The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-02-10
THE VI A1LROAD0.

Nhetf EaxAlngs Increased In Proportion
to the Decline Of Western Agriculture.
A preliminary report on THE income
and expenditures OF railways for the
year ending June 80, 1892, compiled
by the statistician to the interstate
commerce commission, says that the
gross earnings of 1913, 349.99 miles of
railway are shown to have been $751;
026, 159, from which the gross earn
ings of the entire railway service of
the United States are estimated to
have been $1,222,711, 698. This is an
increase of $125,95O, 1903 over the
earnings ofFthe previous year, or an
increase of $608 per mile of line. The
operating expenses for the year were
$814,722,O80, being an increase of
$32, 1884, 1879, which leaves an increase
in net earnings of $48,116,114, or
50, 472 per mile of line. A:compari-
son of passenger and freight service
shows the larger proportion of in
crease in earnings from operations to
have come from freight service. The
actual increase in revenue from pas
senger service was $31, 500,O23, or
crease in the revenue from freight
service Of $91,506,671 or $349 per
mile of line.
1t is observed that the railways on
which there has accrued the largest
increase in gross earnings per mile of
line are the lines connecting the
wheat growing territory with the sea-
board, and the lines in the Southern
states bordering on the Gulf of Mex
leo, says the Topeka Advocate and
Tribune. It is significant, however,
that on these railways there has been
an increase in operating expenses
nearly equal to the increase in gross
revenue. The report shows that the
aggregate gross earnings of sixty-two
roads, each of which enjoys an income
in excess of $4,000, 900, is 1874, 49,
331, being an average increase of
| $12,814,171. The average gross reve-
| nue. per mile of line for all roads is
$3.50; a classification of the sixty
| two roads in question shows that
eight receive each an income in ex-
cess of $4,000 per mile of line, for
ten the income per mile of line is be-
tween $13, 900 and $4,000, for thir-
teen the income per mile of line is
between 81, 443 and $13, 900, while the
income from each of the remainder is
less than 81, 443 per mile of line.
The density of passenger and
freight traffic is also given for the
roads whose gross revenue exceeds
$3.000,000, from which it appears
that in some parts of the country
trade during the last two years, while
in other parts the increase in traffic
of 1892 does little more than balance
the loss of traffic in 1891. In the
Southern gulf states, Tennessee and
Kentucky, the tonnage per mile of
line was in 1890, 394,O96; in 1891,
4O5, 9O5; in 1892, 499,926, showing a
permanent gain. On the other hand,
in the territory of the trunk lines
east of Buffalo and Pittsburg the ton
mage per mile of line was in 1890,
1900 95; in 1891, 1,763,33O, and in
1892, 1885, 404. The poor relative
showings of 1891 is in part accounted
for by the new lines built in the state
of Pennsylvania, but the figures indi-
cate decided fluctuation in business.
The past year has been prosper
GUS one for the railroads centering in
Chicago. Every one of them is able
to show handsome gains in both gross
and net earnings, notwithstanding
the fact that rates have been compar.
atively low during the greater part
of the year. At no time has there
been such a rush of business as to
seriously embarass any of the roads,
yet, taking the twelve months to-
gether, the volume offreight and pas
senger traffic has been enormous. The
amount ofsfreight exclusive, of live
stock, brought into and taken out Of
Chicago will, it is estimated, reach
total of 100000 tons. At the
same time the managers of the vari-
Gus lines say~that it has been very
Inexpensive year for them on account
oof the heavy OUTLAWS necessary in
preparing to handle next years bust
ness. "A very large proportion of
their earnings have been set apart
for this purpose, and for this reason
some OF the companies are compelled
ito postpone contemplated increase in
dividends.
..Trirlxs Of the Trade"
! hs11, IL, -.