The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-12-11
Railroads Of South Carolina.
Improvements During the
Present Year.
All the Railroads Found to Be IN
Good Condition.

all in good workiog order and doing a
big business.
The total mileage 10 the State on the
let of November, 1895, vas 2, 621. 81
miles.
The following shows the financial
standing of the railroads /:
Passenger earnings. 81. 1913 .674.24 ;
freight earnings, $4.585. o82.77 other
earnings from operations, $1c7 $50 S5 !;
income from other sources, $3.50. .244..
80. (This includes s3G8,185.12 mis-
cellaueous income Of the Georgia, Caro-
lima and Northern Kailroad.) Total.
s7.625.557.6S.
Total expenses. maintenance of way
and structures, maintenance of equip
ment, conducting transportation, gen
eral expenses and taxss. S5.326. 159 81
Net income per mile, S451 SO. A net
income Of a per cent. on valuation
of $1,000 per mile of read. This
shows decrease of $112.220.43 be-
tween 1894 and 1895.
The increase in the new mileage
during the year has been the compile
ton of the Glenn Springs Railroad,
IA IS miles. uine miles Of which was
built iu 1894, but not reported in the
mileage table for that year. The Latta
Branch, three miles; the EIloree
Branch, 6 05 miles, built by the At
!antic Coast Line Railroad making the
total new mileage reported for the year
at 81 Is miles.
GENERAL CONDITION OF ROADS
There have been some material
changes in the conditions Of the rail-
road systems in the State since the last
report of the Railroad Com mission
The Southern Railway has completed
its reorganization This corporation
owns the Charlotte, Columbia apd All
gusta Railroad and the Columbia and
Greeuyille Railroad, which they now
cal! the Southern Railway in South
Carolina. They are operating the
Asheville aud Spartanburg Railroad,
the Spartan burg. Union and Columbia
Railroad, and the Atlanta and Char
lotte Air Line Railroad under lease.
Nearly all of those roads are in first
class operating condition, but many of
the passenger depots Of this system
are inadequate to the needs of the
travelling public; otherwise the service
rendered is equal to the best of the
South
The Blue Ridge Railroad is now
operated by H. c. Beat'ie, as Receiver,
who also has charge as Receiver of
the Carolina, Knoxville and Western
Railway.
The LaureDs Railway is ir charge of
Judge A C Haskell as Receiver
The Chester aod Lenoir and Cheraw
aud Chester Railroads are nareo"
guage roads aud are therefore restrict
ed mainly to local business, having no
means of transfer except by hand.
Their physical condition Is good, the
trestles and bridges are in safe condi.
tioo. and acceptable service is given the
people.
The Seaboard Air Line has continued
to improve it's condition until it need
DO longer be termed a new road ; its
service is now equal to the best in the
country.
The Florida Central and Penisular
Railroad operates it's Soutbboand Di-
visi 90 ip this State between Colum
ba and Savannah. The roadbed, tres
ties, bridges. and depots are in good
condition. This road is doing large
share of the Florida business and is
giving satisfactory service to the peo
pie
The physical condition of the South
Carolina and Georgia Railroad is first
class and the people are we'll served.
All culverts, trestles, bridges aud de-
pots are 10 good repair. There have
been 100, 600 cross ties put in the IN ain
line the past year. The stations have
been repaired and whitewashed or re-
painted, aud are neat and clean. All
the agent on this line have been neatly
uniformed. and flower gardens are
established at all depots. This line is
the first 10 the State to make the sta
tons and its appointments attractive to
the travelling public. At Charleston
this road has extended it's track down
TO the wbarves, have dredged out the
docks aud can now accommodate vessels
of 25 feet draught at low water. Con-
Meeting with steamships is vast i'm.
provement over the connection with
drays, as heretofore, and will be of in
calculable benefit to the company 10
handling its through business, as we'll
as a benefit to the city of Charleston.
The company has added 250 new box
cars to its equipment. fitted with auto.
matte couplers and air brakes, and is
we'll prepared to give the people every