The herald., 1895-06-17
Report OF Interstate Commerce
Commission
MILEAGE OF ALL THE LINES
Peculiar Conditions Affecting Operations
OF Roads
TIE Commissioners In Concluding the Report
Make Some Recommendations.
Interesting Statistics

merce commission for the year ending
June 80, 1894. has just been submitted
In the introduction special attention is
called to the peculiar conditions affectn
the operation of railways during the
year. First, the report covers the last four
months OF the Colum bian exposition,
during which time there was an increased
passenger traffic. Second, 1t covers
period of widespread and unprecedented
business depression. Third, on June 80,
1894, 1872 roads, operating upwards OF
a. miles of line and representing
about one-tourth of the total railway cap
italization, were in the hands of receiv-
ers, The effect OF these conditions is APP
parent in all the figure. presented. The
total railway mileage in the United
States On June 80, 1894, was 17S,70s. ad
increase during the year, of 2247 miles.
The increase during the previous year
was 1897. The percentage OF increase
during 1894 was less than for any pre-
ceding year. for which reports have
been made to the commission, and 1t is
not probable the year ending June 80,
1895, will show much improvement.
The number of roads abandoned was six
teen. The total mileage OF all tracks was
233, 533 III lies. The total number OF rail-
way corporations on June 30, 1891, was
1924, an increase during the year OF twen-
ty-two. The number OF roads not Iii OPP
Grafton was seventy-seven. The move
ment of consolidation during the year
on the basis of mileage involved has been
greatest in four previous years. Fifteen
roads, representing 1874 miles, have been
merged, twenty-five roads, representing
1852 miles, have been reorgalii2e ed, and
fourteen roads. representing 1870 miles,
have been consolidated. classification
of RAILWAYS on the basis OF operated mile
age shows that forty-four roads, each
with uileage of over 1000 miles, operate
100, 5?4 miles OF line, or $3.50 per cent of
the total mileage of the country. Ninety
roads operate 72.90 per cent OF the entire
mileage.
On June 80, 1894, the total number of
locomotives was So, 392, an increase dur
ing the year of 704. The total number of
cars reported was !, 27s,0 The increase
in the number of cars reported during
the year was 4132, as against an increase
of Is, 1854 during the previous year.
This falling off in the ratio of increase
is due to the fact that the railways have
during the year used a large number of
old worn out cars. During the year 1879
locomotives and so, 3S6 cars were fitted
with train brakes, and 1897 LOGON otlves
and "a, 1856 cars were fitted with automatic
couplers. Seyenty-fopr and eighty-one-
hundredths per centSf the total equip
ment is still without Strain brakes, and
a. PER he sots 81 Hawy ceeaP
ployees June 80, 1894. was 49, Cos, de-
crease as compared with the numb Der on
June 80, 1898, OF SO, 1874, or 1916 per cent.
This IS smaller number employed than
in any year since 1890. The decrease is
due, the report states. to the heavy fall
ing off in trade and the endeaVor OF the
rai1xpayS5to ecOnOmiZe,
A. new feature in this report IS table
giving a com parative statement OF the av-
eraee daily com pensation OF the various
classes OF railway employees for 1872, 1898
and 1894. The total amount OF reported
railway capital OF June 80. 1894, was &c.
r96 743, s13, or $62, 951 per mile OF line.
This is an increase in the amount OF out
standing capital during the year OF $50,
200. 600, The amount of capital stock was
S4, S24IO75, 500. of which 81, l03, 5o4. 166 was
common stock. The funded debt was
So. 356, 5S3, el9. The amount of current
Liabilities was $500 $40, 80. Inc amount
OF railway securities held by the railways
as an investment was 81, 544, 05o, go. a
decrease during the year OF SIS, 1853. 553.
The amount of stock paying no dlyl-
dends was So 066, 150, 09l, or %. 63 per cent
OF the total amount. The total amount
of dividends was S95, s75.916, or an aver
ace rate on the dividend paying stock oil
D,
inc no interest was $780, 573, 7s9. The
amount of miscellaneous obligations pay
ing no interest was $53, 426, 264, and the
amount of income bonds paving no inter
est was S210 757, 55i. The number OF pas
sengers carried was 6l9, 6Ss, lo9, an IN
crease over the previous year OF 70, III % I
and was occasioned by the World Fal.
travel. There was large decrease il
freight traffic. the number OF tons carried
being 636. 1856, 553. as against 745, ll9, AS
in 1898. The gross earnings OF the ran
ways for the year were IL, Ul3, 36l, I91,
decrease as compared with the preVlou
year of $147, 390,077 PASSENGER revenu
decreased SIG, 142, 25S, and the revenue
from freight traffic decreased $l29, 562,
94S. The amount Of operating expense:
was $731, Ala, 322, adecrease OF S96 ,5O6,9 77
The largest per cent of decrease was Il
the operating expenses assigned to main
tenance OF way and structures and t
maintenance of equipment, which shol
respectively decrease OF 1917 and III
per cent.
The net earnings were S341, 947, AIS, a dc
crease of $50 S83, 100 as compared with tn
previous year. The income derived iron
sources outside of operations was Sl42
SIG, S05. The amount OF fixed charges an
other deductions from income was S429
00S, $40, leaving net increase of 500, 755
go available for dividends, and dt
crease, pared with the previous yea
q nearly so per cent. The amount
dividends paid was sos, 795, 976, a decrea;
of only s., 353 907 from the amount pal
the previous year. The fact that near
the normal amount of dividends W;
paid notwithst standing the great decIeas
in income available for them ana Il
payment of the amount stated entailed
deficit from the operations OF the year
$45. 912, 044 is noted.
The revenuederived from the carrying
passengers was 1884, $40, 55S and the revenl
9l3. During the year 1928 railway er
ployees were killed and %, ADJ were i
j,ired, as compared with 2727 killed an
80 1877 injured in 1893. This marked d
crease in casualty is partly due, the +
port says, to the decrease in the mum b
of men employed, and the decrease in t.
volume of business handled. The lncrea
in the use of automatic appliances {
railway equipment also may have re
dered railway employment less DANCE
Gus. The number OF passengers kill
was 324. an increase of %, and the nun
Der OF injured was 1894. decrease of 10
To show the ratio of casualty it may
stated that one employee was killed o
o. every 426 in service and one injured o
of every 80 EN- ployed.
In concluding the report. the stat
tician renews the recommendation ma,
in previous reports in regard to the
STABILITY of requiring all the repoI
from express companies, corporation
and persons owning rolling stock us
in interstate commerce; corporation
companies and persons owning dep
property, stock yards and elevators us
by interstate carriers. and from carrie
from waterways that compete with ra