The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-16
Figures Showing
Railway Growth
By the Publishers of Poors Manual.

by the Publishers of Poor's Manual
m URING the life of the Manual the
ii III advance of the railroad interest
ii III has been marvellous, the ten years
w from 1873 to 1887 inclusive, having
beer marked by an increase IN the
railroad mileage of the country of 81 per
cent, while during the ten years since
the close of 1887, though a period of con-
stantly increasing depression, the in
crease for the whole United States has
oeen about "A Fer cent, the total mileage
January /, 1S9S, equalling lSi, 800 miles. In
1880 the total capital investment of the
railroads of the United States, measured
by the amounts Of their share capital,
funded and unfunded debts, was S., iO2-
03S, 25T The gross earnings in that year
cQualled $Gl3, 1850, or u.36 per cent. ON
capital invested, while net earnings
amounted to $255,E57 555, being Al per cent.
on capital invested. In 1890 the total in
vestment was So G35, 300; gross earn
ings were 81, 097S S47, ,42S, equal to los per
cent. or investment, and net earnings
S3iG 92l .3lS, or S.4 per cent. on capital. In
1898 the total inVes tment was sll, So 9SJ, ,0S0:
gross earnings were 81. .lO5, 2S4 c67, equal 10
or per cent. on investment, and net earn
ings 1927 O5 7lG, Or 2.9 per cent. on capital.
Compared with 1895, gross earnings of all
steam surface railroads (eXcluding ele-
waited roads in New York. Brooklyn ana
Chicago increased in 1896 s33 236, 5SS. made
up by an increase of SIG, $50, 5G2 in freight
earnings, of si,3SS5l7 in passenger earn
ings and 2,2l3509 in mail, express, and
other miscellaneous earnings.
The total number of miles of railroad
in the United States at the close OF 1896
was lS2, J63; of which 2,025 miles were con-
structed during the year. The mileage Of
lines making returns of their share capt
tai and funded and floating debts equaled
ISL, ,39i, against l79 S21 for 1895, the increase
being 1873 miles The share capital cor
responding to the mileage completed at
the end of 1896 equalled $3.50 1S7, $40
against IS, lS2, ,121 800 in 1895, the incresse
equalling Sl9l, ,065,S20 the rate of increase
being 81 per cent. The funded debts OF
all the lines at the close of the year ag-
gregated Sj,4Tl. .S06 59S, a sum OF S169 0S5, 1853
less than the aggregate bonded indebted
ness reported for 1855 1885, Gao 942, $50, a de-
crease of 800 per cent, this decrease in
bonded debt being the first result of the
many reorganiZations that have recently
| been undertaken. The other forms OF In
debtedness of the several companies at
| the close of the year equailed s3i4. iJJ 800
| against $i1S, sos, O92 for 1855. a decrease or
S4,005.l23 The total share capital and in
| deOtedness, exclusive nf current accounts
| of all the roads making returns, equalled
| at the close of the year $l1lS9, 5i4,3S6 a
| decrease in the year OF $50, 025 272 over tho
total of 1855 (sll,2il 560, 65S), the rate of de-
! crease for the year being O46 per cent.
| 90
The cost per mile OF all roads making
| returns, as measured by the amount Of
| their stocks and bonded Indebtedness
equalled S59,7S7 against SCI, ,lSS for lS95. The
| gross increase in railroad mileage durlu3
the calendar yeac 1896, represented by the
new construction within the twelve
months was 2025.02 miles. The net in.
crease in mileage during 1896 was 1865
miles, bringing the total for the whole
| United States up to lS2,639 miles, January
| |, 1897, In 1896 the tonnage moved on al
| the railroads Of the United State;
equalled 773,SGS,7l6 tons; the tonnage
mileage 9SSS5, s53,G3i miles. and the earn
| ings therefrom $40 i2i, i,OlS-equal 10 O.S2l
cent per ton per mile. In the fourteen
years from 1852 to 1896, inclusive, the tOta