Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-08-23

Interstate Commissions Report Shows
1M,428 Miles in This Country.

interstate COMMISSIONS Report SHOWS
1M,420 Miles in This Country.
NEARLY ONE MILLION EMPLOYEES.
THE AMOUNT OF WAGES AND
SALARIES PAID WAS $685. ISL.
OVER 4S9,OOocOo PASsE N G E IS
WERE CARRIED AND TAI, 7o5, 946
TONS OF FREIGHT-THERE
WE'RE 1900 CASUALTIES. RESULT
ING 6,4S7 DEATHS.
Washington, August 22.-From
summaries which will appear in the
tenth statistical report of the In
ter-State Commerce Commission, pre-
pared by it's statistician, the following
advance figures are obtained:
On June 80, 1897, there were 12S
roads in the hands of receivers. These
roads operated mileage Of 1851
miles, the mileage owned by them be-
ing 1884 miles. These figures, as
compared with those for 1896, show
that there was net decrease OF 1858
miles in mileage operated, and 1922
miles in mileage owned by roads in
the hands OF receivers. During the
year ending June 80, 1897, 81 roads
were removed from the control Of re-
ceivers, and rs roads were placed I'M
der their management.
The capital stock represented by
railways in the hands OF receivers on
debt, $53l, 407, $50; and current liablll-
ties, Sis, 34S. A comparison CT
these figures with those CT the proceed
ing year shows d decrease III capital
stock represented of over $25t,OOU, 600
and in funded debt OF over S46S,0O0,-
600.
The total railway mileage in the
United States was 1S4,428, there being
an increase of 1,651 miles, or 0.90 per
cent during the year. Ninety-tive per
cent of the railway mileage OF the
country are laid with steel rails. The
total number or locomotives in service
was 1886, an increase OF 80 tor the
year. The number Of passenger cars
were 1886, and of freight cars 1,22l,-
$50.
Of the total number of cars 525, 2S6
crease being 76,432, and 67S125 were
fitted with automatic couplers, an in
crease Of 133,142.
The number of men employed by the
railways of the United states on June
80, 1897, was 1913, 476. These figures
assigned on the mileage basis show
429 men were employed per 100 miles
of line The corresponding figures for
hn ellie
1t appears that the amount of wages
and salaries paid was S465, 6O6,581.
This amount represents 61S7 per cent
OF the total operating expenses of rail
ways, or $2.54 per mile The total
compensation for 1896 was So, 222 $50
greater.
On June 80, 1897, the amount of rail-
way capital outstanding was $10635,-
00S074, which, assigned on mileage
basis, shows a capital of $5962O per
mile of line. The amount of capital
stock was $5,364, GAP ,255, of which $4,-
367 056,65 was common stock and
1891, 1856, 59S preferred stock. The
amount of funded debt was 1920 &c.,
49, The classification of funded debt
shows that it consists of mortgage
bonds, 81 ,539, 81, 595! miscellaneous OBJ
legations, $3.50, us, 303; income bonds,
r $3.50, S47 ,154, and equipment trust OBJ
legations, 500, 1888, 767. The amount of
capital stock paying no dividend was
$3,761 ,092 PIT, or 1910 per cent of the
total amount outstanding. The amount
of funded debt, excluding equipment
trust obligations, which paid no inter
est, was 1857 ,950, $40. The total amount
of dividends was SS7110599, which
would be produced by an average rate
of SAB per cent. on the amount of stock
on which some dividend was declared.
The amount of mortgage bonds paying
no interest was S615, 259 989, or 1885
per cent; of miscellaneous obligations,
$37, 345 ,S79, or SGT per cent. and income
bonds, S215 ,972, or S2.S7 per cent.
The amount of current liabilities out
standing on June 30, 1897 was $578,-
sol ,635, or S3.156 per mile Of line.
The number of passengers carried
during the year was ass, AS, 1913, a de-
crease of 22,327 ,539. The number of
tons of freight carried was TAI 705,9 46,
which is 241S5, 439 less than for 1896.
The gross earnings of the railways of
the United States for the year ending
June 80, 1897, as reported for an oper-
ated mileage of 1S32S4, were 1,122,-
OS9,773. In comparison with the pre-
ceding year this amount shows de-
crease in gross earnings of $2S,079,6C3,
The source of income comprised in
gross earnings from operation of the
year were passenger revenue, S251,135
927, decrease as compared with the pre-
vious year, SIS 426,6 SOC; mail, $33, 754,-
466, increase, s1,374.647; express, S24,-
90l Csc, increase, $20,6S3; other earn
ings, passenger service $6,629,9 $50;
freight revenue, S772 $40 ,314; decrease,
S13. 523; other earnings, freight SER
vice 81 .209, 657. increase 1929, 767; 9TH
er earnings from operation, etc, S2S,-
900, 363
The expenses of operating railways
for the fiscal year covered by the re-
port were 1852, 524764. This amount
IS 500, AGA ,2S0 smaller than the cores
pondng amount for the year 1896, the
operated mileage for that year being
1S1,9S2 miles The operating ex-
penses of 1897 were distributed as fol-
lows: Maintenance of way and struc-
lures. 159,434 409, decrease as COM
pared with the preceding year SS10,-
SAT; maintenance of equipment, s122,-
7e2,35S; decrease, $10,619, GAO; con-
Quoting transportation, 1872, 525, $50,
daocaoca co sol 700. oanaro1 ayDeOces