The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-19
n. {. RAILROADS
Ten ThousandPersons Now EN-
ployed in Operating Them. /.
NET EARNINGS, S2,e7A,A75.93

Property Increased in 1895, $751;
8o7.
The advance proofs OF the report Of
the Railroad Commission were receiv-
ed yesterday. The report will proba-
bly, be issued by the end of the week.
In their letter to Governor Carr, the
Commissioners say:
THE Commission has carefully
heard every complaint, no matter how
trivial, and adjusted the same. \ re-
port of these is also annexed. AS far
as practicable n personal inspection
has been made OF all the railroads, and
it has invariably been done where
there Was u complaint either as 10 the
condition Of the track or as 10 proper
depot accommodations.
The taxable property was increas-
ed $537,S37 this year over the year
1894. Increase since 1890, S12, ,90S.
Including side tracks, there are
now 3,616.58 miles of road. An increase
over 1894 of 34.05 miles.
Since our last report the following
roads or parts thereof have been aban-
doned by reason of their earnings not
being sufficient to keep them in repair
or by reason of other roads occupying
territory so contiguous as not to rem
der them public necessity.
Milton and Sutherlin.
Laurel RIVER and Hot Springs.
Hamilton.
Most of the complaints before the
Commission have been as to over
charges; these have in most cases ORR
ginated by errors of shipping clerks,
and have been promptly refunded
when the attention OF the company
complained of was called to the facts,
or by reason of the want of a proper
understanding of the Joint rat" rule;
this rule has been so far modified as to
leave no excuse for its violation in the
future.
1T is very gratifying to note the
very great improvement as to the bus
mess of the roads, and as result only
three roads are now in Receivers
hands; the Cape Fear and Yadkin Val
ley, the Marietta and North Georgia,
extending from Murphy to the
Georgia line, distance of 1874 miles,
and the Norfolk and Western, extend
ing from Winston-Salem to Roanoke,
Va, 45.75 miles in North Carolina,
and Durham to Lynchburg, Va, 41.69
miles in North Carolina.
THE most important matter con
corning the railroads of the State is
the lease of the North Carolina rail
road 10 the Southern Railway Compa-
ny for period of 80 years, at rental
in excess of the limit as fixed by it's
charter before the road bed of the
same would become liable for taxa
he uasI 81
Appraisers, viii hereafter place this
entire property on the tax list as other
roads, this being the last which claim
ed exemption.
''As a matter OF public interest, and
one which is appropriate TO this re
port, we insert the lease of the North
Carolina Railroad recently made by
the directors of the State and the pri-
vate stockholders to the Southern
Railway Company
The report contains many facts Of
interest
The valuation of railroads is as fol-
lows:
Atlantic Coast Line, fourteen roads,
1861 miles, value af track IS, $50 sos;
rolling stock, 918,474.93; other pro-
perty, $189,346; total, $6,65S, 1868.
Southern Railway, seventeen roads,
1,062.69 miles; value of track, S6,647,-
1876; value of rolling stock, S390,905.10;
other property, $255,014; total, $685.
264.10.
Seaboard Air Line, eleven roads,
665.47 miles; value of track, 81, ABS, $50;
value of rolling stock, S603, 44S.52;
value of other property, $8o,575; total,
S5,122 ,913.52.
The thirty-two other roads in the
State have 1,17i51 miles OF track. with
IL total property valuation of $685.
295.16.
Total number of miles Of railroad in
the State, 3,616.58. Total value OF rail
road property, s24,501 ,899.62.
In the State there are fourteen tele-
graph companies doing business.
These are: Western Union, $176, 392 "a;
Atlantic Postal 1871 ,645.48; Carthage,
$2l0: Pittsboro, $50; Louisburg, $3.50,
Norfolk and Southern, 1915; United,
$40; Cleveland Springs, $50; Oak
Ridge and Stokesdale, 500; Elizabeth
City and Norfolk, 81 900; Lenoir and
Blowing Rock, $3.50; Swepsonville,
S225 Carolina Postal, 205; Whining
ton and Southport, $500; total, $2l2,-
602.72.
The Pullman Palace Car Company
owns sS1 ,043.65 of property in this
State.
There are 81 steamboat companies,
and 5 coal companies in the State,
having total valuation of S2S9,003.
Halifax county has the highest valu-
alton in railroad property, $3.50, 603.55;
and the lowest Macon county, 1851 .03.
The valuation in Wake county is
1882, 1871 .65; Durham and Northern,
s4526.36; North Carolina, $207,214.50;
Raleigh and Augusta, 1921 ,6G0.41;
Raleigh and CASTOR, 1898, 790.38
Southern Railway (Coster and
Thomas, trustees), $4,000.
Moore county has more miles OF rail
road than any other county ia the
State, having 1880 miles. Macon has
only 2.57 miles.
I'm this State the Atlantic Coast Line
operates "a Pullman cars, the south
ern 40 and the Seaboard Air Line. 10.
The Western Union Telegraph Co.,
has o3I II miles Of line aud S,fS0.5I