Birmingham state herald., 1896-11-08
AN EXCELLENT SHOWING Made by the Railroads of Ala
 bama, IN THE ANNUAL REPORT Of the Railroad Commissioners for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30. FORTY-TW0 MILES OF NEW TRACK. An Increase of Roads Out of Receivers Hands-Fewer Casualties
 Which Proved Fatal,
 !f0
foRTY-Two MILES OF NEW TRACK.

Montgomery, Ala, Nov. 7.--(Special)- Following are extracts of reports made by the Alabama railroad commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:
 The annual reports from the railroad companies to the board of railroad com missioners are of value to the state and of special interest to bankers, investors, capitalists and trust companies who in vest in the railroad securities of Ala bama.
 These reports are required by law to be made upon blanks as furnished by us and must exhibit the business of the carriers up to the close of each fiscal year ending June 30
 CONSTRUCTION.
 The new mileage reported for this year amounts to 12.9S miles. The companies constructing same were the Montgomery and Prattville railroad, 10.35 miles, from Prattville Junction to Prattville. This road Is operated by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company, and has very fair prospects for profitable busi- ness.
 The Sheffield and Tuscumba railroad 263 miles in length, running between Sheffield and Tuscumbia, has been leased to the Nashville and Florence and Shef- field railroad
 The remaining IS of mile is from re- measurements or other causes on the Central of Georgia railway.
 In addition to the new mileage the business of which for the year ending June 30, 1896, has been reported, we call attention to the Tallassee and Mont gomery railway, seven miles in length, and the Lafayette railway, twenty-two miles, making total of new mileage of 41.9S miles. A report of the business of these 1npS will in fha next annual report.
 MILEAGE.
 The total length of railroads belonging to corporations making returns to this department is 3,46960 miles of main line and branches, with 776 miles of double track, making a total of 3,479.99 miles. Last year there were 3,44163 miles of main line and branches with 7.76 miles of double track, showing an increase of 27.97 miles of main line and branches. The total length of sidings is 604.S3, against 53712 miles of last year making an in- crease of 67.71 miles.
 The decrease in the mileage of the Ala bama Great Southern railroad of 7.46 miles is caused by deducting the Gadsden and Attalla Union railroad, six miles, which has heretofore been reported as a leased line by this company and the re- maining 1.46 miles is from remeasure- ment or other causes.
 RECAPITULATION. Mileage shown in annual returns. .3,46960 New mileage constructed, but op-
 erated under lease................ 263 Mileage of double track. k........... 776 Mileage of companies excused from
 reporting .............. ............ o6fo Mileage of companies failing to re-
 port ,.................. 36.00.. Mileage of companies remaining
 idle .......... ............ 4Zz5
 Total . 3,624 99 To this can be added the mileage of siding 604.83, making 4,229.92 miles. The number of miles reported as being laid in iron rails, is 201.91 decrease of SO17 miles from that of last year.
 RETURNS.
 The report made by the Central of Georgia railway covers those lines here tofore reported as the Montgomery and Eufaula railroad, the Mofile and Girard railway, and the Savannah and Western railway The business of these roads is given from the time of the disappearance of the receivers, in whose hands they were placed in 1885, hence the report we received of the Mobile and Girard is from March 15, 1S96 the Montgomery and Flu faula from February 1, 1896, and the Sa- vannah and Western from Dec. 22, 1885,. Returns for the interim between June 30, 1895, and the dates above mentioned should have been made by the receivers, but after the receipt of this partial report a lack of time prevented demand on our partfor full report.
 The return by the Chattanooga South ern railway is by it's receiver, and is from June 30, 1895, to May 10. 1896. which is up to the time of it's reorganization. That of the Northern Alabama railway is from Dec 1. 1895 to June 30, 1896, and is from the time of it's reorganization.
 We have devised a plan which will pre- vent a future occurrence of such failure on the part of temporary managers to make reports.
 Returns were not demanded of the com panies below named:
 Cahaba Coal Mining Co. s railroad... 9OO Kymulga and Coosa River railroad. 1000 Mary Lee Coal & Iron railway...... 725 Tallassee & Montgomery railway, 700 Tennessee Coal and Iron railway. 100 Rutledge and Julian railroad. ....... $50
 Total 6675 The Cahaba Coal Mining company's railroad is operated under lease joint with the Alabama Great Southern and the Birmingham Mineral Railroad com panies With the exception of the Tal- lassee and Montgomery Railway com pany the remaining companies are not public carriers, but simply the property of private corporations engaged in min- ing and the manufacture of lumber
 We failed to secure reports from the Gadsden and Attalla Railway company, six miles, and the Seaboard Railway company, thirty miles.
 We. have to report the following rail- road companies as remaining idle
 Escambia railroad, 27 miles; Fort Payne and Eastern railway, 1125 miles; Ash vile, Tennessee River and Coosa rail- way miles; total 42.25 miles.
 GROSS EARNINGS.
 The earnings from freight, passenger. express, mail, etc, was SIS, ,119, S50.68.
 OPERATING EXPENSES.
 The operating expenses. less taxes and hAn da6 ind fnd. ss 449. $50 Al, which is 72 per cent. of the gross earnings.
 TAXES.
 The amount appraised by the board of assessors of railway property is $45, 496,- 6O3.25 The amount paid for state, coun-