The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-07-29
CONDITION OF the CUBAN RAILROADS,

The Inter Mountain has received from
the war department the exhaustive re-
port. extending to 34S pages. of Hon.
William H. Carlson to Major General
Leonard Wood, military governor of
Cuba. on the condition Of the railroads
Of Cuba. Mr.. Carlson was especially
commissioned for the work, and has ac-
quilted himself in a praiseworthy man
ner. The difficulty Of the undertaking
may be imagined from the fact that al
though in operation 50 years, many Of
the companies had never before made a
full report. There are 124 railroads in
Cuba, representing cost of $6S,474. 715.46
in gold. Seventeen are public railroads,
representing a cost of 57,164, 715.46, and
1O7 are private railroads, costing ST.
800, 692. The railroads Of Cuba aggre-
gate length of 1856 kilometers, or
2O97 miles. The public railroads aggre-
gate 1861 kilometers and the private
railroads 1894 kilometers in length.
The earnings of the II public railroads
for the last fiscal year amount to $6,212,-
1887. and their operating expenses ag
gregate $4,107 $4,000, leaving profit of
81. ,662S1 to Is public railroads. Only
two of the public railroads were oper-
ated at loss-the Sancti Spiritus and
Holguin Railroads. Their aggregate
losses We're $15,S59.53.
For the fiscal year the total taxes paid
by the railroads was approximately $751;
900. The United Railways. which earned
81, 529, OO6. As during the fiscal year, on
capitalization of $l7.275,200, paid only
Sc, S16.62 in taxes, or SIS mile. The Ma
rianao railroad of only nine miles paid
$S53.00 more in taxes than did the United
Railways of 2461s miles. The Cardenas
and Jucaro Railroad of 206 miles paid
nearly four times as much as the United
Railways of almost similar length. The
Puerto Principe and Nuevitas Railroad
of As miles paid 1850 more in taxes than
did the United Railways of over five times
greater mileage, and $685. more than the
Matanzas abroad of four times greater
mileage. The Western Railway paid
twice as much as the United Railways,
although the latter is more than twice as
long, and the Cuban Central Railway paid
three times as much as the United Rail
ways, although the latter is 60 miles
longer. The United Railways of Ha-
vana, although the longest and most
valuable railroad in Cuba, paid nearly
one thousand dollar less than the small
est public railroad in Cuba-the Mari
anao, Of nine miles.
These comparisons disclose an Inequl.-
able system Of taxation demanding i'm
mediate reform. No doubt the American
method will be applied although the
companies protest against any change.
The various corporations hesitate to
extend or improve their property, and
Mr.. Carlson recommends that railroad
materials be admitted to Cuba free of
duty for one year, to encourage the con-
struction of connecting links so sadly
needed. The Cuba Railway Con.pe ny. of
which Sir William c. Van Horne is
president, is constructing 400 miles Of
trunk line. Sir William urges in COM
munication embodied in the report, a
suspension of the tariff on rai'roa I ma
terials for two years, and other authori-
ties who have studied the economic con-
ditions of Cuba, make suggestions along
the same line. The government owns
three railroads which it is pr opposed to
lease or sell.
On the whole the report is a valuable
statistical contribution to cur Cuban
government literature, and cannot fail
to inspire the enactment ns progressive
and beneficial railroad legislation.