The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-24
SOME RAILWAY DATA.
Advance sheets of the Interstate
Commerce Report.

The forthcoming annual report of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, which
will be issued in a few days, will con-
tain a great deal of useful and interest
ing information concerning the railroad
traffic of the United States.
From the advance sheets prepared by
the statistician of the commission. it is
learned that the total railway mileage
in the United States in the year ending
June, 80, 1897 was 1s4,42S miles, there be-
ing an increase of 1861 miles, or $50 per
cent during the year.
Ninety-five per cent of the railway mile
age of the country is laid with steel rails
The total number of locomotives in SER
vice was Sc, 1856, increase of thirty-six
for the year. The number of passenger
cars was 35,G26 and of freight cars 1,22l,-
$780,
OF the total number of cars, 525,2S6 were
fitted with train brakes, the increase be-
ing rs, 432, and $751; were fitted with
automatic couplers, an increase OF 1884,
142
The number of men employed by the
railways of the United States on June 80,
1897 as reported was S23, 476. These fig
ures, assigned on the mileage basis, show
that 449 men We're employed per 100 miles
of line. The corresponding figures for the
year 1896 were slightly larger.
Regarding the year ending June 80, 1897.
1t appears that the amount of wages and
salaries paid was 1856, Col 5S1. This amount
represents 61.S7 per cent of the total oper-
ating expenses of railways, or $2.540 per
mile of line. The total compensation for
1895 was 50. 222, $50 greater.
"a %
capital outstanding was $40, 635, COS, GA,
which, assigned on mileage basis shows
a capital of 9.620 per mile of line The
amount of capital stock was s5,36i.642 80,
of which 1885,. 0j6. 657 was common stock
and 1897 ,5S5, 59S preferred stock
The amount of funded debt was S, 30
3e5, $40. The classification of funded debt
shows that ii consists of mortgage bonds,
1888, 81. sos; miscellaneous obligations,
$3.50, 1903; income bonds. $3.50. S47, 154, and
equipment trust obligations, $39, SIS, 767.
The amount of capital stock paying no
dividend was 3,76l, 092 277, or 1910 per cent
of the total amount outstanding. The
amount of funded debt, excluding equip
ment trust obligations, which paid no in
terest. was 1867 $3.50. $40 The total amount
of dividends was sS7.110,5s9, which would
be produced by an average rate of 5.43 per
cent on the amount OF stock on which
some dividend was declared. The amount
of mortgage bonds paying no interest was
s615, 259, $3.50, or 1885 per cent; of miscel-
laneous obligations, 1878 $40, or SGT per
cent, and income bonds, s215, 344, 972, or
S2.S per cent. The amount of current la
bilities outstanding on June 80, 1897. was
s57S, 501, 635. or 1856 per mile.
The number of passengers carried dur
ing the year was s4s9, 445, 1913. a decrease of
carried was 741, ,9i6, which is "a, 1885, 439
less than for 1896
The gross earnings of the railways of
the United States for the year ending
June 30, 1897. as reported for an operated
mileage OF 1S3.2S4, were 81, Us, 0S9 773 In
comparison with the preceding year this
amount shows a decrease in gross earn
ings of SOS 079, sos The sources of income
comprised in gross earnings from opera
ton of the year Were: Passenger revenue,
S25l, 49, 921; decrease a. compared with the
previous year. SIS 426, 606; mail, s33. 754. 466:
increase. sl,37i'647; express, s24,9O1 ,Os6;
increase, S20,6S3: other earnings, passen-
ger service, Sc, $50 $50; freight revenue,
s372, S49314; decrease. 49, 766. 523; other earn
ings, freight service, S4,209s57; increase,
1928. 767; other earnings from operation,
etc, SOS e09. S63.
The expense of the operation of rail-
ways IOT Iile lSCdl year CONtItu ny iIis
report were 1852, 524, 1914. This amount is
$40, i64, $50 smaller than the corresponding
amount for the year 1886, the operated
mileage for that year being ISL ,9S2 miles.
the operating expenses OF 1897 were dis
tribu:ed as follows: Maintenance of
ways and structures, 1853. i34, 405. decrease
as compared with the preceding year.
s910,5 maintenance of equipment, Sl22-
T62. 35s decrease SlG619 $40; conducting
100; general expenses, $50. 4S1, 2s9. increase
1897. 9S4; gross earnings per mile of line
operated averaged Sc. I'D: operating ex-
penses, s., JOG. These amounts are, re-
spectively, sl9S and SAP less than the av
erages for 1896.
The income from operation, that is the
amount of gross earnings remaining aft
er the deduction of operating expenses.
commonly termed net earnings. was $685.
565, 600. This amount is s7,6l5,S23 less than
the corresponding item for the previous
year. The total amount of dividends de-
clared, including S267,39O. other payments
from net income, was $50, the re-
suit being a deficit from the operations
of the year of 81, 120, iS3.
The total number of casualties to per-
sons on account of railway accidents for
the year ending June 80, 1897, was 43, 16S
OF these casualties 6,437 resulted In death
anu 80, fol IN injuries oil varying chardc-
ter. OF railway employees 1853 were killed
and 1861 were injured during the year
From summaries showing the ratio of
casualties. it appears that 1 out of every
4S6 employees was killed and out of every
80 employees was injured during the year
One passenger was killed for every 2204.-
1OS carried, and injured for every 175. I15
carried.
On June so, 1897 there were 12s roads in
the hands of receivers. These roads
operated a mileage of 1851 miles. the
mileage owned by them being 1854 miles.
These figures, as compared with those for
1896. show that there was a net decrease
of l2,613 miles in mileage operated and
1922 miles in mileage owned by roads in
charge of receivers. During the year
ending June 30, 1897 81 roads were re-
moved from the control of receivers and
% roads were placed under their manage
ment.
The capital stock represented by rail-
ways in the hands of receivers on June
30, 1897, was s4S6, 064, $40; funded debt,
| $531, 407, 100, and current liabilities, s1I3.-
500 34S. comparison of these figures
with those corresponding for the preced-
ing year shows a decrease in capital stock
represented of over S256, COG 600. and in
funded debt of over $685. 600, 900.
Inventor Unknown.