Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-11
EARNINGS OF THE LINES
Not So Much as in 1907, But Greater
Than 1906 and 1905.
DECREASE IN THE CASUALTIES
Annual Report of the Interstate
Commerce Commission-Practi
Pronounced Discriminatory.

Commerce Commission-Practic
Pronounced Discriminatory.
The annual report of the interstate COM
merce commission was made public today.
One of the matters of most general in
terest was the statement Of railroad earn
ings. 1t was shown that the earnings
on operating averaged for the country
nearly $1,000 a mile above all expenses.
In. this connection the report says:
ION basis of average mileage operated
during the year of 226,121 miles the
freight revenue was 81 $50, $40, passen-
ger revenue, $566, 800, 100; all other reve-
nue. from transportation, 1851. S73. 1915; rev.
enue from operations other than trans
portation, $A, 1897 1872, making total OPP
Grating revenues. $2,424.64O,637, or $1o,-
I'D per mile of line. The total operating
expenses were 81 500, 1Ol $40, or 81, 1876 per
mile of line, leaving the net operating
revenue S729. 53s, 1853, or S3.226 per mile
of line. Deducting from the net operat
ing revenue taxes in the sum of SSi,S6o-
SIG, the net operating income for the
year ended June 30 1908. was S64i,6IS-
242 for the entire mileage, or $3.50 per
mile of line. The ratio of operating ex-
penses to earnings shown by this re-
port was 1891 per cent
Decrease in Earnings.
The report also states that the tempo
rary financial depression from which the
country is now emerging resulted in the
diminution of railway revenues consider
ably below the high point reached in 1907,
the banner year in American railroad his
tory in respect of gross and net earnings,
as well as volum of traffic, and that in
several instances the necessity for plac-
ing railroad properties in the hands of re-
ceivers was wholly or partially due to the
serious and unexpected decrease in earn
ngs. In view however. of the widely
circulated reports that the loss inflicted
upon the railroads was so severe as to
warrant universal advances in rates or re-
duction in wages, or both, it is interesting
to note that the gross earnings Of all
less than the gross earnings for 1907
were S9S,SI5,410 in excess of the gross
earnings for 1905 and S342 los, 231 in ex-
cess of those for 1905. and that the net
earnings lOT 1910, Jill ,OJ3
less than for 1907 and $50 349 13S less than
for 1906. We're $37 COS, 504 in excess of
those for 1905. These figures indicate
that whatever may have been the fact in
individual cases the railroads of the
country as a whole, did not suffer so
severely in comparison with years Of
normal traffic and business conditions as
may have generally been supposed.
Differs With Supreme Court.
bn
the Supreme Court on its ruling in the
Hartman investigation. It says that
when Mr.. Hartman or any one else gets
control of such huge public utility as
transcontinental railroad and uses it for
his own ends he ceases to be private
party within the intent Of the law and
should not be allowed to shield himself
behind the privilege of a private indi-
vidual. 1t adds:
THE Supreme Court, however. is of
the contrary opinion, and the commission
can, of course, only suggest to Congress
that if there is to be any full Investigation
by the federal authorities of these finan-
cial dealings some action must be taken
by the Congress.
Decrease in Casualties.
"1n the year ending June 30, 1908 there
was a remarkable falling off in the num-
Der Of casualties to both passengers and
| employees. due to some extent to dimin-
1Shed traffic on railroads generally AS
appears from a summary published in the
| report, the number of passengers killed in
train accidents was 165 in 1908 as COM
pared with 40 in the previous year There
| is also gratifying decrease in the num-
| Der of employees killed and injured The
| number of employees killed in coupling
accidents shows a reduction of 20 per
| cent from the previous yearly record
Attention is called to the necessity of
| legislation authorizing an investigation.
under direction of the commission, of
train accidents, for the purpose of OBJ
| tanning light on the question of preventive
| measures for the future.
Enforcing the Rate Law.
"The enforcement of the Hepburn act
| by means of criminal prosecutions still
continues to be necessary. This work
| has gone forward satisfactorily during
| the past year. Since December 1, 1906.
| forty-six indictments for giving or re-
| ceiving rebates have been returned in
| the various judicial districts of the coun-
try. In the same period forty lone prose-
| cutions were concluded. twenty-four by
| convictions or pleas of guilty in the trial
| courts seven by convictions upon appeal
| "
| an indictment by the court of appeals
| after conviction in the trial court, and
six by entry of nolle prosequi before
| trial.
| 1.-The division of prosecutions has also
I investigated many practices of carriers
| during the year which have been held
not to be of sufficient gravity for prose-
| cutions. but which being of doubtful
| propriety have been required to be cor
| rected or discontinued.
Discriminating Arrangements.
| arrangements by which carriers farm
| out a portion of their duties to shippers
| generally result in discrimination. Under
this heading may be placed the evils aris-
ing from private ownership of freight
cars, the allowance paid by the carriers
| being frequently excessive. Elevators op-
Grated by shippers and furnishing serv-
| ice covered by railroad tariffs usually re-
suit in more less complete monopoly of
the grain business passing through them
| Lighterage arrangements when made be-
| tween carriers and shippers are also
| means of discrimination. The ownership
| of cotton congresses by shippers and the
| treatment of their services as a railroad
| dutv also works diScrimina tiOn in the