The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-07-03

making grand tota! OF 562.7SQ miles
in the whole world al the end OF 1905.
or the nearest date for which reports are
made. This is an increase or l2.S25
miles or 2:S per cent over the previous
1900, it having varied since 1898 from 10,
500 miles in 1900 TO I5i In 1904, while
the total additions to the worlds mileage
since 1893 have been 95.Sl6 miles, an
average or 1865 miles yearly,
OF the Increase In 1905, little more
than one,half was in America 1891 miles
IN North America and 1926 In South Amer
lea Gncluding the West lndies) Canada
is credited with 800 miles against 535
The year before, but In Mexico the addi-
ttons were but $50 miles In 1908, against
l720 in 1908. In South America, Argen
tina opened S37 miles Peru go Brazil SO
and the other additions were II miles in
the West Indies,
In Europe Germany opened 56T miles,
followed by Austria with $50 and France
with 430. Perhaps the most notable pro
gress was in Belgium, already with the
densest network, which added per cent
10 its mileage by building l35 miles, and
In Spain, which opened 1874 miles, which
is more than in any previous recent year.
European Russia is credited with but 166
miles In the year. which Is tho least for
many years and In the country which
needs railroads most.
Progress In Asia.
Progress in Asia keeps up. the 262i
miles in 1905 being moro than in: any
recent year, but not much more. None
is credited to Russia, but in British In
dia 1862 Were built and in China l0Ig
miles, The latter Is All increase Of 81
per cent in the Chinese mileage. and Is
significant Japan is credited with but
270 miles. but Korea, which had but 81
miles in 1908 had $50 I'm 1905 and that is
the work of the Japanes.
Only iS0 miles were opened In Africa
i'll 1905 but a great many different lines
are under way on that continent.
In Australia 632 miles were opened in
1905. The prolonged drought had pre-
vented growth there 1t Qncluding New
Iealandl had built but 1898 miles from
5000, OOC inhabitants. while the addition
was at the rate OF one mile TO 1850 In
habtants, while in the same four years
the 21.22i miles In the United States
Capital Invested.
The Archvs statistics Of capital In
vested include all the European railroads
except 9l5 miles. and show for them an
average OF STA 424 per mile. For the rest
OF the world the figures has been S57. .S3G
ital Invested in the railroads of this
country is exaggerated by including tho
50. 63S, 900. 900 which our railroad Compa-
nies have invested IN other companies
stocks and bonds with what they have In
vested in railroads In this way. for i'm
stance the S120, 900 600 which the Unior
Pacific has paid for the securities ol
other companies Is added to the face oi
that sum, while those securities are Still
counted AS representing the investment
OF the companies which Issued them. AL
lowing for this. the capital per mile OF
United States railroads was S5S,355, In
stead of the S65.475 reported,
The aggregate investment In al the
railroads In the world in 1905, as nearly
as can DE ascertalned. was si0.744, 000.-
900. which is mighty sum- indeed, yei
amounts to but about S2T per inhabitant
But the railroad capital per lnhabitant 4
S52 in Europe, and no less than Sl35 III
the United States. This, be it understood
does not include. street railways. trolley
lines and their like. The increase In the
worlds railroad investment during the
last year reported was just about $1,000
900 600. As Africa and Asia have only
fairly begun TO build railroads, and al
In Asia especially ther is actual need fol
scores Of thousands miles more, while thC
improvement OF old railroads In ew coun.
tries is also a pressing necessity II Is
easy to see that the world Will find ust
for its savings for some time to come
and II peace is maintained rapid progres.
may be expected.