The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-04-13
RAILWAYS IN TEXAS.
Annual Income in This State Com
pared With Illinois Roads.

/
contrast the operation of their rail-
ways during the year ending June 80
| 1905, as shown by the annual reports
of their respective commissions.
Texas, with an area of 2G5,7SO
square miles, had railway mileage
on the date mentioned Of H. 44 miles,
or one mile of railway to every 20
square miles; Illinois, with an area
of $3.50 square miles, had mileage
of II .C36 miles, or one mile OF rail-
way to every 10 square miles.
The capitalization, including stock
and bonds, of the Texas railways
amounted to $3S9, 1902, or s33,4lS
per mile; that Of the Illinois railways
to SOL, 3d. 1856, of $GO,27l per mile
The income of the railways in
Texas from operation was $l5,735,3S4,
or 81 ,339 per mile, out of which were
to be paid interest on bonds, taxes and
, expenditures for betterments and
rents, which left a deficit to the roads,
for the year of $l,G15,77l; on the other
hand. the Income of the railways in
Illinois from Cperation-after deduct
ing operating expenses, salaries and
maintenance of organization, interest
-, on funded debt, interest on interest
bearing current liabilities, rents for
=. lease of roads, taxes and permanent
:, Ovements-amounted to S2l,Sl9''
- AS, or $l,S75 per mile, to be applied
- to the payment Of dividends on stock
q. The number of paying passengers
4 carried during the year on the Texas
-. roads aggregated 12,276,4S4; on the
no Illinois road, 53,541,29O
ht The freight transported on the Texas
roads amounted to 3O,G53,O7O tons; on
the Illinois roads, 123,5Si,0S7 tons
nS the increase in tonnage during the
he period named over the preceding year
Ill on the Texas roads being lGO,l26 tons
Oh and on the Illinois roads, 6,S32,2SS
'0p tons.
w. The comparison above drawn well
ust r,.... 49,. ,;.od,,o,toro u,dor
"' which the Texas roads labor as COM
Inv pared with conditions affecting rail.
way operation in the more densely
.n populated states.
Nor should it be overlooked that
p A.
a,o the capitalization per mile OF the
80, Texas roads is much less than the
:, average capitalization per mile of the
our. roads in the states in any group, as
shown in the report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission for 1904. |
get should also be borne in mind that |
tier, was upon the stock of only seven o
that the Texas roads, aggregating 446 mile
60 in length, that dividends, amounting t
orK' 1891, 1927, were paid during last year
IN and that the current revenues OF tn
ming roads were not sufficient by $l,6l5.77
'hey to pay expenditures for current ope
u alton, interest, taxes, betterments an
so0' rents.
oin' Much has been said about the BON
and .,.o,. :, H. ~, roo5
the 600 100 ILL A., or
nation OF the Interstate Commert
reat. Commission report for 1904, howeve
ght? will show that the average bonded
ness, rebtedness per mile of the roads
they Texas is much less than the ayerat
, not bonded Indebtedness per mile OF &
titled roads embraced in any other OF Il
Using groups as defined by the lntersta
that Commerce Commission. The questi
: are is pertinent-Can good. and sui
9 the cient reason be given why the Tex
any. roads should not be allowed to ca
revenue sufficient to enable them
pay current operating expenses, tax
.hou rents, and interest and, also, to sat
1000, factorily respond to "the cry that
,,,o,,, coming up from all parts Of the st;
for better roads, better and fas
service, better depot facilities, a
ti-calf more lrelsh' carS may NC
o the pertinent 10 ASK Is II " INC III
never est OF the people Oh texas u ~ ieu
road their revenues that they cannot
n him prove their roaus anu fehuer, oe'
Up, for service to the people lnese
n. and practical questions and should rece
)ughly the consideration their importance
10 one mands. NJ. other question more
will be rectly affects the material welfare
those prosperity Of the people.
-. -z- JOSEPH D., SAVER
= l. 3t3f