The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-24
Examining Railway Statistics.

senator. The lesson or year ago mas
not been lost upon the masses.
Examining Railway Statistics.
The prostration of business in this
country occasioned by the change of
1892" from the effects of which our
commerce is still suffering, is vividly
Illustrated in the report of the inter-
state commerce commission for the year
ended June 3O 1895, which has just been
published. 1t has truly been said that
the condition of the railways of Il ma
ton is the best barometer Of the ma
tion's commerce. Depression in trade
very quickly reflects itself in the trans
portation companies balance sheets
In this report comparison is made
with 1894, a year when the Wilson bill
panic was at its highest point. In
some items there are slight gains as
contrasted with the figures for that
year. but on the whole the showing is
very uncomplimentary to the political
party whose incompetency In. national
administration made such adverse con-
ditions possible On June 80. 1895. l69
roads. operating 37.SS5 miles. We're in
the hands of receivers, showing net
decrease of twenty three roads and
1858 miles of line. The railway capital
represented by these roads was nearly
$500 100000, or about 22.2 per cent. of
the total railway capital invested in the
United States. The total railway mile
age was 1SO.651 miles, an increase for
the year of 1,94S miles, or 1.O9 per cent.
the smallest during any year for which
reports have been made to the commits
sion. The aggregate length of all
tracks in the United States was o3G, ,S94
miles
The increase in number of locomotives
during the year was 207 the total num-
Der being 1859. The number of cars
of all classes was 1,22923l. decrease of
',5l7 as compared with the previous
year. OF the total, 33,l12 or an increase
for the year of "a, were in passenger
service and 1.l96.ll9 in freight service, a
decrease of $3.50. The number of pas
sengers carried per locomotive were so. =
747. or 1907 less than in 1894. The num-
ber of passenger miles per passenger
locomotive was 1,2lS,967, or 225,43S less
than in 1894, while the number of pas
senger cars per 1,OOO,OOO passengers car
ried was 65, or l2 greater than the pre-
ceding year. The number of tons of
freight carried per locomotive in 1895
was 4,SlI. showing an increase Of 2.90S
over 1894. The number of ton miles
per locomotive was 4,35s.S2l. the in
crease over the previous year being 242, =
O66. These figures Indicate increased
economy in the transportation of
freight. The number Of men employed
by railways shows an increase of 5.426,
as compared with the year before, the
number of employees being 7s5O34: but
the annual average rate of increase un-
der Republican Protection times used
to be nearly $4,000. whereas as many
men were employed in 1892 as in 1895.
Notwithstanding what, ought to have
been the natural growth in the business
during this three-year interval.
Financially the year was exceptional
ly disastrous. Stock to the amount of
S3415, GAG, ,2O3, or 1905 per cent. of the
total outstanding. paid no dividend,
and 1904, ,43s. 200, or 1880 per cent. of
funded debts, exclusive of equipment
trust obligations, paid no interest dur
ing the year covered by the report. In
no other year since the organization Of
the commission has so large percent
age of stock passed its dividends. or,
except in 1894, has so large a percent
age Of funded debt defaulted its inter-
est. The amount of bonds paying no
'"'e'SSt was So-f''VS,-So, OF lj.4l per
cent; of miscellaneous obligations. s54.-
49S.2SS or 1924 per cent; of income
bonds, 1925. .235,6l9. or 91.52 per cent.
Balancing all accounts, the startling
fact Is shown that the railways closed
the year with a net loss of S29,S45.241. In
1892, under the Mckinley tariff. the
railroads made net profit Of 1864, ,S7S,-
502. Here we have another convincing
proof that the difficulty from which
business is suffering is not the gold
standard or the lack Of free silver coin
age. but the Democratic party's bung-
ling work at so-called tariff reform -
The charge was recently made in
print by Senator Coyle, of Schuyikill
county, that his superfiuous bill to es-
tablish at a fat salary "a state superin-
tendent of mining was beaten at the
last session of the legislature by a
lobby Of mine inspectors" As matter
Of fact, Coyle was so anxious to get this
buncombe bill through for home cam
paign effect that he offered to make
any changes in 1t which the oppon nents
Of 1t might suggest. even though they
should utterly destroy the measures 5
Importance. All he wanted was to