Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-06-28
RAILWAYS BUSINESS
Annual Report OF Interstate
Commerce Commission.
INTERESTING DATA AND SUMS
Attention Called to the Peculiar Condi-
lions Affecting the Operations OF
Railways During the Year.


Washington, June 18.-The seventh
statistical report of the interstate com
MERGE commission for the year ending
June 80, 1894, has just been submit
ted. In the introduction special at
tention is called to the peculiar condl-
tions affecting the operations OF rail-
ways. First, the report covers the
last four months of the Columbian ex-
position, during which time there was
an increased passenger traffic. Sec
ond, it covers period of widespread
and unprecedented business depression.
Thus, June 80, 1894, 1879 roads, operat-
ing upwards of $4,000 miles of line,
and representing about one-fourth OF
the total railway capitalization, were
in the hands of receivers. The effect
of these conditions is apparent in near
ly all the figures presented.
The total mileage in the United
States June 80, 1894, was 17S,70S an
increase during the year of 2,247 miles.
The increase during the previous year
was 4,897. The percentage of increase
during 1894 was less than for any pre-
ceding year for which reports have
been made to the commission, and it is
not probable that the year ending June
80, 1895, will show such improvement.
The number of roads abandoned was
sixteen. The total mileage of all
tracks was 1888, 533 miles.
The total number Of railway corpora
lions was 1, 1924, an increase during the
year of twenty-five. The number OF
RAILROADS not in operation was seventy
seven. The movement of consolidation
during the year, on the basis of mileage
involved, has been greater than in the
previous four years. Fifteen roads
representing 1,734 miles, have beer
merged; % roads, representing q,
352 miles, have been reorganized
and IA roads, representing $3.50 miles
have been consolidated. A classified
ton of railways on the basis of oper
ated mileage shows that Al roads, each
with a mileage of over 1000 miles
operate a total of 100, 547 miles O.
line, or $3.50 per cent Of the tota
mileage of the country. Ninety road
operate 70. 80 per cent Of the entire
mileage.
The total number of locomotive
was $500, an increase during thu
year of 7O4, and the total number o
cars 1,278,O78. The increase in thu
number of cars during the year wa
4,123, as against an incresae of 1885,
during the previous year. This falling
off in the ratio of increase is due to tn,
railways having, during the year, uset
large number of old, worn-out cars
During the year 1,579 locomotives ant
50,386 cars were fitted with train
brakes, and 1,197 locomotives ant
"a, 1876 cars were fitted with automati
couplers. Seventy-fo and 81-1OOth
per cent of the total equipment is still
without train-brakes and ~. N per cen
without automatic couplers.
The total number of railway EN-
ployes was 779, sos, a decrease as com
pared with the number June 80, 1898
of SO, 994, or 10. 76 per cent This is
smaller number employed than in an,
year since 1890. This decrease is due
the report states, to the heavy fallin
off in traffic and the endeavor of tn
railways to economiZe.