Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-06-17

] CldlE AULLIltIEt ADlnll llcslOAA Ab4 NAAN
year ending June 80, 1894, has just been
submitted. In the introduction spec
ial attention is called to the peculiar
conditions affecting the operation Of
railways during the year.
First, the report covers the last four
months of the Columbian Exposition,
during which time there was an in
creased passenger traffic.
Second, it covers a period of wide
spread and unprecedented business
/ depression.
Third, on June 80, 1894, one hundred
and ninety-two roads, operating up
wards of $4,000 miles of line, and rep
resenting about one-fourth of the total
railway capitalization. were in the
HANDS OF RECEIVERS.
The effect of these conditions is appar-
ent in nearly all of the figures pre-
sented.
The total railway mileage in the
United States on June 80, 1894, was
IFS, ,70S, an increase during the year of
2.247 miles. The increase during the
previous year was 4S97. The percent
age of increase during 1894 was less
than for any preceding year for whicS
reports have been made to the COM
mission. and it is not probable that ths
year ending June 80, 1895, viii show
much Improvement. The number of
roads abandoned was sixteen: The
total mileage of all tracks was 233 ,533
miles.
The total number of railway corpora
tions ON June 80. 1894, was 1924. an
increase during the year of twenty-five.
The number of roads
NOT IN OPERATION
was seventy seven. The movement of
consolidation during the year on the
basis Of mileage involved has been the
greatest in four years previous: fifteen
roads, representing 1874 miles, have
been merged, twenty-five roads, repre-
senting 1852 miles, have been reOrgan-
lied, and fourteen roads. representing
1880 miles. have been consolidated. A
classification of railways on the basis
of operated mileage shows that forty
four roads. with a mileage of over 1000
miles each, operate 100547 miles of
line, or $500 per cent. of the total mile
age of the country. Ninety roads oper-
ate 72.90 per cent of
THE ENTIRE MILEAGE.
On June 30, 1894 the total number
of locomotives were 80, ,492, an increase
during the year of 704 The total num-
Der of cars reported was 1,27S07S. The
increase in the number of cars during
the year was 4,132, as against an in
crease of 1864 during the previous
year. This falling off in the ratio Of
increase is due to the fact that the
railways have during the year destroy
ed a large number of old worn ont cars.
During the year .579 locomotives and
30.3S6 cars were fitted with train brakes
and 1197 locomotives and 34.1S6 cars
were fitted with automatic couplers
Seventy-fOur and eighty one hun
dredth per cent. of the total equipment
is still without train brakes. and 72.77
per cent without automatic cOUplers
The total number of
RAILWAY EMPLOYEES
on June 80, 1894, was 77960S. de-
crease as compared with the number
on June 80, 1898, of 93.994, or 1916 per
cent. This is a smaller number EN-
ployed than in any year since 1890
This decrease is due, the report states,
to the heavy falling off in traffic and
the endeavor of the railways to econo-
) mize.
A new feature in this report is a table
giving a comparative statement of the
, average daily compensation of the
various classes of railway employees
for 1892. 1893, and 1894 The total was
0,796, ,43IS13, or $62951 per mile of
/ line. The amount of capital
stock was $AS2AO75, $50. of which 81
1903 .5S4.166 was common stock, and
S730. .491 .493 was preferred stock. The
funded debt was S5.356 5S30 019, The
amount Of current liabilities was $685.
S15135.
The amount of railway securities held
by the railways as an investment was
$1.54405S,670. a decrease during the
year of S1S.963. SOB.
The amount of stock
PAYING NO DIVIDEND
was S3.O66.150.O94, or 63.43 per cent. of
the total amount The total amount of
dividends was 95,975,97 or an average
rate on the dividend paying stock of
5.41 per cent The amount of bonds
paying no interest was $650, 0,573. 7S9.
The amount of miscellaneous obliga-
tions paying no interest was $50. .426. .264.
and the amount of income bonds pay
ing no interest was $210.757554.
The number Of passengers carried was
619.6SS199, an increase over the pre-
vious year of 261275S7, and was oc-
casioned by the Worlds Fair travel
There was
A LARGE DECREASE
in freight traffic, the number of tons
carried being 636,1S6,553. as against
7451194S2 in 1893, a decrease of 1O6.-
932 929 tons The gross earnings of th a
railways for the year were$1. .073. .361. .797.
a decrease as compared with the pre-
vious year Of S14I390,O77. Passenger
revenue decreased S16142 25S, and the
revenue from freight traffic decreased
1926. .562.94S. The amount of operating
expenses was $731, ,414322. a decrease of
S96.506.977. Tie net earnings were
S341947.475, decrease of S50.8S3. 100 as
compared with the previous year. The
p income derived from sources outside of
operations was S142.S16.8O5 The
amount of fixed charges and other de-