Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-02
THE RAILROADS.
The Annual Export OF the
State Board.
Interesting Figures as to Busi-
ness Done.
The Work Done by the Commission
During the Year.
Passengers and Freight Carried The
Fuel Consumed-The Number
of People Killed and
Wounded.

The San Francisco Chronicle of Thurs
day contains the following synopsis of
the annual report of the railroad COM
mission:
SACRAMENTO, Dec. 30.-The annual re-
port OF the state board of railroad COM
missioners has been issued from the
state printing Office. 1t shows the great
progress made by the railroads of Cali
fornia during the year, and emphasizes
the value of the existence of the board to
the people. In the preface the commits
sioners say:
"We have heard and determined thir-
ty-two cases thus far, and in nearly every
case relief has been granted to the COM
plainants.
Gin this, our twelfth annual report,
we have eliminated most all of the de-
tails and statistical matter that has
heretofore been the custom to embody
herein, and have submitted for publica-
tion the material matter that has gone
to make up the essential features in
each case submitted to this commission.
This part of our report we deem very
essential, as it gives to the people of
California the general 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 passed requiring all officers,
boards OF officers, commissioners etc.,
to make their reports to the governor on
or before the 18th day of September
and every two years thereafter, which
was approved March 10, 1891. This
will necessitate the changing of the fis-
cal year from January 1st to July LIST,
in order to comply with the law. We
are of opinion that the change will be
met with degree of satisfaction on the
part of a majority of the railroad COM
panies 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 termin-
al 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 eight pages of the report con-
tain detailed statements regarding the
complaints made to the board and the
action taken thereon. All of this
matter is familiar to the readers of the
Chronicle.
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
this brokerage is serious public evil,
and that it ought to be abolished. Mr..
Goodman says:
''It may be charged that railroad COM
panies have availed themselves at times
of the services of ticket scalpers or ticket
brokers. If this be true we believe it
can be shown to result from some in
equality (actual or fancied) on the part
of the railroad company doing so. or
more likely from spirit to conduct
competition unfairly.
"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 a desire of the railroad COM
panies to do that which is public bene-
fit. The larger profit from the fraud
accrues not to the traveller, but to the
middleman, who does not contribute in
There is also long communication
from Vice-P President j. G. Stubbs. in
which he takes the same ground as does
Mr.. Goodman.
General Manager A. N. Towne fur
nishes the following statement of new
construction by the Southern Pacific
company to July /, 1891: Porterville
and Poso, "a SO miles; Oakdae and
Merced. 40.332 miles; Marysville and
Knights Landing, 2773 miles; Ontario
and Chino, 81 miles; Avon and San
Ramon, 20.262 miles; Los Banos and
Armona, S8067 miles.
The Southern Pacific company's net
income from operation was $12,881, :
4S1 AZ; the Southern California, $780,
1884; Atlantic and Pacific Tin Cali
fornia), SOL 1888; San Francisco and
North Pacific, $277 1856. IS; North Pacific
Coast, $77 .047 AS; Pacific Coast railway,
$58, ,4l0 06; Nevada, California and Ore
gon, $9345.7 IS; Eel River and Eureka,
$71 ,379.7 Nevada County Narrow
Gauge, SIS, ,63l.31 Visalia and Tulare,
$33,6l6.43. The total net income from
operation was s13 ,859,8O0.9
The total number of passengers car
ried by all the lines was 19,3l9,271, of
which the Southern Pacific company
carried 1886, ,283. The average rate of
fare was 81 cents mile.
The total freight tonnage of the
Southern Pacific company was 6,292, ,O69
tons; by the Southern California, $685.
3l4; Atlantic and Pacific, 246, 200; San
Francisco and North Pacific. 163, 1905 !;
North Pacific Coast, OIL 1899.
The Southern Pacific had 1881 en-
ployes in this state; the Southern Cali
fornia. 1928; Atlantic and Pacific, 631 !;
San Francisco and North Pacific, 43l
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 S06, of which the Southern Pacific
company ran I'll. The total number of
passenger cars was 1924, of which the
Southern Pacific had 931, and of freight
cars 1852, OF which the Southern Pacific
had 1888.
The total number of persons killed by
accident on California railroads during
the year was 122; 16 were killed in col
lisions, 2 by derailments, 2 in coupling
cars, 6 at grade crossings and 96 by
other causes. The number of passengers
killed was 18, injured l18; employees
killed 40, injured 40; other persons
killed 55, injured l45.
The statement of wages paid to differ
ont amnl0vees ia fuil and vary inferest-