Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-05-07
WILMINGTON And NORTHERN
Nineteenth Annual Meeting of
Its Stockholders.
THE SESSION HELD MONDAY
Contents of the Directors
Statement.
An Increase Ia Gross Earnings and Also in
Operating Expenses-Many Wooden Struc-
lures Extensively Repaired-Nearly Two
MI es OF New Steel Track.

Go. was held at Birdsboro, Pa, at
noon Monday. The directors submitted
the following statement of the property
and affairs of the company for the year
ending December 3lst, 1895:
The receipts were as follows: From
passengers, SIG, l49. So; milk, so, 937. 50 /;
g marketing, 81, 292. 03; express, S2, $50. 96; /;
mails, s4,6S3. CA freight, 1885, GOO. 68 !;
telegraph, S450 60; miscellaneous,
So, 322. 66; gross earnings, SlS8, 3l5. 80 !;
operating expenses, $40, 57S. SO; taxes,
s.. $40. 30; total. Si16. 4l9. AZ; receipts,
less operating expenses and taxes,
S71, S95. 90; interest on bonds, S35, 500; !;
receipts, less operating expenses, taxes
and interest on bonds, S33, 800. 92.
Compared with the previous year,
there was an increase in gross earnings
of S48, 1853. A, or 10. "a per cent, AMI an
increase in operating expenses Of
$50, 100 81, or TO- 30 per cent.
The operating expenses were 81. 03
per cent of the gross earnings az
against "a. 40 per cent in the previous
year, divided as follows: For trans
portation, S27S, 9l7. 52 maintenance of
=. way, $50, $50. 81 Office expenses,
81, 655 90; printing, advertising and
stationery, 50, 32l. 0S; superintendent
S24, 408 S3; car service, S6, 100 So; loss
and damage. S272. 80; miscellaneous.
Si3. 3D. so; total, Sll0 57s. 55.
The transportation expenses were
81. 10 per cent of the gross receipts, a
decrease of .00G6 per cent as compared
with 1894
The cost of transportation, exclusive
OF float service, per mile run, was l. 26
cents, or 3 56 per cent, less than in the
preceding year.
The maintenance of way expenses
were lG. 40 per cent of the gross re.
ceipts, being decrease of .0001 per
cent as compared with the preceding
year.
In repairs of bridges, trestes, water
stations, buildings, &c, SG2, 500 feet
Of timber have been used. This is an
increase of 15l, ,625 feet over the nre-
ceding year, due to the fact that an
unusual number of wooden structures
required extensive repairs.
One and seventy three hundredths
miles of track were laid with 100 30 100
tons of 70 pound steel rails, being
decrease OF 81 49, 100 tons as compared
with last year. This makes the whole
amount of steol tack 81 59-100 miles.
The number of now cross ties laid
were 36, 600, an increase of 1851 as
compared with the previous year. In
addition to these, ~, 723 lineal feet of
switch ties were put in, decrease of
A, l41 feet as compared with 1894.
Other materials expended on the
track consisted of 3,092 pairs of fish
angle plates, 263 two hundred pound
kegs of spikes, IL, $50 bolts and nuts,
20 frogs, 81 split switches and 3, 6Sl
rail braces.
In ballasting. 1925 cubic yards of
49, =; H., .r
have been used, being decrease of
5000 cubic yards of cinder and an in.
crease of |, 7S5 cubic Yards OF ashes,
total decrease of /, Sl5 cubic yards, at
decreased cost of S20S. .02.
The operating expenses were abnor-
maly increased by the great snow falls
and intense cold of the month of Feb.
ruary. when the road was blockaded
for nearly a week.
Tie net earnings have been applied
to the purchase of additional equip
ment and real estate, and to new con
struction. Some of the principal items
OF expenditure are as follows:
New equipment: Final payment on
account of two new locomotives,
S4, 800; four new passenger cars,
So, l5S. 60; one new combination car,
81, 750; payment On account of new
tug boat, So, 2l4 06; ono new car float,
$3.50. 30; total, S23, 7330l.
Real estate: Land purchased at
Coatesvile. S536. %.
Construction; New building al diacent
to tannery building, Wilmington,
81, 500; new coal trestle on Chrstana
river wharf, S2l6 09; new arch cuvert
at Winterthur trestle commenced,
81, 150. 30 new wagon scales at Lenape,
CDll u afnfion 1t .Ioannu
1924. az new water station at Cossart,
begun, s29O.69; new freight station at
Glenhall, 1919 81 now freight station
at Springfield, $lA2. o.; new sidingsy
(l,3l3 feetl 81, 046, 80; total, SS, 005 II.
Tho outlays made for passengers and
combination cars and for tug boat and
car float were necessary to accommodate
the increased business of the road.
No change has occurred in this capi-
tai stock or funded debt. Tho whole
indebtedness is as follows: First mort
gage per cent bonds, 500, 600 :
general mortgage D per cent gold bonds,
1896, 600.
Tho total mileage of the road is
49, 30 of main line and 27. 53 of sidings.
The company owns a majority Of the
stock in the West Chester Street Rail
way Co., which connects with the
railroad at Lenape.
During the year 3G3, I0i passengers
were carried, as against 364, l9l for the
previous year,
The total equipment of rolling stock
consists of % locomotives and 400 cars
Of all descriptions. During the year
four passenger ears and one combina-
tiOn car were purchased.
The directors report also says
Notwithstanding the fact that the
general business interests of the
country are still in a very unsatisfac-
tory condition, it is gratifying TO noto
that the gross earnings of the company
have been greater than ever before,
that at minute and careful inspection
made by your directors Of the tracks,
road-bod and bridges during tho month
of October those were found tn be in Il
moro satisfactory condition than ut any
previous time, and that tho rolling
stock had not been allowed to de-
- teriorate. 1t will be necessary to in
crease considerably the siding room in
your Coatesville yard, the existing
facilities being inadequate for the
economical handling of business. "
Michael Doordan has entered the
niftpa of L., ~ Nun1nUrift lnu