe
which have an excess of ten miles per 100
square miles of territory are Germany.
with 12 miles; Great Britain. with 16;
France. with IL; Belgium. with %; Holland.
with Is, and Switzerland, with IL. No
country in Europe. Sweden alone excepted.
has ten miles of line per 100, 0C0 inhabitants,
while in this country but two States have
less than ten miles of railway per 100, 600 In
habitaats.
The increase in railway mileage during
the year was 4.s05. This is less than the
average for several years past. The great
est activity IN railway building seems to
have been in the States lying south
Of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi.
There were 1,765 railway corporations. of
which $50 were independent companies for
the purpose of operation. and TAT were sub
sidiary companies, the remainder being
panies. each of which controlled mileage in
excess of one thousand miles and nearly
one-half of the mileage of the country Is
the property of these forty-two companies.
The total number of locomotives used by
the railways was 80. 139. showing an in
crease of l 800 during the year. and the total
nuniber OF cars. the property OF railways
was 1.215,6l1. showing an increase of 1914
during the year. The number OF men en-
ployed on railways in the United States
during the year covered by the reporr was
"a, 343. The extent to which organized
industry has increased the efficiency OF
labor is shown by the fact that railways
during the year have, on an average. car
rled 349,346 passengers one mile.
CUR TO CAUSE
The total capitalization of the United
States railroads was 80. 500. AIS, obs. or SEQ. 942
per mile of line. This shows an increase In
outstanding capital of s602 FER mile of line.
ss compared with the previous years re-
port. Equipment-trust obligations have
increased from $40. 47s. 2l5 to s54, 755. 157. A
few years ago the opinion prevailed among
railway men that the leasing of equipments
by railway companies was fast disappear
ing. This opinion Is not supported by the
facts. The gross earnings from operation
during the year were 81. 096. SCI. 1876. or 6.sO1
per mile of line. Operating expenses were
e731. 9S6. s6l, or S4.53S per mile of line, leav-
Ing . net income from operation of 1884,
B74, 634. or &, 1858 per mile of line. The net
gueoma mar Ypila nf lima waa 1aao than tho
net income of the previous year by S37.
The number of passengers carried during
the year was 531, 1S3, 9SS. The numbe of
tons of freight carried was 676. COS, S23. The
total NUN Der of miles run by passenger
trains was 307. 937. 92S, and the number of
miles run by freight trains was 446. Pa sos.
The average journey per passenger was 24.lS
miles. and the average haul Der ton OF
freight was 120 miles. The average num-
Der Of passengers in a train was AZ, and the
average number of tons of freight IN a
train was 121. The average revenue per
passenger per mile was Z. 142 cents. and the
average revenue per ton per mile was s.4S
cents.
The report shows that casualties during
the year were greater than in any previous
year reported to the commission. The
total number killed was 5.02S. and the num-
Der injured. 33.eS1. Of these totals the
humber of employees killed was 2.G60, n
the number injured was 20. 40. The num-
Der of passengers killed was 1913. and the
number injured, 2.S72. This report en-
phasizes the recommendations of previous
reports of legislation compelling railways
TO adopt air. brakes and automatic cou-
piers. The large number killed and in
iured from collisions also brings promi-
nently into notice the necessity of some
extensive use of the block system in the
handling of trains and q more perfect ap-
plication of the principle of personal
responsibility in the case of accidents.
An Investigation into the manner of
handling trains is recommended. It is
recommended that express and water car
fiers. engaged in interstate carriage, be re-
auired to make reports to the Interstate
Commission similar TO those now made by
railways. and that persons. companies. or
corporations owning rolling stock used on
interstate traffic, should be Obliged to
make annual reports so far as may be
necessary for q complete statement of
the kind of rolling stock used by railways.