The Southern herald., 1900-06-01
GOVERNMENT RAILROADS.
interesting Facts Concerning Their OpsT-
alton in Prussia and Hesss.

Facts cOucsrning Their Opsr-
ation in Prussia and Hesss.
The railroads Of Prussia and Hesse
are owned by the respective govern
ments and operated by a joint man
lgement, with the exception of ,5S4 |
miles owned by private corporations,
The Pussian minister Of public works |
recently sent a report concerning |
these government roads 10 the Prus-
sian diet. from which the following
data has been reported by consular Of
hcials:
The total mileage has increased to
1S,494 miles. of which 12,4l0 miles
are main lines and 6.OS4 miles are To-
cal lines Eleven thousand and eighty
nine miles are single-track, 1929
miles are double-track, 23.6 miles are
three-track and 50 miles are four
track lines.
The invested capital Of the Prus-
sian-Hssse government standard
gauge railroads is placed at $l,S02,-
1896, or $91.444 per mile. The
capital invested has increased over
the previous year $39,300,000, and
the average cost for each mile $50.
The equipment was increased by 1872
locomotives, 1,1l1 passenger coaches,
$50 baggage cars and 1,41S freight
cars, at a cost of $27, $3.50, 900, against
S18,1l4,OOO the year before. The
number of locomotives in active serv-
ice has increased from 1862 to 49,
010; Of passenger coaches, from 21, :
039 to 21,SS1; of baggage cars, from
5,457 to 5,113, and of freight cars,
from 252, ,194 to 1897.
The purchase value of these
equipments is put down at $751;
100000, or 1862 per cent. Of
the total invested capital. The
number Of passengers transport
ed increased from 479,490,000 to
522, ,2SO,OOO, or S.92 per cent. Of
these, 1,74O,O0O were frst-class, 81
$4,000 were second-class, 260,360,-
900 we're third-class and POI 100000
were fourth-class passengers, Seven
million two hundred and thirty thou
sand travelled on military tickets.
The receipts from passenger traffic
increased from $73, 100000 to $751;
$4,000, or 706 per cent, while the
mileage only increased 1.68 per cent
The average receipts for every per
son transported is figured at Is cents.
against 1924 the previous year; and
per mile at 1.02j cents, against 1893
cents the year before. This decrease
per passenger and per mile is attrib-
uted to the comparatively large in
crease in the number of fourth-clas;
passengers.
In the freight traffic, the number
of tons transported increased from
181, $4,000 to 1872, 100000, or 60;
per cent, to which must be added 13,
$4,000 tons transported free o.
charge, so that the total amounted t
2O6,610,000 tons, against 1874, $4,000
tons the year before. The increase il
accounted for as a result of good time
and of new lines. Ofcoal, 81, 4,290,00(
tons were carried, which equals 4O.'
per cent. of all freight, against 70,
100000 tons, or 400 per cent. tn
year before. The receipts on freigh
increased 6.44 per cent.-from $197,
10000 to $199,150,0O0, being al
average of $1.33 per ton, agains
$1O29 the previous year.
The total receipts from passenge
and freight transportation in 1889
we're $3.50, 100000, an increase 0
S17,4OO,000, or 6.63 per cent. owe
1897-98; but here it must be born
in mind that these receipts would hav
been S6,O9O,OOO higher if the imperia
post office department had paid tn
full value for the services rendered
The total receipts from all source
for 1S98-99 were $500, 0,800,00O, an e1
cess of $17,SOO,OOO, or 6.3 per cent
over 1S97-98.
The total expenditures, however
had increased 1864 per cent. over tn
previous year, or from $156, ,41O,OO
to S17O,67OO00. The excess of rC
ceipts over expenses is shown to b
$127,77O,OOO = $1,180,OOO large
than in the previous year and $2,97O
900 more than had been estimated
The net profits are equal to 7.O7 pc
cent. on the total capital invested
against VA per cent. the previOu
year and 7.15 per cent. two years agC
Railway and Engineering Review
Bite Was Fatal.