The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-09-26
IN REGARD TO RAILROADS,
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE. COM
MISSION SUBMITS STATISTICS.

WASHINGTON. D. c., Sept. 19-In COM
pliance with a resolution of the senate,
introduced by Senator Pettigrew, the in
terstate commerce commission has COM
piled some data regarding the ownership
of railroads by foreign governments. This
is summarized as follows:
1T appears that 10 countries do not own
or operate railways viz: Colombia, Great
Britain ana Ireland, Mexico, Paraguay.
Peru Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United
States and Uruguay.
THE following governments own and
operate some of the railways: Argentine,
Australasia, Austra-Hungary, Belgium,
Brazil. Canada, Cape of Good Hope, Chilli,
Denmark, France, Germany, Guatamela,
India, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Russia
and Sweden.
THE following governments part
of their railways, but do not operate any,
leasing all the present mileage to private
companies, viz: Greece Holland and
Italy.
Though not claimed to be accurate, it
is believed that the foregoing summary
represents an approximately correct
statement of the relation of the various
governments to the railways Of the
world"
The relative rates charged for freight
| and passenger service the government
owned railroads and the other facts cited
in connection with such roads are calcu-
lated to afford little encouragement to the
advocates of government owne, ship.
A COMPARISON OF RATES.
A comparison of passenger charges per
| mile shows an average in Great Britain of
| 4.42 cents for first class, 320 for second
| class and 1.94 for third class. In France
| the average for first class is 3.S6 cents, for
second third
| 2.0S cents. In Germany the rate is 80
! cents for first class. 2.32 for second class
and LA cents for third class. In the
United States the average charge is 212
cents.
The average charges per ton per mile are
follows:
| In Great Britain. 2.SOc in France 2.20c, in
| Germany 164c and in the United States
| Loco. The interest on capital invested in
| the several countries is as follows:
United Kingdom Al per cent, France 3.S
| per cent, Germany 81 per cent, Russia 5.3
| per cent Austria 81 per cent. Belgium 4 6
| per cent, United States 81 per cent, the
| world 30 per cent.
The systems of operation of the railroads
| in different countries is Indicated:
'In Austria about per cent of the rail-
! way mileage is owned and about 70 per
cent is operated by the state. Upon the
| expiration of charters, not exceeding 80
| years, the lines, lands and buildings of the
/
but the equipment remains the property of
| the private owners. Before a railway is
| opened it must be approved by the minister
| of commerce. The tariffs of state roads
| are fixed by the government; those of the
| companies are subject to revision by the
| government every three years, and the gov
| eminent has power to reduce the rates, if
! the net earnings exceed 10 per cent Oh
| capital
| In Canada about one-tenth OF the milea ge
| - ,l~@,
| trolled and operated by the government
For the year 1892 the operation of the gov
| eminent lines resulted in loss of over
| 5000, 900.
| AT the present date by far the larger
| portion about fve-sixths) of
THE FRENCH RAILWAY SYSTEM
| is operated by private companies, each COM
| pany serving definite territory and being
| comparatively free from the competition of
| other lines. But the railroad properties are
! ultimately to become the property of the
| government. This system is a mixed one
| of state and private ownership.
| "In Germany nearly 80 per cent of the
| railway mileage is owned by the govern
nlent. Under the law the government is
| required to manage the railways in the in
! terest of general traffic on a single system.
| 1t may cause the construction and equip
| nent of roads and enforce uniform traffic
| and police regulations.
I'm Great Britain and Ireland the govern
| ment does not own the railways. There
are stringent regulations provided by law
| and administered by the railway commits
! sion and Board of Trade.
| Italy has tried both state and private
/ railroads, and has come to the conclusion
! that it is not advantageous to own and
j operate the railways. The result was a
reorganizatio ton of the whole railway sys-
tens. Under the present system private
| companies operate the state roads under
| contract with the government
| "In Russia the government is stated to
own and operate about 30 per cent of the
| railway mileage. Nearly all of the rail-
! ways owned by private companies have re-
| ceived subsidies from the government
! ct is stated that in the United States
| several of the states have tried ownership
| in limited way. Illinois constructed. a
| road at a cost of s1.OOO.OO0 but disnns0d nf