The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-21

Thus the explanation of the Great Eastern's
failure as shown was her great lack Of power
FROM the reports of the interstate commerce
commission, says the New York Sun, IL appears
that the number Of miles of railroads in the
United States is l68, 402, or more than six times
the circumference of the earth. If six men
were to start on successive days from six
american cities, and travel in q
point of starting, the Chicago man would
probably claim TO have made the quickest time
while the Ohio man, II there was one, would be
the first to arrive home; but the distances trav.
ele by all six, If added together, would fall
1900 miles short OF the railroad mileage OF the
United States, double tracks not counted The
capitalization of these railroads. what they cost,
whether for construction or good will, aud what
they owe, is 50, S29, AYE, ol5 a debt greater in
volume than that Of any government
or people. FRANCE owes according
50 $50 90o0 Russia, $3.50 Osl 600; Italy. a.
324.O0o01o; Germany. 81, 945, 0O0, COO; the United
States, 81 PSI 010.000, and Spain 81 2b1 4ba 6as
The railroads of the United States overtop them
all. They have doubled the debt OF any govern
mont. Their gross earnings last year were in
excess of s. 900 100000. and the net earnings
S3e5,0c0.oOO or 81. 0O0, 600 day, yet less than
per cent on the whole capital invested When
Gen. CORVALLIS surrendered In YORKTOWN his
army of Englishmen consisted, according to
military reports, of 7.24) soldiers and $40
sailors-e,0S7 in all The number Of locomo-
tiVes now in use on American railways is So 1879
or four times as many as Corvallis soldiers and
sailors The mum Der of cars is 100000 There is
an army Of men employed upon the railroads
of the United states, an army of "a 900. They
are not engaged in idle maneuvers, dress pa.
rades, barrack drills or preparations for war
fare, but by their diligence, energy and toll
contribute immensely to the wealth we'll be-
ing and development of the country, the inter.
change Of its products the diffusion of infor-
nation and the prompt transportation of vast
numbers of passengers with a remarkably low
percentage of casualties. The number of pas
sengerS carried last year was 630,00000 The
number Of passengers killed were 293 More
passengers were carried on American railroads
last year than there are men, including mug
wumps, women and children in Europe and
North and South America Fewer passengers
were killed all the RAILWAYS of
the United States in year than die from acct
dents in this city alone, every three months.
according to the figures Of the board of health
The railroad mileage Of Connecticut is greater
according to area than any country Of Europe
except Belgium. Delaware, Illinois Iowa
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsyl3
vana have each OF them larger trackage to
the square mile than Germany, France Hol.
land, and each OF the states, except Iowa and
New York, has a larger relative trackage than
Great Britain, Despite the tendency toward
consolidation, which of late years has been
marked in all lines OF business, there ere / 7S5
separate railroad companies in the United
States.