The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-06-27
RAILWAY STATISTICS.

The seventh statistical report of
the interstate commerce commission,
for the year ending June 80, 1894,
has just been submitted.
In the introduction, especial men
tion is called to the peculiar condi-
tions 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 increased
passenger traffic. Second, 1t covers
period of widespread and unpre-
cedented business depression. Third,
on June 80, 1894, 1872 roads, opera
ting upwards of $4,000 miles Of line,
and representinr ono -se~rsfr 'ss ss.e
total railway capitalization, were In
the hands of receivers. The effect
of these conditions is apparent in
nearly all Of the figures presented.
The total railway mileage in the
United States on June 80, 1894, was
178, 8,7oS, an increase during the year
of 2,287 miles. The increase during
the previous year was 4,897. The
percentage of increase during 1894
was less than for any preceding
year for which reports have been
made to the commission, and it is
not probable that the year ending
June 80, 1895, will show much i'm
provement. The number of roads
abandoned was 16. The total mileage
of all the tracks was 233, ,533 miles.
The total number of railway cor
porations on June 80, 1894, was
1924, an increase during the year
of %. The number of roads not in
operation was n. The movement
of consolidation during the year on
the basis of mileage involved has
been greatest in four years previous;
10 roads, representing 1,734 miles,
have been mortgaged; 20 roads,
representing 1852 miles, have been
reorganized, and fourteen roads
representing 1880 miles, have been
consolidated. A classification OF
railways on the basis of operated
mileage shows that A roads, each
with mileage of over 1 600, operate
100,547 miles of line, or $500 per
cent of the total mileage of the
country. Ninety roads operate 1890
per cent of the entire mileage. On
June 80, 1894, the total number of
locomotives was 35, ,492, an increase
during the year of 7O4.
The total number of cars reported
was 1,27S,07S. The increase in the
number Of cars during the year was
a, 1872, as against an increase of 49,
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 destroyed a large
number of old worn out cars. Dur
ing the year 1879 locomotives and
50,3S6 cars were fitted with train
brakes, and 119 locomotives and
3,4lS cars were fitted with auto
matte couplers. Ssventy-four and
eighty-o one hundredths per cent. of
the total equipment is still without
train brakes, and 72.77 per cent.
without automatic couplers.
The total number of railway en-
ployes on June 80, 1894, was 779,
Cos, decrease, as compared with
the number on June 80, 1898, of 93,-
994, or 1916 per cent. This is a
sma Ter number employed 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 economize. A new
feature in this report is table Civ
ing a comparative statement of tho
average daily compensation of the
various classes of railway employees
for 1892, 1898 and 1894. The total
amount of reported railway capital
on June 30, 1894, was $40, ,797, ,473,-
s13, or $62, 1851 per mile of line. This
is an increase in the amount OF out
standing capt. ! during the year of
s29, 1898, ,403. The amount of capital
stock was "a 1924, ,075, $50, of which
81, 1O3, ,5S4 1865 was common stock,
and $3.50, ,491 ,403 was preferred
stock. Tho funded debt was IS, $780,
5s3,O10. The amount of current liza
bilities was $605, ,S15, 1876.
The amount OF railway securities
held by the railways as an invest
ment was 81, ,544, ,05s, $40, a decrease
during the year of SIS. 963, 1858. The
amount of stock paying no dividend
was IS, ,066, 10000 or SO 43 per cent.
of the total amount. The total
amount OF dlVldends was S9o, ,o7o, 1915;
or an average rate on the dividend
paying stock of Sal per cent.
The amount of bonds paying no in
terest was $3.50, ,573, 7s9. The amount
of miscellaneous obligations paying
no interest was $53, 1925, ,264, and the
amount of income bonds paying no
interest was $2lO, ,757, ,554. The num-
ber of passengers carried was 619,-
6Ss, 1919, an increase over the previous
year of 26, ,5s7, and was occa-
stoned by the Worlds Fair travel.
There was a large decrease in
freight traffic, the number of tons