The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-12
wabash Annual Report.

o. d. Ashley, president of the Wabash,
has issued his annual report in pamphlet
form. and a condensed statement of the
operations of the lines for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1885, gives the following re-
suits:
Gross earnings .................$13 , 207. S62 AZ
miscellaneous receipts. interest,
dividends, etc ..................... $50, TOD. 81
Total receipts .................$1 S 1888, 51S. 40
Deduct operating ex-
pehses .............. VIVA alyW
Deduct taxes ......... 499 1860
Deduct balance, joint
trace rentals and
m s ceildneOuS ex-
penSeS 4SS,2llA 1879, Al. 40
Net earnings applicable to in
Interest on mortgage
Rental on Eel River iS-'''''''''
Railroad 9O.5OOOO 1884, 045. 90
Surplus ............... .......... $401. 495. 81
AS compared with the traffic operations of
the previous fiscal year the changes are as
follows:
In gross earnings, an increase Of 81 6S1, 075. on
IN operating expenses, an increase
OF -..-.......... ........-....... l,520, 6ZU. w
In taxes. a decrease of............. 80. .O2
In miscellaneous receipts, an in
crease OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81 ,35l 81
In balance of joint track rentals,
increase
In net earnings, applicable to- in -'''-
terest, an increase of............. 1913, 163. IS
President Ashley says: whoever studies
carefully the railway situation in this coun-
try will be led to the conclusion that under
the fierce competition of lines multiplied at
n rate far beyond the rate of increase in the
volume of traffic, those which are in the
best physical condition and provided with
rolllng STOCK OF approved design and en-
iarged power and capacity will stand the
n fvoa
Of modern standard are much preferred by
shippers and are more conveniently and
econonicaaIly handled The scanty profits
at the prevailing rates render ii necessary
to study economy in every direction, not
motive power, but in the Improvement Of
tracks. 1t is not difficult TO understand that
In the rectification of lines and in the re-
moval OF heavy grades as we'll as in provid-
ing smooth and solid track we add TO the
capacity of the motive power secure greater
speed, greater safety and greater economy
Congressional relief which can be furnished
by legislative amendment 10 the interstate
commerce law, has hitherto heen sought in
yam, and the railway interests of the coun-
try have thus been jeopardized by neglect
which it is difficult to comprehend or ex-
cuse. The complicated machinery of inland
transportation is allowed to work under
laborious and unsatisfactory conditions to
the exclusion or indefinite postponement of
improvements in harmony with the progress
siNe spirit OF the times and yet public
clamor Is at once aroused if there is the
least failure in service. or in the accom-
mediation of travellers The severe trial to
which railway property has been subjected
has had one good effect; IL has developed
economical methods of operation in many
directions. and thus enabled the lines to
move an enormous volume of freight at a
rate which, but a few years since would
not have paid running expenses, but which
now yields a small, though inadequate
profit
The report of General Manager Ramsey
SHOWS that the company has lO1 locomo-
tives. having purchased during the wear
twenty-five new locomtives of the best tvne
and now operates 1926 miles of main line !:
3'z miles OF the main line is laid with steel
rails weighing eighty pounds to the ward
laid largely the last year The comnanv,
owns II .a61 freight cars f'
The traffic statistics show a large in
crease 2l5 704 156 QSS per centO in stons
carried one mile for 0624 The revenue
per train mile was Sl.3517, expense ner mile
se96S0 and net earnings so 1897. as against
SLi0sa Sl.00 and $04077 respectively last
year Freight train mileage Increased on :
3l3 miles. of which 1923 3S5 was on the R,f
talo division. The loaded cars per train in
creased Ol3 cars. the load per car 0 IL tons
and the train load was 2l6.55 tons. against
2l2N tons last year. 1873 "a tons in 1896 and
1879 tons in 1895. Up TO March l. 1895 when
the Buffalo division began to seriously a T.
rect the train load. the average train load
for the year was &6 tons.