The evening world., 1894-09-29
JUGGLING FIGURES.
Directors of Crosstown Lines
Claim to Be Losing Money.
This Is Given as an Excuse for Not
Providing Proper Facilities.
Number Of Cars Decreases as Patron
age Increases.

The cable roads of New York City
are not. by any means. the only ones
which are reaping a rich harvest every
year from public patronage, and which
are doing nothing In the way of i'm
proving their facilities for taking care
of an increased traffic.
Take, for example, the Central Cross
town Railroad Company, which OPP
crates the Christopher and Tenth street
railway. This road, in the last four
years, has more than doubled the num-
Der of its passengers, the number car
ried for the year ending June 3d. 1898,
having been 10.7O7,659. according to its
own statement.
Yet, in spite of this enormous growth
in the traffic, the Company was actually
running fewer cars last year than 1t did
in 1890.
In the last named year II had 113 cars
In operation, while in 1894 the number
was only a. The gross receipts for the
year. according to the last annual re-
port of the Company, were $3.50, 1856. while
the operating expenses and taxes are
put down at $i07,224, leaving net in
| come of 1882, 1872 as the profit on scarcely
more than two miles OF roadway.
1t is figured out that the surplus, after
paying interest, dividends and rentals,
amounted to little more than $4,000.
while the statements for 1886 and 1883
show that there was a deficit in both
of those years. 1t would be hard to
make any intelligent and observing
citizen believe that this Company had
ever failed to make a handsome profit
t., lt, 90, 80
railroad companies are not infrequently
wonderful and mysterious affairs. BY
a little juggling they can be made to
show that the best paying property in
the world is on the verge of bankruptcy
| If not already a complete wreck, and
vice-versa. according to the within of
| its directors.
| According to the statement OF the Dry
Dock, East Broadway and Battery Rail-
road, that Company is doing less bust
ness than It did eight years ago. Its
financial history shows some OF the most
remarkable ups and downs which are
not explained at all in the reports. yet
this line is supposed to be one of tbs
most profitable street railroad proper
| ties in the city.
rated 1856 cars, carried II, COL passen-
gers at five cents each. and yet It's
| statement for that year showed a de-
felt Of s5l,95l. The following year
17,57,7oS passengers were carried. and
there was a surplus of $34,72S, after
paying interest, dividends and rentals
In 1893 the equipment included only ISL
cars. the number of passengers car
ried was 14,573141. and there was a
surplus of 1888, while the year pre-.
vious. although something like 200, OOt
more passengers paid their fares than
| in 1888 the statement shows deficit
| of $25.042. The managers of this Com.
pany would apparently ind 1T to thei,
advantage to give up trying to run q
railroad. for the more business they
do the more they seem to lose, but nc
| one ever hears Of them selling theii
| stock and getting out.
The overcrowding of the cars Of both
Of these companies during the rush
hours Of morning and evening is noto-
| rious, for the chief patrons of both lines
are working men and women who live
either in Brooklyn, or across the North
| River In Jersey City and Hoboken. OIL
along the crowded thoroughfares OF the
far east side, and who are obliged tc
use these cars in going to and returning
from their places of employment.