The Portland daily press., 1894-01-12

Thirty Years Ago-The Last Years
Business.
Augusta, January f1.-The annual re-
port of the state railroad commissioner
has been submitted TO the Governor. 1t
says:
The returns of railroad corporations for
the year ending June 80, 1888, show that
the mileage of steam railroads in Maine
was, at that date, 1,399.14 miles. The
extension of the Portland and Rumford
Falls railway, extending from Gilbert
vile, in the town of Canton, to Rumford
Falls, distance of 14.75 miles, furnishes
the only additional mileage over that of
1892. The Green Mountain railway
having been abandoned during the year,
and some fractional changes in measure
ments having been made, the mileage
has been thereby reduced, so that the
total mileage only aggregates as stared
above.
The gross earnings for transportation
of passengers and freight as returned.
show a marked increase over the previous
year.
THE whole number of passengers carried
in 1898 was G, 1872, 535, as against 6,17S. .O76
in 1892, an increase of 154, 459.
q The mum ber of tons of freight carried
in 1888 was 4,1Ss,94 as against 1854, 934
in 1852
The gross transportation earnings for
the year ending June 80, 1858, was Sc, 921,
209. "a or $401 ,027. 81 in excess of the gross
earnings for the previous year.
The passenger train mileage in 1858
was 2, 722, ,303 miles, and in 1892, 2, ,65l ,062
miles, an increase of y, 241 miles
The freight train mileage in 1898 was
2,412,939 miles, while in 1892 itsswas ,S23,-
sos miles, an increase Of $50, 434 miles.
TIE number of passengers carried one
mile was 1876. 941, ,S46, as against 1876. 267,-
845 in 1892
1t will be seen by the foregoing figures,
that up to the close of the railroad year
June 80, 1858, there wasssa continuous and
gratifying increase of transportation, and
in gross earnings, which was even greater
than the excess of those of 1892 over 1891.
Street Railroads.
= The street railroad mileage in Maine,
June 80, 1888, was 76. IA miles, and on
June 80, 1892, So. .26 miles an increase as
appears, of II. SO miles. This increase in
mileage is made by the addition of the
Rockland. Thomaston and Camden street
railway, the Mousam River railway, and
buO CAUCuSlOn VI Uuc DdIRUT- SUF6GU rail-
way, the first wo of which make returns
this year for the first time
The number of passengers carried
during the year ending June 30, 1893, on
street railroads, was 1900, ,O62. During
the previous year 5,S71, $50 were carried,
ansincrease of /, 72S, 523.
The gross earnings of street railways
during the year were 416, ,222 As. In 1899
the gross earnings were 1898, M 49, a gain
over the pervio1s7 year of $118, ,074. 95.
The Mousam rivers railway and the
Rockland, Thomastpn and Camden street
railway transports freight as well as
passengers, and portion of their earn
ings are derived from that source.
Accidents.
1t gives us much pleasure to note the
fact, that while many appalling railroad
accidents have occurred in other parts of
the country during the past year. no very
serious accident has occurred on railroads
in this state.
Of the 6, 1872, 535 passengers carried only
one was killed, and but ten injured,
seven of the latter but slightly, caused
by the derailment of train on the Bos-
ton ana Maine railroad, near Kennebunk.
a special report of which is hereinafter
published, and that accident. as appears
by the report of investigation, was not
catsed by any want of care or foresight,
or by any apparent defect in the road or
rolling stock.
The ratio of employees killed and in
jured during the past year, differs but
little from that of the previous year. As
appears by the reports, the number of
employees killed was six, and the mum her
injured thirty one. In 1892, seven were
killed and twenty-seven injured.
These accidents, as appears by the ap-
I.nl 1oka +
to those engaged il coupling and un-
coupling freight cars, ana were caused,
in a large degree, by the use of old
fashioned devices and methods.
Financial Depression.
Since the close of the railroad year
June 30, 1898, to which time the reports
to the board are made up, financial de-
preston, which has materially
affected all classes and branches
Of business, has prevailed
throughout the entire country. To what
extent railroad corporations and railroad
time will tell. From observation Of ap-
parent movement of freight and passen-
ger travel on railroads and from reports
of directors made to corporations as late
as October /, 1898, we are led to doubt
that the sweeping reduction in train
service anu VI wages OF employees, Whlch
have taken place on some of the import
ant lines of railroads, were really
necessary. 1t is doubtless true that the
earnings of railroad corporations would
be affected as early and as seriously as
any other branch of commerce; but from
the information we are able to gather,
we are inclined to believe that the finan-
cial depression, though serious, has not
yet affected the manufacturing, mercan-
tile and commercial enterprises of Maine
SO seriously as in other parts of the
country. and that the reduction of tram
service and wages of employees, above
mentioned, has been made from antici-
pated losses rather than from any which
have actually occurred. However that
may be, we deem it proper in this con-
nection to remind railroad managers,
that these corporations are not strictly
purposes. or private gain. These corpo-
rations are, by their charters, vested
with extraordinary powers and privileges
and are subject, in many and important
respect to public .eontrol, and Enough
strictly speaking they are private corpo-
rations, yet they hold their franchises
and property in trust foflpu biio 1lses.
Therefore, in sthe management Of rail
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