The times., 1897-11-10

r9acs. transmitted his annual report to
the Secretary OF the Interior yeste: day.
The report covers the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1897. aud treats OF the ph ysicaI
and financial condition of the property and
aff9irs ei the several iailroad companies
which have received subsidies from int.ri-
ca, and witch have submitted such reports
as have been called for uuder the law.
Commissioner Hampton says:
The long period Of general depression in
az lines Of business, beginning IN 1892
anu continuing tnToughUut the succeeding
three years WAS cOuSDicpOilSly mark tle1
during the year SS6, when, owing 10 n
partial failure of crops, ic w prices and
The uncertainties always attendant upon
national election year, business almost
reacHed the point oI stasnaCiGn. No in
duStTy is more sensitive 10 uISCurDaticeS IN
commercial circles ana more accurate IN
reIlecung surrounding conditions tnan tie
ralirOad business, and the statistics for
the past calendar year STOW a FALLING off
~ the pasSenGeT traffic and a general ae-
LIOIdiIZatlOn among the railroads as to
freight rates WnlCh seriously ttITecUeu Jhelr
cdtulngs from those sources The low
water marx was reached Ia railway con-
struCtioB, ana during the year tlurt y-Iutr
roads, with 5,44I miles OF road passed
into the uanus Of the CGLns, ana nifty
eight others which had been previously
placed IN receivers hands were sold at
foreclosure.
Ii is gratifying to note, however. n
steady Improvement in rallrOau earnings
CURING the Tlrst SIX IuOut ls OF the current
year. This Is particular. noticeable III
the sO-calied bond aIaed facIIlc roads.
The outlook in tue West generally for the
present yeaI rs very encouraging. Every
thing points 10 IN increased acreage and
larger crops, ana with prices higher there
is every reason t. look for a decided ina.
ptUNenleut Ia railroad earnings The de-
nldnd Tor cars began Tully a month earlier
than Is customary, anu II IL expected that
IL Will be unuCualiy large TINS Iall.
Owing 70 reduced clerica! force and
a reduction m the allowance Tor TIA Yelling
"a DeusS.s- IL mas not Tor some years been
possible Tor officials OF TINS bur eau TO each
year actually inspect the pnyslcai CondILIon
OF the rOduDe,i, shops, ana equipment OF
eacH OF the various lines Ol IaulOdd com
ing within the jurisdiction Of the office,
.t.-u JO ivi,tirJ ON TIE same "a required Dg
tile act creating the bureau. The lnspec-
IGOus Therefore, nave been generally con
Hued 70 the bond aided roads, they being
the ones in Which the Government is fl
anaClally Interested. This year, however,
atC-r MAKING IHe usual Inspecuon OF the
bonded rOaus- / visited as many OF the
-grautIInesaS circumstances permitted.
4 ne main line OF the Union Paclfic nom
Omaha to Ogden, the Central FacIIC from
ogden 70 Sacramento, ana the old Western
iaciiic nom sacramento via Niles to San
Francisco were inspected 10y me personally
IN uly last. BY travelling over the line by
easy stages and in the daytime, | was
enabled 10 note the general condition of
the property. 4 he TOadbed mas been much
improved during the year the policy OF
substituting steel for wood in important
bridge structures and Of placing nea yier
steel Fails in the track having been con
Jinued.
Under nay direction, a careful inspection
wa made by the assistant bGUkkeeper of
the Office, IN August, of the other bond
aided lines, viz, the kausaS division Of
The Union Pacific, and the Sioux City and
Pacific Railroads, both OF which he re-
alsc Inspected The aided hue OF the
Central branch Union Pacific and reports
it as IN poor condition. and not kept mp
10 the STANDARD of the other boud-aid
roads aISu personally Travelled over, in
August and september, the following lines
OF road which Obtained grants OF land
from the UniJed states. Tie Chicago aud
Northwestern Railway, from Chicago TO
Council Bluffs, Iowa: the Southern Pacific
OF California tJhree uiyiSiOnsl the Ca lifornia
and Oregon, the Oregon and California,
and Northern Pacific railroads.
ConrdSsioner Hamptoa treats Of the
Union Contra! and Kansas Pacific Rail
roads at great length hut much Of this has
already been printed in connection with the
report of the Government directors or the
Onion Pacific.
The a tlaHtic and Pacific Railroad comes
in for d fair share Of attention a the hands
Of the accuiu.issioaer- OF this road n sav5
During the year 7,O93 - tons Of new
steel rails were laid, at a cost of $780,
- O., and 463 ,055 new cTOss-ties We're
placed III the track, costing Sis, 112.s7.
Ine additions ana bett tterments to railway
amounted 70 SlfS,2T6.l5, and 10 rolling
stock to S34, 437.21.
The equipment consists OF 1O1 loco
motives, all Of which are equipped with
air brakes; 33 cars in the passenger service.
all equipped with Westingnous brakes and
Miller coup4ers and platforms; 1,S74 cars
In the freight service, of which l, 1,3SI are
equipped with air brakes, and s cars IN
the road and miscellaneous service, all
fitted with air brakes.
Of the Northern Pacific, Commissioner
Hampton says:
During the ten months III which the
road was operatpd bV This COmDauV . .3S5
tons Of new steel rail- were laid, at a cost
OF S242, sos, and ,4OS 1868 new Gloss
ties We're placed III the track, costing
1921 .0S3.70.
me additions and betteTments to railway,
ct c., charged to construction account,
amounted TO SSl9, ,l24.32, and to operating
expenses S6a. .261 80 Additions to roll
ing stock, charged to equipment account,
amounted to S232 2,029.O1. The equipment
al the close or the year consisted Of 5S4
locomotives and 439 cans in the passenger,
,52S In the freight, ana l,46l IN the
miscellaneous departments, respectively.
The report concludes as follows:
The estimates Of appropriations sub
mItted by me for the bureau for the year
ending June 80, 1893, are the same as
year. They are: Commissioner, $4,000;
pupkKeeper, s., ,O00; assistant bOokkeeper,
Sl,Sou' CLERK Sl,4Oot clerk, q, ,ouo, as
sistant messenger, $40; travelling expenses
for the examination of books ana accounts
OF the subsidized railroad Companies and
inspecting the property thereof, as required
by law, $1,000. Total, SI2.420.
The personnel Of the bureau at present
Is dS follows.
Wade Hampton, commissioner ...... S4,500
Charles e Thomas, bookkeeper. 1000
Lewis ". Haskell, ass I. bOOkkceiIeT. 800
Charles A . Calhoun, clerk. 1,400
Miss Kate Schmidt, clerk. ...... LOCO
n Erng TnT GCf
II affords me pleasure co commend the
general efficiency Of the employees of
the bureau.
/ have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedieut servant,
WADE HAMPTON,
Commissioner.