Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-11-20

and Lake Erie Company is for the year
ending June 80, 1898 The miles oper-
ated we're 247 as compared with 24s in
the previous year. The chief results of
operation are as below:
Increase
Gross earnings ,538 cas- 1875 per cent
Operating expenses I0J9,SSS 1425 do.
Net earnings IS 59s,262 81 do.
The ratio of operating expenses to
gross earnings was Csc. Dividends
were paid to the amount Of SlSO, 900 on
preferred stock, aud $50, 900 was added
10 the surplus, making it now S15l, 900.
The gross earnings per mile were Sc, 229,
as compared with $3.50 the year be-
fore. The net earnings were 50, 142, as
compared with S2,O05. The increase of
tonnage was "A % per cent, and OF ton
miles 1912 per cent, the tons hauled in
1898 having been 2,104, 3l4, and the ton
miles 24l, SOS, TIA. The company car
ried l, 467. 958 tons OF bituminous coal
during the year, the increase OF the
year having been 50, 323 tons. OF this
total tonnage 743, 522 was from
the Wheeling, Lake Erie and
Pttsburg Coal Company's mines,
that corporation being an auxiliary
company. Bituminous coal constituted
nearly 65 per cent. of the total tons car
ried by the company. The next largest
item was lumber, which made 6.5 per
cent. aud the next ores, 3. 3 per cent.
The freight earnings. which were 1896
per cent. Of the whole, increased ia
per cent, and the passenger earnings
14.3 per cent. The gross earnings have
increased steadily each year since 1882,
from S677, PAS to $1,53S,64 in which
time the ton-miles have Increased SS.5
per cent. and the earnings from
freight have more than doubled.
This has, of course, been due
to the development Of the coal traffic.
AS coal is so much the largest part of
the total freight, the ton mile rate is
low, 500 cents; but Notwithstanding
this persistentlY and necessary low rate
the freight earnings hvae increased year
by year 10 q remarkable way. OF course
the empty car mileage must be great
for company whose chief business is
hauling coal one way; nevertheless the
average freight train load was 2l5 tons,
very excellent showing. Considerable
improvement has been made in the ply
steal condition of the road, about % per
cent. OF the increase in operating ex-
penses having been due to the cost OF
rebuilding freight cars and passenger
coaches and 600 feet Of trestle having
been filed A large division terminal
yard is about completed at Massilon,
O., and the company expect TO provide
during the coming year additional facil-
tiles which are needed to handle the
traffic.
Major I. G. Pangborn, CT the B. &
O., has sent out sample pages of de-
scriptive circular of the edition dc lUre
of The Worlds Railways" a repro
duction Of the magnificent collection Of
models, reproductions, drawings, ETC.,
made for the B. 81 o., for exhibition at
the Worlds Fair The book which is
offered for subscriptions at SIS, like
the exhibition itself, will be remark
able ,in its execution as well as in its.
plan. 1t will have some 800 illustra-
tions, half of which will be in three
colors, and will show the evolution and
development Of motive power from the
first idea of steam propulsion on land
(Sir Isaac Newton, 1850 to the 100-ton
locomotive of to-day. 1t will illustrate
also the evolution and development of
permanent way and equipment, and
will contain portraits Of men Identified
with railroad progress. The volume
will have 100 pages, 11xl4 inches,
printed on handmade, Japan, vellum
paper.
An executive officer of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company says, re- !
garding the disposition to be made of
the COmpany's attractive exhibit, at the
Worlds Fair: The exhibit will be
brought to Baltimore when it is re-
moved from Chicago, but whether IL
will be kept together as showing the
evolution of railroad travel depends on
the public spirit manifested by the
people OF this city. The Company is
perfectly willing to present the exhibit
it has collected to the city, to any citi-
zen or to any body Of citizens who will
agree to provide permanent place for
its keeping where the general public
can have access TO it,"
The accommodating night crew OF
the B. & O., at the yards Office, have a
Joke on ]. w. Allison, the genial night
watchman. ]. Redman, conductor OF
the Pittsburg division cannon ball"
has fitted up coy room at the rear OF
the operators headquarters. Mr.. Alli-
son sold a stove to Mr.. Redman for 81,
to &c up his room. 1t seems that the
operator agreed to black the stove the
first time into the bargain. Now the
boys say the operator bought the stove
for so cents from a junk dealer of the
city. But Mr.. Allison has not got his
81 for the stove yet, end the boys are
having no end of fun over it.
The REGISTER stated a few days ago
that one Of the great B. Il o. exhibition
engines at the Worlds Fair had passed.
through the city on its way to Philadel-
phia. Its description was given. A
couple of days later the second engine,
SIS, passed through the city also bound
for Philadelphia. This engine is really
greater than the one described. 1t is
painted Of blue color, attracting gen.
eral attention and has an eight-foot
stroke nearly. This engine made one
mile on the Chicago division in thirty
one seconds.
]. w. Allison, the accommodating B.
& Okoperator who is soon 10 wed
charming young lady, Of Cambridge, o.
Mr.. Allison will leave in few DAYS TO
makepreparations for the event, which
whichEiil take place about Christmas.
A good crowd OF railroaders are invited.
Gilbert RUSSELL, yard clerk, will be best
man. NJ. Allison, after trip, will re-
side In tbs city.
The railroad which is proposed TO
build fromAddison 20 Centrslia will be
n l.