Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-06
WILMINGTON & NORTHERl RAILROAD.

Birdsboro, Ia, May 3.-The second
decade of the existence of the Whining.
ton & Northern railroad has closed,
with the company prosperous and its
affairs in excellent condition.
the Goth annual meeting OF the
stockholders OF the company was held
here at noon to-day. The tlirectora sub
mitted the following report OF the prop
erty and affairs OF the company for the
fiscal year ended December 3lst, 1886:
The receipts were as follows: From
passengers, s72, 4O5. 40; milk. 90, $50. 49,;
marketing, 81, 2Sl. Ia oxpreas, 81, sGi 81;
mails. S4,663.4l freight, 1855, G55 OIL;
telegraph, si2i.25; miscellaneous,
S6, 43S. So; gross earnings, 1863, 726. 03;
operating expenses, s397, 500 12; re.
ceipts, less operating expenses rental
Of leased lines. interest and taxes,
$40, 6l5.T0. Compared with the pre-
vious year. there was adecroase In gross
earnings OF S2i, $50. 80. and decrease
in operating expenses of sl3, 07s. 43. The
operating expenses were So. 70 per cent
OF the gross earnings as against 80. 03
per cent in the previous year, divided
as follows: For transportation, S26i,-
Cos. 98; for maintenance OF way,
SS7, 436. 70; for Office expenses, 81. 305. So !;
for printing, advertising and stationery,
| So. ii0. ~; for superintendence, S24,
1926. 40; for Ger service, 81, $40. 40; for
loss and damage on freight. s5l7. B5;
for miscellaneous, &c, 25i.67; total,
1897, 600. l2.
The transportation expenses were
| 81. 0G per cant of the gross receipts, a
decrease Of .000i per cent an compared
| with 1895. The cost OF transportation,
exclusive OF float service, per mile run,
was 0.Sl cents, or 2.42 per cent less
than in the preceding year.
Tho maintenance of way expenses
wers 1886 per cent of the gross re-
ceipts, being an increase OF 30 per
cent m compared with the preceding
| year.
In repairs of bridges. trestlss, water.
stations. buildings, &C., 2i2, 967 feet OF
timber have been used. This 10 an in.
crease of 40, 09S feet over the preceding
year, due to the rebuilding OF five
trestles.
Eight hundred aud twenty six thou
snndths Of mile of main track were
laid with 80 9l00 tons of 20 Loun,i
steel rails, being deCrease OF 100 2 loo
tons as compared with last year. This
makes tho whole amount OF eel track
9S dl6-l000 miles.
The number OF new crosG- ties laid
was al,074 an increase Ut 4, Ala as com
pared with the previous year.. 10 a1di
tion to these, 10, 52S lanai feet of switch
tics were put in, an increase of G, SOL
feet as compared with 1885.
Other materials expended on the tracl
consisted Of 3.37i pairs Of iish angle
plates, 800 200 pound kegs of spikes
4 IS.tNa A..I 30
switches and 4, ai6 rail braces
IN baliasting, 3, ago cubic yards o
cinder anu l2, $50 cubic yards of ashe
4Dj cubc yards OF cinder and an in
crease Of 635 cubic yards of ashes,
total increase of /, $50 cubic yards, at
, decreased cost oil S500.Sl.
, Various circumstances have contrib
uted 10 prevent larger diminuton il
operating expense, notably the neceH
silly of repairing a number OF station
and other buildings. tho rebuilding O
! i've wooden trestles, which was impera
tive, and the payment of 81. 1874 in set
tlemsnt of claims for damages to wood
land from fire which occurred durin
the previous year. In addition to thes
= items. an extraordinary expenditure {
i 81, 403. SO was occGHioned by this CON
i pany having to pay that amount as II
q proportion of the cost OF constitution
i of new interlocking signals AT the eros!
ing of the Philadelphia, Wilmington
n Baltimore railroad by the line at Wi
ningtoD. The numerous crossings {
p the line over other roads are a sourc
OF continual expense, which il is in
= possible to reduce. Besides the amour
above stated, 81, 800 have been charge
: to transportation on this account durin
n the year, and 81, 2G6 to maintenance
q way.
!. Another increase in the cost of opera
4 ing arises from. the act OF Congress n
!, curing all railroads to equip the
il freight cars used in interstate busine.
!. with automatic couplnrs before the Il
n of January, 1898. i lis, work has bee
"a begun and during the year u cars ha,
n been fully equipped at cost
q 81, ~, and nine cars have been rn
/ italy equipped at cost OF S352. II. a
a. expenditure of Sl5, 400 will be require
d to supply couplers for the remainder
10 the equipment.
Il The act of Congress just referred t
also requires that all freight cars use
in interstate business no supplied wit
air brakes on or beiore the above mel
~ toned date, which will involve flu
10 Their expenditure of S2i, 700.
10 Every uIfort has been made to redul
Vi expenses in all directions, but mar
T. items OF operating expenses are bl
ID slight, il at all. affected by the amour
I'd of business done and it has not bet
IN found practicable as yet to make iu
Id teria reductions in these direction
without imparing the efficiency OF II
service.
The net income has been applietl
W tho purchase OF additional real estat
er and to new construction.
au Some OF tho principal items of o
lg penditura are as follows: Real estate
DO additional right OF way near Wago
I'D town, 500; Observation-Disclosures
ne of tanuery building at Wilmingto
ty $3.50. 81; new arch culyert at White
ay thur trestle, 81. 400. 40: new water ST
tion at Cnssart, completed, 1857, y
filling wooden trestles, S76l. G5; ne
= sidings, 4,3l0 feet, Sc, 9ls. 80; tntg
a. 80, 9Sl.3l.
~ The additional right OF way north
aayy Wagontown was acquired to enable
NV improvement to DO made in the alig
a. ment of the main truck.
ae The tannery building in Wilminet,
w has been rebuilt, the sum expended
w excess OF tho amount received for i
surance having been charged TO co
structinn account.
be II was absolutely necessary to contin
al the construction OF tho new arch CT
uarf nt ini - Al