The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-03
Annual Bureau Report Shows .
Wonderful Development.
MANY MILES OF LINE ADDED.
The Last Fiscal Year Broks All
Previous Records OF Buiiding-
BetA Private and state Lines
show Splendid Earnings-Great
Deal Of Track now Under Con-
structAon-openins Up the Empire

n thea DAYS when Japan and the coun-
frfSn Of tho Orient are looking toward
America for trade that therstoforc has
been enjoyed by European countries, All
matters Of development In the Far East
are Of importance In the onward march
of progress there ID probably no country
that y making q greater advancement
than Japan. to whom little commercial I'M
portanoe was attached less than four years
aeo. with rapid strides the empire OF the
Mllxndo II fast coming to the front In the
way Of opening up to commerce section
or the country heretofore isolated
The Japanese imperial railway bureau mas
3ust issued its annual report, printed IN
English, and Is now engaged In circuiat-
ing It throughout the United States. II Is
for the fiscal year ending March II. lsSss
ana shows wonderful railway develop
meat During the last year ners Tefe
snsincrease Of % miles over the preceding
year, The total length OF state and pri..
vate lines In operation on the date named
psnies incorporated under formal charters
Whs s.. With q total capital OF 2S,1lb0W
yen. ana with as52 miles Of road I'd opsr-
During the year Is companies were form;
ed under provisional charters. with a total
capital Of 446a6.ooo yen and q length OF sOs
OF a. the companies under formal charters
lsars actually doing. business. the remain
der being engaged In work OF construc-
ton. Out OF the Y companies only have
these lines being the Nippon, s57 miles;
Kyushu, 315 miles; San Yo, 276 miles: Hok-
kaido Tanlxo, 2N miles. and the Kansat,
ton per mile On state lines during the year
was 79,0e9 yen, and on private lines ..226
ven, The Increase Of cost Of construction
during tho year was 9.l7a yen on state lines nee
general rise In the price OF commodities
The total rolling stock on state and pri-
passenger coaches and ,140es freight cars,
mostly OF American manufacture, an In
crease during the year. Of 20 locomotives,
II. osal capacity .o of freight
$3.50 tons, OF an increase of 5000 tons
over the preceding year The total locomo-
tss tbs RAIN dgsns BE yssr a wa1 the
mileage sl,067,9S4 an increase Of q. % and
70 per cent. respectively for the three items
named. a. compared with the previous
zp,zsi tons, and 1883 tons of liquid fuel.
The total number OF passengers carried
oethe combined lines during the year was
SMkiS. exclusive Il baggage which
saasanted . q. s. sf Yen. q which 1851:
coipts, Presses yeE rAc4ipts 1ron1 postal
business. and 5.S6 yen from miscellaneous.
Compared with the preceding year there
was an increase Of Is per cent. in passenger
receipts, IA per cent. In freight receipts and
10 per cent. In baggage receipts, but on a
mileage basis there was a decrease of "a
per cent. In passenger receipts. and 3.6 per
cAIst. in freight receipts. ~
FROM all sources the total income OF
state and private lines for the year was
1.70o.67s yen. The total working expenses
amounted to 17765 ,544 yen, which is an in
crease OF 6,40l,44S over the record Of the
previous year.
At the time of issuing the report there
were many orders In this country for ma
terial. A supplementary note states that
the company has recently placed an order
for 10000 tons OF eixty-pound rails with
tho Carnegie Steel Company. The first de-
. hveries are to be made in June next, and
! the price paid was $S3 gold per ton.