The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
Report of the Kansas Railroads
For 1896.
Board of Commissioners Sub
init Some Facts.
PAY ONE-FIFTH TAXES
Total Railway Mileage Is s..
$50 Miles.
Of Twenty-six Only Two Paid
Dividends In '96.

The number of miles of railroad in
Kansas lying unoperated or which have
been recently torn up are as follows:
Lawrence and Emporfa railroad, 80
miles.
A. T. & S. F. railway, from Scott City
west, 35.43 miles.
A L. & S. F. railroad from Sedgwick
to Ealstead. $50 miles.
Wichita & Western, from Cullison to
Mullinville, 1851 miles.
ST Louis, Kansas & Southwestern,
from Arkansas City to Anthony, SO. So
miles,
Montezuma railway, from Dodge City
to Montezuma, 26.40 miles.
Total, 1858 miles.
The total railroad mileage of Kansas
IS 8,SSO70 miles. OF this total mileage,
200 miles are classed as main line
More than 5000 consists of branches and
spurs.
Twenty-six different railroads report
to the board of railroad commissioners
Only two of these paid any dividends
in 1896: The Chicago, Rock Island &
Pacific a dividend OF 2 per cent. The
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy paid a
dividend of 4 per cent. This line has
only 259 miles in Kansas out of a total
mileage of 500 miles. The twenty
four other roads neither paid nor earned
dividends.
OF the twenty-six roads reporting
fourteen lie wholly within the state of
Kansas. In 1896 these fourteen roads
together earned only 1872 900 more than
enough to pay operating expenses and
taxes. These fourteen roads owe $39,-
351, 600 of debt. Their net income would
therefore pay about three-fourths of a
mill or less than one-tenth of one per
cent per annum upon their bonded debt.
Practically speaking, these fourteen
roads barely earned operating ex-
penses and taxes, leaving absolutely
nothing for return upon investment
lines named
most of them, if not all, in the hands
of receivers.
The other twelve roads reporting to
the board operate in various states and
territories and have not reported to the
board the earnings of the Kansas lines
separately. OF these twelve four are
now or have recently been in the hands
of receivers.
Taking all the systems which run into
Kansas at all and they operate, all told,
about $4,000 miles, excluding trackage
rights. These systems reach eighteen
states and territories, all of which lie
west of the Mississippi river except
Tennessee and Illinois. They employ
on their entire lines $4,000 men The
railroad employees in Kansas alone
number 20 600 men
The railroads of Kansas paid nearly
one-fifth of the taxes paid in 1895. They
paid about $2000,000 taxes in the state
of Kansas alone. The entire lines in
all the states and territories paid S., $780,
600 taxes in 1896. The gross income
of the twenty-six railroads, throughout
their entire lines, in the eighteen states
and territories in the year 1896, was
s119 OOO, 900. OF this gross income, $780,
600, 600 was paid out in wages; $26, 100000
was paid for interest on funded debt.
The balance went for various operating
expenses, taxes, rentals, interest on
floating debt, etc, etc The net income
of the total twenty-six roads lying in
eighteen states and territories. after
paying interest on debts, was $3,4SS,O 900.
The total operating expenses were So
600 OOO The total taxes were So
500. 900.