The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-13
RAILROAD NEWS.
Another Road Is Expecting
Good Times.
Erie Recovered From Recent
Panic in Good Shape.
SHOPS ON FULL TIME.
Company Paid Twenty-Five Mil
lions for Labor.
other Items of Interest in Rail-
way Circles.

In the pamphlet report of the Erie
road for its last fiscal year the follow
ing analysis of the earnings and ex-
penses is made:
with the depression in earnings
made manifest in October of the last
year, the directors of the Erie railroad
were called upon to decide as to the
wisdom of maintaining the property, or
by the installation of drastic economies
endeavor to conserve the earnings to an
extent that would pay the charges for
the fiscal year.
Although reductions in salaries.
wages and forces were made, it was
decided in no event to allow the prop
erty to depreciate and the shop and
maintenance of way forces were, there
fore. kept on full time with the result
that the Erie is emerging from the de-
preston with it's roadbed cars and en-
gines in normal condition.
THE merchandise freight carried
amounted to 16,25S427 tons; the anthra-
cite tonnage was 9,O5S.591, an increase
of 430,542 tons, and the bituminous coal
tonnage 7,078, 08S, a decrease of -26O,612
tons; the coke tonnage was 1924, 500
tons, a decrease of 1,056,6S2 tons. The
total revenue freight of all classes ag-
gregated 33.627.706 tons. The general
average freight rate per ton per mile
train mile was $2.79.
THE total number of passengers car
ried was 23,654. 436, a decrease of 545.-
2S7. 1t developed that the local traffic
increased while the through traffic fell
off. resulting in a slight gain in the
rate per mile the average being 1.4S4
cents. The volume of business de-
creased 2.25 per cent and the revenue
increased 80 per cent. OF the total. 22,-
1851 were local and 67S,S25 were
through passengers. The Pavonia
Ferry carried 19.361, $50 passengers, a
decreased of 356,929.
During the year 152 Industrial es-
Establishments We're located on the line
of road. -ninety-seven of which have d.
rect sidetrack connections. In addition,
twenty-eight industries were located
where they are reached by paying
switching charges to other companies.
Side tracks have been constructed to
nine industries not heretofore reached
and side tracks extended at twenty
five industries previously located, to
take care of increased business.
"Of the total operating expenses
$22. 1885, 1928 or 54.37 per cent was paid
by the company direct to labor, being
distributed among 3S.403 employees. The
several state and federal laws recently
enacted, reducing the daily hours of
service of certain classes of employees,
have been made effective and have
created a large additional expense
without any corresponding return"
The report calls attention to the pro-
gress of the work on the Erie and Jer-
sery low grade line, ten miles of which
were placed in service since June 80:
the construction and now almost COM
pleted Columbus and Erie improve
ment; the Genesee River railroad be-
tween Cuba and Hunts and the Ber-
gen Cut improvement in Jersey City.
Additions and betterments to the
property were made costing s7,289.6 SIG
during the year. of which $5S7.O2S has
been charged to company's income. To
provide for the enlargement of faciIi-
ties additional land has been acquired
at Jersey City, Port Jervis, Hornell,
Youngstown, Akron, Hammond and
Chicago.