Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-21
When Farmers Do Not Prosper
Railroads Suffer.
HARD TIMES AFFECT ALL TRAFFIC
Railway Statistics Shown by the
interstate Commission.
IN STR UCTIVE FIG URES

state commerce commission for 1885 has
just been submitted. The statistician calls
attention to three special features: "a The
showing OF comparative figures where pos
sibie for the five previous years; (2) the
compilation Of operating expenses for two
years. one summary being based on the re-
vised classification of operating expenses,
taking effect July 1. 1884, the other on the
classification followed from 1887 to that
date. and CD the compilation of a table
showing revenue and density of traffic foi.
roads whose gross revenue exceeds 5000
co. Reference is made to the effect Of the
continued business depr ession and the
large number of receiverships. On June
30. 1885, 169 roads, operating 81, SIS miles
were reported in the hands Of receivers.
showing d net decrease of % roads and
1893 miles Of line. The railway capital
represented by these roads was nearly S.
Jooo,OOO. or about I'D per cent.
Miienge of Railroads.
The total railway mileage In the United
states June 81, 1885, was IS0,G5747 miles
an increase of 1.94S.92 miles. or LOB per
cent. Tie Increase in 1894 was 2,247 A.
miles. or LIZ per cent. which was less than
for any preceding year during the period
for which reports have been made to the
commission. The territory and states in
which the increase in mileage exceeds lO,
miles are: Arizona. 24741 miles: Illinois
lSS7O miles; Pennsylvania, l57.O0 miles
Maine, 132. ST miles: Texas llU4l miles
and Montana, 100 10 miles. The aggregate
length OF all tracks in the United States on
June 81, 1880 was 2:,6, st4. % miles. Inciud-
ed In this total track mileage were 10.6S9. 80
miles or second track, $40. - miles of third
track. 73s II miles of fourth track aud A.
oeofS miles OF yard track and sdings.
ClaASificA Ion Of Ra
Tho number of railway corporations on
June 80, 1895, was ,9tn, of which lob
maintained operating accounts and SH
financial accounts. During the year IL
roads were abandoned, merged 81 reor-
gained and % consolidated The classifi-
cation of railways on the basis of operated
mileage shows that ~ companies each op-
Grating more than 1850 miles. operate loo
'l4Il miles of line, 55.61 per cent of the
total railway mileage; "a roads, with an
operated mileage ranging from 600 to ltsn
miles, operate Is. SG. ~ miles, or 10 ~ per
cent, - roads, with an operated mileage
ranging from 100 to GO miles. operate H.
lTI.oI miles, or 9. Is per cent; ~ roads with
an operated mileage ranging from 2J9 to
400 miles, operated 4,3GG95 miles, or 7y4
per cent, and 81 roads, with an operated
mileage under $50 miles, operate 30 53
miles. or 1917 per cent. 1t thus appears
that 133 roads, or 12.,tJ per cent of operat-
ing companies, operate li5, 155. IL miles or
Sl24 per cent of total milea ge in opera ton
From. an inspection of the comparative
summary from which these figures are OBJ
tsined, however, no very great changes in
classification are noticeable.
Equipment.
From the summaries given pertaining 10
the equipment Of railways it appears that
the increase in number OF ioc omotiyes in
service was 2O7. the total number on June
hnin a
passenger. 2o,0I2 freight 5.1ou were switch
ing and 5ss We're unclassiGed locomotives.
The number Of cars was 127o56l a de-
crease OF I,5ls since the previous year OF
the total cars reported. 351l2 were in pas
sehser service. 1,l96,l1 were in freight
service and the remainder 1880 were
ears used miscellareously. There was an
increase OF 81 In the number of passenger
cars and Of .4s9 ia cars in company's
service, but cars in freight service decreased
1000 The explanation OF this decrease is
not wholly to be found in an effort on the
part OF railway companies to economize in
equipment but rather in the increa sed use
made of private cars. 1t appears there
service and increased efficiency i'm
freight service during the year
Gut or a. total equipment of LION; 2eO To-
comotives and cars only 36e. i9s were fitted
matte couplers on June 30. 1895. The in
crease in Equipment fitted with train
81 30. pieis'
On June 20, 1895. the number NJ n.sso,-
ger cars In service was S3llo of which
3.,fS4 We're fitted with train brakes and
3i'S'l with automatic coupiers. The num-
Der OF freight cars in service was 1Ia6I1
OF which 2,I.o13 We're fitted with train
brakes and 365.9S5 with automatic conn
iers. 1t appears that the passenger service
Is We'll equipped with automatic safety an
ficient. 40 US
The number Of men employed nv rail-
ways SHOWS ar increase of > i3t a 5 com
pared with last year. the number of am.
pioyes being 1904 June 30 1895.
capitalization and Valuation.
me amount Of railway capital June 20,
1888, is shown to be $40, $50 aCs, lbs. or SEA
$50 per mile. The increase during the va,r
was s1sS, I29,312 Railway capital was dis
tributed as follows: The amount OF CANT
tai stock was sl.961 1856, of which 81
Di ,9.,3"l was common stock, and s75a
ool $40 preferred stock; the funded dabt
was S5.io7. 114.3l3, CLASSIFIED as honIs 81
ts9, Sl3,olo; miscellaneous obligations s4t5
-ZI.4d2 income bonds, $24i l,r3 g;,; AMI
equipment trust obligations, So, 9I5.3a7. the
cafrg h liabilities amounted to sGl6. $50 1856
VI me capital stock outstanding. 81 l6a
o'!i'S. or SS.o1 per cent, was owned by The
railway corporations, as well as s13; ms
Sii, or 959 per cent Of bonds outstanding
p
pCrate ownership of securities, probably
rather due to railway consolidation than tn
the strengthening of reserve funds.
Passed Dividends.
Stock to the amount of 81, 415.64O 2a3 or
7o.o per cent Of the total amount out
standing. paid no dividend, and s9O4. i3G, 300
or 1880 per cent of funded debt. exclusive
OF equipment trust obligations. paid no in
terest during the year covered by the re-
port In no other year since the organiza-
ton of the division of statistics has 50
large percentage of stock passed its diyi
dends, or, except in 1884 has SO large a
percentage of funded debt defaulted its in
terest. OF the stock paying dividends q 50
per cent of the total stock outstanding
paid from to , per cent: 30 per cent of
this stock paid from to & per cent. Al
per cent paid from to per cent, and 3 30
per cent paid from q to s per cent. The
total amount of dividends was $50. oS1.543
which would be produced by an average
rate of 5.t4 per cent the amount of
stock on which some dividend was declar-
ed. The amount of bonds paying no in
terest was $624, 7O2. 2.'3, 1911 per cent: of
miscellaneous obligations, sd 49S is. or
1224 per cent: of income bonds, so25 23a,-