The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-11
GOVERNING RAILROADS.
Annual Report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission-In-
t~eresting Statistics.

WASHINGTON, Dec. IL, 1893.-The Inter
state Commerce Commission has issued its
seventh annual report. 1t calls attention to
the peculiar office Of common carriers and
the dependence of every occupation: the
right OF every person to receive just and
equal treatment in all that pertains to public
transportation and the equal paramount pur-
pose OF regulating enactments to secure to
the people the actual enjoyment Of this
right. 1t says the notion that the strong
arm OF government should hold the balance
OF power between the carriers and the peo-
pie has taken a firm hold upon public opin-
ion. To investigate their tariffs, require
their correction when ascertained to be un-
fair or oppressive, and determine what are
just and reasonable rates for public carriage
is a governmental function Of the highest
utility. Transportation is a constant and
universal necessity, and the State is bound to
see that the terms upon which it is furnished
are not burdensome or unequal.
PECUNIART EMBARRASsMENTs.
The Commission states that there is no
showing upou which any railway insolvency
can justly be attributed to the operation of
the law. Tn amount Of stock paying no
dividend has considerably increased since
1888, and a great reduction is noted in the
amount of bonds paying no interest. II the
issue OF railway capital had been restricted
to the amount necessary to construct and
equip the properties, there would, under
normal conditions Of business, be much more
satisfactory, returns. A great portion of
railway securities do, however, yield little
or no return, n many railway mana
gers claim this as evidence that the
law deprives carriers Of adequate
revenue The law can only OPP
crate to limit railway revenue by prevent
ing unjust charges and undue partiality.
claim OF these managers must rest then
upon the proposition, hal the law by pro-
hibiting wrongs works injury to railway
prosperity. Such q plea is anomalous. The
evils which carriers bring upon themselves
by mistaken policies Of rate making or man
agement, if not removable through their own
efforts, are to be remedied by specific legisla-
ton; not by attacks upon the law with a
view to its repeal OF radical amendment.
RAILWAY STATISTICS.
The total railway mileage on June 80,
1892, was III $685. SO miles, an increase Of
3,160.7S miles; the total number of railway
corporations was 1922, being a net increase
OF 81 during the year; 800 maintained indie
pendent operating accounts, and 712 were
independent operating companies. OF the
761 subsidiary roads, $40 were leased for a
fixed money rental and 1856 for a con-
tingent money rental; . roads were
abandoned. There were 10 mergers,
II rsorganizations and IL CONSOLE
dations. The capitalization of roads
1CPOAtluS WAS SlO,SSO, 40, Lon. mere were
$50, 1855, 2l1 passengers and 706, 555,471 tons of
freight reported as carried during the year
ending June 80, 1892. The gross earnings
reported were 81, III, 407, 343, and the oper-
ating expenses were $3.50, 907, 996, leaving net
earnings of $500, 400, 347, to which add Si41,-
$3.50, 1879 as income to railways from invest
ments. After payment Of s416, 404, 93s as
fixed charges, $97,614, 745 was paid in divi-
dends, and $4,314, 800 in other payments.
leaving a surplus of a14 O36 lS6
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT REVENUE.
The passenger revenue for the year was
1886, SOC, 708; and freight revenue amounted
to S799, 1916, 042. There were 821,415 persons
employed in railway service at the end of
that year, of whom 1854 were killed in acct
dents and 2S,267 were injured. Three hum
dred and seventy-six passengers were killed
n 1921 were injured. These accident
statistics are carried out with considerable
detail. Earnest recommendation is made for
an amendment providing a penalty for the
failure of carriers to file their annual re-
ports within q specified time. The form
adopted for these reports is noted as being
satisfactory to the carriers, and as having
been put in use by twenty-five State Com
missions. A preliminary statistical report
for 1898 will form a part of the appendix to
this report.
SAFETY APPLIANCE LEGISLATION.
Ths law requiring the application of
Su1OL1dUlC COuPI6IS AuQ OGnef aDplaQCoS TO
fight trains, which was approved on March
last, is to be appended to the report, to-
gether with a comparative statement of
equipment with and without automatic
couplers and train brakes, and Of accidents
to passengers and the various classes Of en-
ployes, for four years preceding June 80, 1902.
h law does not restrict the use of couplers
to any particular type, and it is not,
therefore, open to the objection that it
will especially benefit a particular
patentee. The aim Of the law is that the
men shall not be required to go between the
cars for the purpose coupling or u~ncoupling,
and no road can, after the date prescribed,
use cars of its own or those Of other roads,
which do not conform to the laws provisions.
Much credit is given in the report to the skill
and intelligence Of railway employees.
The mileage on private freight cars is also
discussed. These cars which came into a use
in a small way to meet the deficiency in
freight car equipment has grown SO rapidly
to such proportions that the payment Of
private car mileage at the rate of three
quarters of a cent a mile now amounts to
290 0n0 000 ~. q cia O1n rroon