Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-14
PROSPERITY OF RAILROADS
IntsrItGte Commerce Commission Gives Out
Comforting Statistics.
MORE MILES AND MORE EARNINGS PER MILE
Year Ending June 30, 1901, Most
Prosperous Ever known to the
Great Transportation Lines
of the Country.

Statistics OF railways In the United
| States for the year ending June 30, 1901,
disclose a remarkable state Of general pros
perity in this great and important industry.
In nearly every department Of the business
| enormous gains have been made over the
year Immediately preceding, which was
itself a year of Advancement and progress.
More miles Of track were In operation at
the close Of the fiscal year 1901 than twelve
months before; the equipment OF the vari-
GUS roads was better and much more ex-
~tensive; thousands more men were en-
ployed; the capitalization and value OF
property was far greater; public service OF
the roads had undergone vast improvements
and produced larger results; earnings were
larger and operating expenses proportion
ately larger.
In not a single branch Of railroad ao-
tivity was serious retrogression apparent
nor even stagnation. Everything moved
forward and the comprehensive facts and
figures as compiled by the Interstate Com
merce commission in its fourteenth sta
tistical report afford a really interesting
II not wonderful subject for study. 1t Is
we'll worthy the mention that despite the
fact Of the increased mileage Of railroads
during this twelve months, which puts into
operation for the first time so many new
lines, the gross earnings have not suffered
q decline, but, on the contrary, experienced
a substantial Advancement.
Increase in Mileage.
On June so, 1901. the total single-track
railway mileage in the United States was
1877, 237.44 miles, this mileage having in
creased during the year S,8s1.66 miles. This
increase is greater than that for any other
year since 1898, excepting 1900, when II
was 4,051.12 miles. The sixteen states and
territories for which an increase In mile
age in excess of 100 miles is shown are
as follows: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana. Mime
sofa. Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Car
olina, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia,
Indian Territory and Oklahoma.
For the year under consideration the
mileage operated with respect to which
detailed returns were made was 1876, $40 80
miles. Including tracks Of all kinds, the
aggregate length Of railway mileage was
265. 366 20 miles.
The gross earnings for this year from
1876, $50. 92 miles we're 1.5SS, 526. OS7, which
was S1O1, 4s1. 22S more than for the fiscal
year 1900. The operating expenses were
81, 1850, 1897. 270. having increased in COM
parison with the year preceding Sos. s6s, 759,
1Foss earnings were IN uelal as ioilo"s'
Passenger revenue 1851. S56. 265. increase. as
compared with the preceding year. S27,-
$40. s26; mail sSs, ass. 500. increase SOL ,12s
express ss1. 121, 6lS. increase 81. 7O5. 46S; other
earnings. from passenger service Ss.202 .ss2,
increase s41 $50; freight revenue S1,1ls.
543.O14. increase 500. use. 6s1; other earnings
from freight service S4,O65. 457, increase
t71s.545; other earnings from operation. in
GLIDING unclRssihed items, $50, 7s3. 100, in
crease 1856, $40. Gross earnings from opera
tion per mile Of line were S4O1 more than
for the year ending June 80, 1900. being
ts.l2s.
Ths operating expenses Of the railways