The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-19

The Bureau of the Census has just published an exhaustive report on street and electric railways for the wear ending June 30, 1902. prepared un- der the supervision of MT. W. M. Steu- art. chief statistician for manufac- lures.
 In June, 1903, preliminary report on this subject was issued in the form of a Census bulletin giving the princi- pal statistics for all street and electric railways doing a public business in the United States.
 The report just published contains, In addition to detailed statistics, more than two hundred pages of text pre- pared by two expert special agents, MT. T. Commerford Martin, of New York city, and MT. E. Danna Durand, of the Bureau of Corporations. This text discusses the development of the mod ern street railway system, the genera tion and distribution of electric cur rent, car equipment, and variety Of other features upon which the tech nical efficiency and economy of the street railway service depend. It also treats of methods of installing and op- erating interurban systems, handling passengers, freight, mall, express, etc. Statistics are presented showing the growth of mileage and traffic. and the eneCt or 0eVelOpment upoh thc uiStii- button of the population.
 Among the other subjects considered in this volume are capitalization. re- 1ation of expenditures to receipts. gen. eral financial results, terms of fran chise, rates of fare. accidents, safety appliances, and the wages and condi- tions of labor.
 The value and interest of the report are increased by the introduction of maps and illustrations. the former showing the network of electric rail- ways in Ohio and Indiana and the lat ter showing the appearance, develop ment, and equipment of cars and sta- tions.
 Growth of Street Railways.
 The first passenger car ever con structed for a street railway was used in New York city in the third decade or the last century. This car was drawn by horses over strap rails laid on stone ties. Improvements introduced during the next forty years were principally In details, but the introduction of the cable system in 1873 was decided ad- vance in motive power. At the present time, however, the use of the cable car is confined almost exclusively to the cities of Chicago San Francisco, and Kansas City, while the trolley, which was not used to any great extent prior to 1885, has practically superseded all other systems. In several instances even the steam railways have intro- duced electric motive power on their lines.
 In view of the movement to abolish overhead wires in the large cities. the success of the open conduit system. which has been introduced in the more populous parts of New York and Wash ington, is worthy of note. In 1902 the number of miles operated by this sys- tenn in these cities was 246.
 Increase i'm Mileage.
 During the twelve years from 1890 to 1902 the total single track mileage for street and electric railways increased from SIPS to 22,577. This increase was due partly to the establishment of new railways. but principally to the exten- sion of the lines already existing.
 The mileage of the electric lines in- creased from 1,262 to 21,907, while there was decrease for the lines operated by other motive power, the decrease being from 4SS to 241 miles for cable lines, from I'll to ITO miles for steam lines, and from 5,662 to 259 miles for lines using animals for their motive power.
 In proportion to it's area, Massachu- setts has much more electric railway mileage than any other state.
 The average length of track per op- erating company increased from 10.56 miles to 2763 miles during the same period.
 The increase in mileage was accom- panied by corresponding increases as follows: Cost of construction and eqip- ment, from $3S9.375,2S9 to 67,6s4.O77. or 456.7 per cent; operating expenditures from $62,011,185 to- $142,312.597, or 129.5 per cent; number of passenger cars. from 32,505 to 60.290, or S5.5 per cent; number of fare passengers car ried. from 2,O23,01O,202 to 4,774,211,904 or 136 per cent; and number of em- ployes, from 70,764 to 140,769, or 9S.9 per cent.
 Cars.
 There were 66.7S4 cars of all classes in the United States in. 1902. Of this number, 60,290 were passenger cars and 6,494 were cars used for express and other purposes. Of the passenger cars 32.65S were closed, 24,259 were open and 3,134 were combination closed and