The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1906-04-06
RAILWAYS IN TEXAS.
Annual Income in This State Com.
pared With Illinois Roads.


that lead in railway mileage, it Is
proposed in this communication to
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 2G5,7S0
square miles, had railway mileage
on the date mentioned OF 11,74i miles,
or one mile Of railway to every 22.6
square miles; Illinois, with an area
OF $3.50 square miles, had a mileage
Of 1885 miles, or one mile of rail-
way to every 40 square miles.
The capitalization, including stock
and bonds, of the Texas railways
amounted to $3S9,73G.O27, or s33,4lS
per mile; that of the Illinois railways
to SOL ,3t3,3 of $GO,271 per mile.
The income of the railways IN
Texas from operation was SIS, 733,884,
or 1889 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,G15,771; on the other
hand, the income of the railways in
Illinois from operatiOn-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
mprovementS-amO to $2l,S19,-
AS, or 1855 per mile, to be applied
10 the payment OF dividends on stock.
The number of paying passengers
carried during the year on the Texas
roads aggregated 12,276,4S4; on the
Illinois road, 53,547,29O.
The freight transported on the Texas
roads amounted to 30,653,07O tons; on
the Illinois roads, 123,5Si,0S7 tons
the increase in tonnage during the
period named over the preceding year
on the Texas roads being 100, 126 tons
and on the Illinois roads, 6,S32,2SS
tons.
The comparison above drawn well
illustrates the disadvantage under
which the Texas roads labor as conn.,
pared with conditions affecting rail-
way operation in the more densely
populated states.
Nor should it be overlooked that
the capitalization per mile of the
Texas roads is much less than the
average capitalization per mile of the
roads In the states IN any group, as
shown In the report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission for 1904. Il
should also be borne in mind that II
was upon the stock of only seven Of
the Texas roads, aggregating 446 miles
In length, that dividends, amounting to
$3Sl,S27, were paid during last year;
and that the current revenues of the
roads were not sufficient by S1,615,77l
to pay expenditures for current oper.
alton, interest, taxes. betterments and
rents.
Much has been said about the bond.
ed indebtedness Of the Texas roads,
which Is S22,433 per mile. An exam
ination OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission report for 1904, however,
will show that the average bonded in
rebtedness per mile of the roads In
Texas is much less than the average
bonded Indebtedness per mile OF the
roads embraced in any other Of the
groups as defined by the Interstate
Commerce Commission. The question
Is pertinent-Can good and suffl-
cient reason be given why the Texas
roads should not be allowed to earn
revenue sufficient to enable them to
pay current operating expenses. taxes,
rents, and interest and, also, to salts.
factorily respond to the cry that Is
coming up from all parts Of the state
for better roads, better and faster
service, better depot facilities, and
more freight cars? 1t may be also
pertinent to ask: rs 1t to the inter-
est of the people OF Texas to so reduce
their revenues that they cannot i'm
prove their roads and render better
service to the people? These are
practical questions and should receive
the consideration their importance de-
mands. No other question more d.
rectly affects the material welfare and
prosperity OF the people.
JOSEPH D. SAVERS.
MtchelI's telegram.