Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-25
Some American Railroad Figures.


The statistics as t. our American
railroads are so stupendOus that they
mean little to most of us. The mathe-
matician and the statistical crank can
grasp their Significance, but the aver
age citizen gets lost in the labyrinth
Of figures. A writer in the Kansas
City Journal tlkes the latest railroad
figures and by some familiar cuaparl-
sons makes them mean 4 little more
than they otherwise would. For IN
stance he points out that the aggregate
length of all railroad lines in this couil-
try is greater than the distance between
the earth and the moon. They carry,
in the course OF a year. IA times more
people than there are i'll the whole
world IL we estimate the passcnSe'
traffic by the number of p Cple carried
one mile Their employees are more
numerous than the combined regular
armies of any t,:o nations. and they
kill and wound III their opc: atoms each
wear more people ;han The soldiers that
japan lost IN The capture of Port
Arthur Their receipts and dishursc-
merits surpass those of the richest
nation in time Of war. Getting down
to the actual fis;ures ana using the las:
annual report Of the interstate COM
merce commission as a basis for calcu-
lation. we find that the aggregate
single tack railroad mileage in tn,
United States is ?O7917: BIT: if we take
all tracks into consideration it is 2S3.-
ST.. The rolling STOCK comprises 1881
locomotives and 1.iJ}. $50 cars. of which
3S,140 are used in passenger service.
This ackage ard property are owned
by about 1000 different roads. capital
with s6.444. f31,2"6 of landed debts.
They keep on their payrols l.:125S'
employees. or 80 TO every lineal mile,
who receive in the aggIcS-te s,.5,32l.-
AS annually IN wages
During the year tn SO roads carried |
6Hi. SCI ;,35 passengers 425l42, 20i miles |
for SAL 704.592 and 63S. SSoejS tons Of
freight 113221 1898 niles for Sl.3oS.-
0a0036 The total receipts. If We in
clude income from various sources with |
gross earnings. we're s. lOG.54,@Sl, out |
OF which were paid among other sums |
sl66 1855 in dividends and s1,25, ,5GS.- |
So for ope: ating expenses. The gross |
earnings average about s925S per mile. |
The aggregate number OF persons re-
ported as killed was a,Si0. and the ag
Grcgate number Of persons reported as
injured was 1865.
OF the fatal CASUALTIES. 3,6O6 We're
sustained by employees. 355 by ,'asscn- |
gers. S13 by persons uncl1ssitied. and |
) 900 by persons trcspassing on the |
property If the companies. The num- |
Der of injuries sustained by employees |
.iurin- the year was o0.iS1. by passen !
gers S.:23;, and by other persons 1911. |
The fast that over hal: Of the persons |
killed were trespasSrrS IS a point of |
great si2nitican-. to the Clcdit Of the |
railroads and shows on" If the causes |
for the long list % accidents. TIL" |
American peopl" in general are NOR" |
careless and reckless than the man. |
ayers of the railroads. Ttcy are i'm |
patient d. delays. and by habit and
they tr% I" reach th"ir
destinations with the last possibl" loss
IF tine. They take big risks Of life, |
limb and property. Th,y are cXictmg
II their demands rs L" speed. and
hence they often for railroad mali
lgcrs I" transGrcss those rules for
safety which are patiently submitted
10 by the trdvcIing Public in other |