The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-13
THE NATIONS RAILWAYS
STATISTICS SHOWING LAST YEARS
GROWTH OF THE LINES.
Amazing Development of Rail Trans
pOrtation I'm the United states I'm
the Past Fifty Years.

The thirty-second number of Poor's
Manual, now in press, will show that the
length Of steam railroads in the United
States at the close of the year 1898 was 1885,
SO miles; total track, including second,
third, fourth and sidings, 245.239 miles; laid
with steel rail, go s04 miles; number OF 10
comotives, 30. 546; number of passenger cars,
25.A4; baggage and mail cars, sos; freight
cars. 12S4 s07. Total liabilities. 81 96S, Isl 20;
excess of assets above liabilities, S12. 2S5 367,-
ZOE. The rapid development of the railway
system OF this country is one of the mar
wells Of the present century and an achieve
ment that no other people has ever equaled
and probably never will equal. The heaviest
construction of the year was in the south
western group of States, in which no less
than sl2 miles were built, Arkansas having
60 its credit 224 miles. Texas $50 miles, New
Mexico 159 miles. Missouri 1S2 miles
and Oklahoma Territory 40 miles. The i'm
portance OF the work IN this section can
be more readily comprehended when COM
pared with the records Of greatest construc-
tion In other groups and in other years since
1890
The most striking exhibit in the intro
duction to the Manual is the growth OF
the railway system Of this country in the
will be remembered. railroad construction
was begun in this country as early as 1890.
at the end of 1850 there had been completed
only 9,O21 miles, all of which was confined
TO the territory east of the Mississippi. the
State of New York then leading with 1851
miles. Pennsylvania coming second with l.
24O miles and Massachusetts third with 1,035
miles. Gross earnings Increased s116,692 09S
On 1898 over the earnings of 1897 and $l2S,-
e26. 500 over the earnings Of 1896 Large as
these increases appear the greatest in
crease In earnings was in the freight de-
partment, which aggregated sos. 924. 526 in
hS9S. as against $3.50. 351 ,sS9 in 1897, the In
crease of $SS.572.5S7 being equal to 1.29 per
cent, Notwithstanding a decrease of ESQ per
mile, which in 1898 reached the lowest fig
ures ever, recorded, being 7.5S mills. as
against 797 mills in 1897 and SH mills in
1886. In 1880 railway construction was be-
road being the first line undertaken. In
1910 the various lines completed aggregated
es1S miles. In 1850 the mileage had been in
creased TO 9,021 miles; in 1860 TO 30626; in
1870 to 50, 922 and in 1880 TO 3,296. Then be-
gan the greatest boom in railroad construc-
ton that the world has ever witnessed. re-
eulting in the construction in q period OF
four years-1SS0 to 1882 inclusive-of 4S71
wave was followed by a comparative lull
extending over two years. during which
about 500 miles of line were added TO the
countrys railway ramifcations, and there
after the second great wave OF railroad con-
struction swept over the country. In the
five years from 1875 to 1890 inclusive, the
additions TO the railway mileage Of the
country aggregated $3.50 miles; making a
total for eleven years-1S0 to 1S90-of 79,11S
miles. or only 1853 miles less than had been
constructed In the previous fifty years.