The record-union., 1898-08-31

! the decrease being 1S9, ,33S, ,U0o. AS in
the case Of passenger traffic the density
of freight traffic is shown by the num-
Der of tons of freight carried one mile
per mile of line, which was 519019.
This amount is 4,753 less than the SIM
liar item for the preceding year.
EARNINGS AND EXPENSES.
| The gross earnings of the railways
of the United States for the year end
ing June 80, 1897, as reported for an
operating mileage of 1S3, ,2S4. 20, were
81, 1,122OS9,I I73. In comparison with the
| preceding year this amount shows a
decrease in gross earnings of $2S,079,-
| 6O3. The sources of income comprised
in gross earnings from operation for
the year We're passenger revenue, S251,-
| loo,92i, decrease as compared with the
previous year, $15 5,426,606 mail $685.
| 754, ,466, increase 1874 ,647: express
$24, ,9O1 ,066, increase S206S3; other
earnings, passenger service, S6,629, $50,
freight revenue S772, ,S49, ,314, decrease
S13, l66, ,o23; other earnings, freight
service 81, 209, ,6o7, increase 1923, 767; !;
other earnings from operation, includ
! ing a small amount of unclassifed
items, $2S, 609, 1868. The expenses of
the operation of railways for the fiscal
year covered by the report were Sl52,-
524, 164. This amount is $50, AGA, $50
smaller than the corresponding amount
for the year ending June 80, 1896, the
operated mileage for that year being
1S1 ,9S264 miles.
The operating expenses of 1897 were
distributed as follows. Maintenance Of
way and structures, $3.50, 434, ,403, de-
crease as compared with the preceding
year, S910,547; maintenance of equip
nent, $122, 2,762, ,35S, decrease, S10,619,-
GAO; conducting transportation, S432, =
go, ,S62, decrease, S9,691, 720; general
expenses, $50, ,4S1, ,269, increase, $397,-
| 9S4. Gross earnings per mile of line
operated averaged $6,122; operating
expenses, S4, 1O6. These amounts are,
respectively, $19S and $142 less than
the averages for 1896. A comparative
summary appears in the report which
gives an alalysis of the operating ex-
penses of the railways in the United
States for the years 1895 to 1897, fol-
lowing the prescribed classification of
operating expenses, which embraces
fifty-three items.
The income from operation, that is,
the amount of gross earnings remain
ing after the deduction Of operating
| expenses, commonly termed net earn
ings, was 1869, ,565 900. This amount is
| 81, ,61o,3 ,323 less than the corresponding
item for the previous year The in
come from other sources, mainly de-
| rived from leases and investments in
stocks and bonds, was S125, 900 010,
| which, added to the income from oper-
alton, shows that the total income Of
the railways as a whole was $494, 655,-
O19. The corresponding amount for
| the year ending June 30, 1896, was
| So06, 2O0, ,063. The total deductions from
income were S413, ,397 ,513 Taking this
amount from total income leaves SS1,-
20l ,5O6 as the net income for the year
available for dividends or increase Of
surplus.
The total amount of dividends de-
clared, including $267, 1890 other pay
ments from net income, was $S7, 7,37T, :
9S9, the result being a deficit from the
operations Of the year Of Sc, 6,120, ,4S3. An
analysis of the total deductions from
income stated above, S413, ,397, ,513,
shows the following classification: Sal
aries and maintenance Of organization,
| S5OS,5 interest on funded debt,
SAT ,SS0, go; interest on interest bear
ing current liabilities, 1854, 1886; rents
paid for lease of road, SS7, sos, ,302;
taxes, S43, ,137, ,S44; permanent improve
ments, 81, 4,544,S13; other deductions.
S21 1,976, 800. These figures should be
understood as covering lines operated
under lease or other agreement as well
as operating companies.
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.
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 re-
suited in death and 36,73 in injuries of
varying character. Of railway en-
ployes, 1858 were killed and 27,667
were injured during the year Accord
ing to the three general classes these
casualties were divided as follows:
Train men, 976 killed, 1875 injured:
switchmen, fagmen and watchmen. 2O1
killed, 2,423 injured; other employees,
o16 killed, II 449 injured The casual
ties to employees resulting from coupling
and uncoupling cars We're killed, 214:
| injured 6,2S3. The corresponding fig
ures for the year ending June 80, 1896,
were Z29 killed and S,457 injured. The
| casualties from coupling and uncoup-
| ling cars were assigned as follows: Train
men, killed, 147; injured, 4,69S; switch
| men, fagmen and watchmen, killed, IS;
| injured, 1925; other employees, killed,
| 9: injured, 260 The casualties result
| ing from falling from trains and en-
| gines were as follows: Trainmen. kill
ed, 325; injured, 2,726; switchmen,
! flagmen and watchmen, killed, 81; in
! jured, 357: other employees, killed. 81:
| injured, 544
| The casualties to the three general
| classes of employees mentioned caused
! by collisions and derailments were as
| follows Trainmen, killed, 250: in
| jured, 1927; switchmen, fagmen and
watchmen, killed, IL; injured, "A; other
employees, killed. ~; injured, 251 The
| total number Of passengers killed dur
| ing the year under review was 222. in
| jured 2,795 Ninety-three passengers
were killed and 1,011 injured in con-
sequence Of collisions and derailments.
! Other than employees and passengers
the total number of persons killed was
! 4,o22; injured, 6,269. Included in these
figures are casualties to persons classed
as trespassers, of whom 1919 were kill
ed and 4,432 were injured. From sum-
maries showing the ratio Of casualties.
1t appears that / out of every 4S6 en-
ployes was killed and / out of every 80
employees was injured during the year
| With respect to trainmen. including en-
! ginemen, firemen, conductors and other
| trainmen, 1t appears that / was killed
| for every 100 employed. and / injured
for every II employed One passenger
was killed for every 2,2O4. .7OS carried.
| and l injured for every 1915 car