Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1895-06-21
ROADS LOST MONEY
1894 Will Not Be Forgotten ir
Railway Circles.
RECEIVERS WERE PLENTIFUL
Onc.Fourth of the capitalization in tho
Hands Of the Courts and Some
Has Been Abandoned.

| Washington, June 16.-The seventh
merce commission for the year ending
June 30. 1894 has just been submitted
| In the Introduction special attention IL
called to the peculiar conditions affect
| ing the operation of railways during the
year.
The report covers the last four months
of the Columbia exposition, during
which time there was an increased
passenger traffic. 1t also covers a
period of widespread and unprecedented
business depression.
On June 80, 1894, 1872 roads, operating
upward OF $4,000 miles of line and rep
resenting about one-fourth of the total
railway capitalization, were in the hands
of receivers. The total railway mileage
in the United States on June 30, 1894
was 17S.70s, an increase during the year
of 2.247 miles. The percentage of in
crease during 1894 was less than for any
preceding year for which reports have
been made to the commission. The num-
Der of roads abandoned were 16. The to-
miles. The number of roads not In
operation was II.
The movement of consolidation dur
ing the year on the basis of mileage
involved has been the greatest in four
previous years. Fifteen roads, repre-
senting 1,734 miles, were abandoned,
% roads reorganized and IA roads con-
solidated. Ninety roads operate H.
80 per cent of the entire mileage.
On June 30. 1894, the total number of
locomotives was 1892. The number of
cars reported was 1,27807S. The total
number Of railway employees June 80,
1894, was 779,603, a decrease as compar-
ed with the number on June 30, 1893.
of 9S,994. or 1916 per cent.
CAPITAL INVESTED.
The total amount of reported railway
capital of June &c. 1894 was 1876, 473,-
S13. or $62.951 per mile of line. This is
an increase in the amount of outstand-
ing capital during the year of $29. 200, OOO
The amount of capital stock was $4,S24,-
075,659. of which $4103, 5S4 ,166 was COM
mon stock. The amount of stock pay
ing no dividend was s3,O66, $50, O94 or
63.43 per cent of the total amount. The
total amount of dividends was $685.
dend paying stock of SAL per cent.
TRAFFIC. AND EXPENSES.
The number of passengers carried was
9.6SS, 1S9. an increase over the previous
year of 26. 1877, 5S7 and was occasioned by
the worlds fair travel. There was
large decrease in freight traffic, the
number of tons carried being 636, 1885,
b53. as against 765, ITO, 4S2 In 1893 The
25S and the revenue from freight traf-
fic decreased 29.562,9S4. The amount
of operating expenses was 1871, 414,322,
decrease of s96,5O6977. The net earn
ings were $S41 ,947, AIS, a decrease of $780,
$1,000, as compared with the previous
year. The income derived from sources
outside OF operations was s142. SIT, sos.
The amount of fixed charges and other
deductions from income was $429, DOS, $40,
leaving a net income of sos, 755, $40 avail
able for dividends and a decrease as
compared with the previous year of
nearly SO per cent The amount of divi-
dends paid was sos, 795,976, a decrease
of only $685. 900 from the amount paid
the previous year.
The revenue derived from the carry
ing of passengers was $2S5 ,349, 55S and
the revenue derived from freight traf-
fic was $S99. 4909l3
During the year 1870 railway en-
ployes were killed and 23,442 were in
jured, as compared with 2,727 killed and
31,150 injured in 1893. This decrease in
the casualty list is partly due, the re-
port says to the decrease in the num-
Der of men employed and the decrease
In the volume of business handled. The
Increase in the use of automatic appli-
ances on railway equipment also may
have rendered railway employment less
dangerous.
The number of passengers killed was
S24, an increase of 25, and the number
injured was $50. decrease of 1876. To
show the ratio of casualty it may be
stated that one employe was killed out
of every 42S in service, and one injured
out of every 33 employed.
In conclusion the report of the statis-
tician renews the recommendation in
the previous report in regard to the ad-
visibility of requiring full reports from
express companies, corporations and
other companies owning rolling stock.
corporations, companies and persons
owning depot property stock yards and
elevators used by interstate carriers.
and from carriers on waterways that
compete with railways for traffic. Ref
erence is also made to the question of
requiring the railways to report freight