The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-01-27
COSTOF A RAILROAD CAR.
Some Interesting Details TrO m the
Pennsylvania Railroad Shops.

The auditing department, of great
American railroad corpoation, says
the New York Sun, rivals in respect of
its records and transactions a govern
ment department. The earnings of
all the lines Of the Pennsylvaint Rail
road system IN year average about
100000, and the gross earnings
Of the Vanderbilt system amour, to
rather more-S45,o 900, 900 from New
York Central, S2I,ooo,o 900 from the
Lake Shore, $40, 1000, 900 from the
West Shore, and Nickel Plate, S,2,-
ooo, 900 from the Chicago and North,
west, $4,000, 900 from the Michigan
Central, and about sI5,ooo.ooo from
Collateral lines or system. These fig
ures are large, but they appear still
larger when they are compared with
items OF Federal revenue. The total
receipts of the United States Govern
ment from customs during the fiscal
year ending in 1896 were sI5o,ooo,.
900, and from internal taxes SI46,-
100000. The two together made up
Sz96, 100000 Of public revenue for
the government of the affairs of a
nation OF 100000 inhabitants, but
the two railroad systems referred to
represented together receipts Of S275,
100000, and if third big railroad
system were added the receipts of the
Federal government would be exceed
| ed.
The accounts of big railroad corpor
ations require care and much hard
work, and the system of precise book
keeping in railroad accounts (now a
special brand Of accounting) has been
carried close to the point of perfection
by the Pennsylvania Railroad, which,
for instance, gives TO the fraction OF
cent the expenses incident to the con-
s.ruction of a car or locomotive.
There are 10000 passenger cars and
5000 baggage, mail and express cars
in actual use on the railroads of the
United States, and the ordinary pas
senger car costs anywhere from $4,000
to $4,000, the difference representing
added Improvements in furnishing.
There has recently appeared a de
tailed statement of the cost Of con
structing at the Altoona shops of the
Pennsylvania railroad sample first
class, modern, up-to-date, luxurious
passenger car, and some Of the items
are OF interest. The wheels and axles
represent cost Of S332.2 the trucks
upon which the car rests cost S. $500;
the air brake represents sI3I.75; the
seat fixures, twenty five in number
cost S5o.5o; the three bronze lamps,
$3.50; the two gas tanks, SS4; the
chandeliers, s5o.75, and the item oI
screws, which might not appear to be
an important one, S51.SS. For the
building of a Car like the one taken in
illustrations, 2,4So feet Of poplar wood
3,434 af ash, 1,1oo of white pine,
1850 Of yellow pine, 44o fee, of hicko-
ry, 400 Of cherry, 100 Of Michigan
pine, 500 of oak and 439 of maple
veneer were required IN addition to
thirteen gallons of varnish, forty five
pounds of glue and nearly 5000
pounds of iron, exclusive of 500 pounds
of iron castings. For the furnishing
of the car there were required sixty
nine yards of scarlet plush, forty-four
yards Of green plush, sixty-one yards
of shee,lng and 243 pounds Of hair.
The basket racks cost S77.35, the sash
leavers S42, the bronze window lifts
SI4.4o and the gold leaf for the en-
belIlshmen. Of the wood work fastener
SIS Al worth Of material was required
two stoves cost s77.55 and the tin
used on the roof of the Car S4I.44
The labor in the construction OF the
car represented a COS, Of SI,263 ga
bringing up the expenditure to more
than $4,000.