Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1905-08-23
HOW THE UNEMPLOYED IN
CREASE.

Washington, Aug. 16.-The an
nual report of the Interstate Com
merce Commission giving the rail-
road statistics for the year 1904
shows that there we're at the end
of the year 297. O73 miles in the
United States, of which 12,243
were single track, 1924 second
track, 1,467 third track, 1.467
fourth track and sidings. The in
crease in single trackage for the
Year was 1927 miles, exceeding
the increase for any previous year
since 1890.
The number of persons on the
pay-rolls of the railways of the
United States, as returned fortune
80, 1904. was 1896, 121, or Gil per
100 miles of line, a decrease for
the year of 1916, or % per 100
miles. The wages and salaries
paid for the year amounted t.
1917, 500. $40.
The par value of the amount Of
railway capital outstanding on
June 30, 1904, was $13,213, 124, $50,
which represents a capitalizatioD
of $64 ,265 per mile.
Of the total capital stock out
standing, 81, 1895, 472, O10, or 42.5"
per cent, paid no dividends. Til"
amount of dividends declared du-
ring the year was 1921, 941 ,O49,
being equivalent to 900 per cent.
on dividend-paying stock. The
gross earnings were Il, 1915, ia, O9l,
being $74, 1927, 1874 greater than for
the previous year. Their operat-
ing expenses were 81, 1888. 1896, 253,
an increase of $S1 1857, 4O1. The
total number of casualties to per-
sons on the railways vas "a, 2O1,
of which 1O,O46 represented the
number of persons killed and 3d.
1856 the number injured.
Space and time will not permit
a close analysis of this report, but
we will call YOUR attention to a
few points. While the increase Ill
single trackage alone was nearly
5000 miles, the decrease III the
working force was over $4,000, If
the railway employees had been
increased in proportion to the in
creased mileage, the number en-
ployed would have been increased
to 1899, 781, and the consuming
power of the people would have
increased proportionately.
According to statistics, one en-
ployee in ten owns his home, and
while many who own their homes
sacrifice them in order to GO else
where in quest Of the work for
which they have fitted themselves,
we will be moderate in our claim
if we estimate the number thus
started on the road as tramps at
1900. There has been no great
labor-saving devices put in use IN
this line of industry during the
period covered by this report, and
the decrease in employees must
be due mainly to charging the
trains and concentration of busl-
ness. If such conditions prevail
in an expanding and growing IN
dustry, what may we expect from
other industries of less growth
and in which labor-saving devices
have more freely entered? Gov
eminent statistics for last year
show a million and a quarter of
workers constantly out of employ
ment, and yet our lawmakers Ill
over the land are enact1ng tramp
and vagrancy laws that place the
man out of work at once on the
criminal list, for he depends on
his labor for his living, and with
out work he has no visible means
of support, and his empty pocket
constitutes a CRIME against society
which has feeced him, according
to statistics, of four-fifths of the
product of his labor when at work.