The record-union., 1898-08-23
Some Interesting Figures Are
Given to the Public
In the Statistical Report Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Ninety-Five Per Cent. Of the Mile
age in This Country Laid With
Steel Rails-The Number OF
Men Employed Over Nine Hun
dred Thousand.

WASHINGTON, Aug 22.-Fron
summaries which will appear in the
tenth statistical report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, prepared by its
statistician, the following advance fig
ures are obtained: On June j. 1875.
there We're 12S roads in the hands OF re-
ceivers. These roads operated a mile
age of il SCI miles, the mileage owned
by them being 1884 miles. These
figures, as compared with those of 1896,
show that there was a net decrease or
12,614 miles in mileage operated, ana
S622 miles in mileage owned by roads
in the charge of receivers. During the
year ending June 80, 1897, fifty-cne
roads We're removed from the control
of receivers, and twenty eight ROADS
were placed under their management.
The total railway mileage in the
United States was 1S4,42S miles, there
being an increase of 1,6o1 miles, or ~
per cent, during the year.
The capital stock represented by rail-
roads in the hands of receivers on June
80, 1891, was S4S6,064, ,610; funded debt
1881 ,407 100, and current liabilities
S113. .S06,34S
A comparison OF these figures with
those corresponding for the preceding
year shows a decrease in capital stock
represented of over 256,000,000. and
a funded debt of over S56S. .0O0,OO0.
Ninety-five per cent of the railroad
mileage of the country are laid with
steel rails.
The total number of locomotives in
service was 259S6, an increase OF
thirty-six for the year. The number
of passenger cars was 532, 626, and or
freight cars 1,221, ,730 OF the total
number of cars 525, ,625 were fitted with
train brakes, the increase being I6, 6,43Z.
and G7S, 725 were fitted with automatic
couplers, an increase of 133,142.
The number of men employed by the
railroads of the United States on June
so 1887, as reported, was So, ,4I6. These
figures. assigned on the mileage basis,
show that 449 men were employed per
100 miles of line. The corresponding
figures for the year 1896 were slightly
larger.
The number of passengers carried
during the year was 4S9, 445,19S a de-
crease of -, 321 ,o39 The number of
tons of freight carried was I41, lO0,94o
which is "a 1S5, ,439 less than for 1896
The gross earnings of the railways
of the United States in the year ending
June 80, 1897, as reported for an OPP
Grated mileage of 1S3,2S4 We're 81 ID,
0S9, ,153. In comparison with the pre-
ceding year, this amount shows de-
crease in gross earnings of S2S,0I9,6o3
The sources of income comprised in
gross earnings from operations OF the
year were for the passenger revenues
SOL. 135 92I, decrease as compared
with the previous year S1o, o,4266O6;
mail S33, 754, 466. increase S1,3I4,64I,
express SD, 901 066. increase S2o,6S3'
other earnings-passenge service
81. .629. $50; freight revenue SIG2.S49,-
314. decrease S132, 165, ,523; other earn
ings freight service S4,209,6oI; in.
crease S323, 161; other earnings from
operation, etc, SOS, ,G09362.
The expenses of the operation OF rail
ways for the fiscal year covered by the
report were S752. 524, ,764. This amount
is $50. AGA $50 smaller than the CORE
spending amount for the year 1898
the operated mileage for the year being
1S1 $50 miles.