The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-21
MICHIGAN ROADS.
Annual Report of Commissioner Billings
of That State.

of That State.
Lansing, Mich. January l5..-Railroad
| Commissioner Billings of Michigan Is the
president OF the National convention OF
| railroad commissioners, which held its last
annual meeting in Washington not LONG
| ago and Is probably one of the best in
| formed men in the West upon the various
| phases of railroad management. The re-
| ports which have emanated from the rail-
| road department. of Michigan have long
| heen conspicuous for the comprehensive
| information furnished to the public, and
| the forthcoming report of Commissioner
Billings, advance sheets of which were
| given out today. will exceed In scope any
| of its predecessors.
The report covers the transactions of the
| eighty railroad companies operating lines
wholly or In part In Michigan for the year
/ 1891 The commissioner says that while
| thu gross earnings OF the roads In Mich-
| gan are less than for the previous year,
| there is hopeful outlook that there VIII
| be shown greatly increased earnings for
| ,hc year 1895, this fact being Indicated b
| monthly reports of earnings which have
been made to his department.
| Only one Michigan road went into the
hands OF n receiver during the year covered
by the report, wi lie two roads Wore sold
on mortgages. reorganized under new
names aud taken from the control of their
receivership The losses to Michigan roads
by forest fires. while large, were not so
great during the calendar year just closed.
as during 1894. when the strike and other
calamities befell them which will make the
year n memorable one In the history of
railroad operation.
During the year 1895 not one passenger
was killed by what could be properly called
a railroad accident Two persons reported
as passengers were killed. bur upon inves-
tisation the casualties were found to have
resulted from their own carelessness.
"The demand for economy made upon
railroad manas aments by the shrinlSagc
% earnings" It is said has resulted in
the greatest care and skill being practiced
by officials. and the knowledge and ey-
perience gained have been of no little
value. Lasting lessons In the practice OF
how 20 save have been learned In the oper-
alion Of roads. ard have taken from rnany
of them their speculative value and placed
them on a firmer foundation against the
time to come"
In abiding to tho subject of freight
rates Commissioner Billings says the peo-
pie of Michigan have little If any reason
TO complain of unreasonable charges Tho
condition is not attributed to legislative
enactments nor to the generosity of the
roads. hut 1t is said. freight rates are
established in this State by conditions far
more binding. The lakes and rivers which
surround the State and which are ira
versed by n numerous fleet of merchant
vessels, have set a rate which the rail-
roads have been compelled TO meet and
relieved the State from the necessity of
providing a system Of fixing freight rates.
The eighty railroad companies which
filed their annual reports with the railroad
commissioner are under the control of
forty-three corporations Sixty-nine com
panies do n general railroad business. sew
provide terminal and two transfer facili-
ties. The track mileage operated In the
State is 1865, decrease of seven miles
since the previous report. The mileage OF
sidings and spurs Is 2073. an Increase of
thirty-seven miles over the year 1893. Com
puted as n single track. Michigan has $3.50
miles of railroad. as against $3.50 In 1893
The average amount of track construc-
ton each year since 1888. when there were
but sixty-threc miles of road in the State,
is 1871 so. During 1895. the year subsequent
to the one covered by the report. III miles
of road were constructed.
In addition. however, to the track owned
and operated by the companies organized
under the general railroad laws. the COM
missioner is satisfied that there are sew
eral hundred miles of road owned and
controlled by private corporations, which
escape both local and specific taxation,
and IT is recommended that these roads
he brought under the operation OF the
general laws governing railroads In this
State
The cost OF railroads in Michigan Ia
r,sced at $500 GO. 900 an increase of 81, 0Ge.-
c9s over the last report. The total rail
road earnings for the year 1894 were s2s.- !
700 OK or $685. per mile OF road. AS COM |
nnrei with 1898. the earnings exhibit a |
falling on OF 1908 per cent. The oper- |
80 a,nensps for 1894 were S23 o.. Ggl M. |
s-s- nor mile. n decrease of 1916 per cent. |
>,,no companies report insufficient earn |
- IN cover expenses, the total deficit |
10, s,7 1921. These roads, however de-
80 largely upon the lumber and mining
INDUSTRIES. which, during 1874. were a; a
, comparative table showing the aver
rcvenue received per passenger per
,nile in eleven different States is given.