The record-union., 1893-10-06

124.89 miles. The freight train mileage
during the year was 4S5, 402, 1863, and the
average number of tons per train for
each mile run was 1Sl.79 tons.
EARNINGS AND EXPENSES.
The gross earnings from operation Of
railways during the year ending June 80,
1898, were 81, III, 407 ,343. The operating
expenses were $3.50, ,997 1896. From this it
appears that the net earnings from opera
ton of railways we're $500, 400, 347. The
income to the railways from investments
was Sal 1850, ,782, making with the net in
come from operation an aggregate of
S532, 80, l29. The fixed charges during
the year amounted to SIG, ,404 ,9}S, leaving
a net income available for dividends of
Sis, 800, l91. OF this amount S97, GA, 745
were paid in dividends and S4,314, 1870 in
other payments from net income, leaving
a surplus over operations during the year
of $I4, ,036, 0J6. The full report contains all
income account for each of the ten terri
tOrial groups into which the railways of
the country are divided, and shows great
diversity in the results Of operation.
Thus. the income account of six out of
the ten territorial groups shows deficit
instead of surplus. These groups cover
the territory lying south of the Ohio and
west of the Mississippi and Missouri
Rivers. The passenger revenue for the
was SYST, 500, ,70S. The receipts from mail
service were $40, ,S6l, l43, and from the ex
press companies were SD, las, 1888. The
freight revenue during the year amount
ed to $799, 9,3l6.042.
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.
The number of railway employees killed
during the year covered by the report
was 2,554, being less than the mum Der
killed during the previous year. The
number of employees injured, however,
was i'll excess of the mum Der injured DUR
ing the previous year, being rs 267. The
number of passengers killed was largely
in excess of the number killed during the
previous year, being $40 in 1892, as
against 293 in 1891 while the number of
passengers injured was 1927 in 1892, as
against 1872 in 1891. An assignment of
casualties to the opportunity offered for
accidents shows one employe to have
been killed for every 322 employees, and
one employe to have been injured for
each 20 men in the employ of the rail-
ways. A similar comparison shows one
passenger killed for each l. ,49l, $40 passen-
gers carried, or for each So 542, ,2S2 passen-
ger miles, and one passenger injured for
each l73, S33 passengers carried, or each
4, lac, ,966 passenger miles.
The largest numb Der of casualties to en-
ployes resulted from coupling and un-
coupling cars, 37S employees having been
killed and TO- 3l9 injured while rendering
this service. OF the total mum Der killed
in coupling and coupling cars 253, and of
the total number injured 1866 were train
men. The accidents classed as failing
from cars" were in this year as in pre-
vious years responsible for the largest
number of employees, the number killed
in this manner being GIL. OF this num-
Der 4S5 were trainmen. Collisions and
derailments were responsible for the
death of 43l employees. OF this number
336 were trainmen. This class of acci-
dents is responsible also for the largest
nun Der of casualties to passengers. Thus
III passengers were killed and | ,539 were
injured by collisions and derailments
during the year. Collisions alone were
responsible for the death of 2S6 employees
and 136 passengers.
CONCLUSION.
The purely statistical portion of the re-
port was followed by a review of the
Statistical Division of the Interstate Com
merce Commission since 1877. The chief
effort of the Division has been directed
toward the establishment of uniformity
in the form Of reports from carriers de-
manded by the various railway commits
slons of the country, and in the method
of accounting by railways. Certain diff
cultleS IN compiling an accurate and COM
prenensive statement of interior trans
portation were pointed out and the re-
port concluded with the recommendation
that provision be made for Bureau of
Statistics and Accounts, which should
have under its supervision the method of
accounting by common carriers.
1t was argued that such bureau would
assist in the execution of the interstate
commerce law by creating those condi-
tons under which the law would act
automatically, and that a body imposed
with the duty of judging of the justice or
injustice OF rates must have at its COM
mand complete and trustworthy statis-
tics of transportation. 1t was further re-
commended that the express companies,
corporations owning depot property, ele-
vators, and the like, used by carriers for
interstate traffic. and carriers by water,
so far as they engage i'll interstate traffic,
should all be required to make reports to
the Interstate Commerce Commission.