The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-03
Hundred Million Advance
According to Report of
Commission.
OF MUCH INTEREST
AT PRESENT TIME
Has Bearing on Organized Move
ment of Railroads for
Higher Rates.
By o. P. NEWMAN.

The net operating revenues Of the
railways of the United States for the
first eleven months OF the fiscal year
ended June so. 1910. were more than one
hundred million dollars greater than the
net operating revenues for the CORE
spending eleven months Of the fiscal
year ended June so. 1909.
The Nav bulletin on operating reve-
nues and expenses of all the steam roads
in the country was issued bv the Inter
state Commerce Commission today This
makes il possible 10 show what the
railroads have done during all but one
month OF the year Just closed. Oper-
stinz revenues for the eleven months
were S2,52,2l2713- Operating expenses
were 1850. .s5s,11s leaving a balance OF
sse1- 81 -59S with which TO nav taxes. divi-
dends and interest on funded debt
At the close OF the first eleven months
OF the fiscal year ended June 80, 1909.
the railroads mad net operating revenues
OF S75c -. PA with which TO paw taxes.
dividends and interest on funded debt
The exact increase for the first eleven
months OF the fiscal wear ended June
80 1910. over the first eleven months OF
the year ended June 60, 1909, is SI13,513,-
3S1- In other words, the net profits from
the operation IF all the lines are big
ger by more than S110,0o0,0o0.
OppOrtune Time
The compilation of the revenues
and expenses by months for the eleven
mCnths Of 1870. and their comparison
with the corresponding months OF
1903, are particularly interesting at
This time. because Of -he organized
movement Of the railroads for higher
rates. The railway officials viii soon
make their arguments before the
Interstate Commerce Commission, IN
support Of the enormous number OF
notices Of proposed increases already
fled They viii base their claim 70
higher rates largely on the statement
that the expense OF operation has in
creased 70 such a point that the COM
panies cannot, under existing rates,
meet their dividend and interest
charges, and cannot provide addi-
tionaI interest for bonds which must
be issued 10 provide for the COnsJruC-
tion Of new lines
The greatest factor in the list OF
causes Of greater expense viii be
held 70 be wages On many Of the
trunk lines the pay Of employees has
been increased since April l. In their
statements 70 LLe press numerous
railroad operators have estimated the
Increases AT S2O0.0OO,O0O q year
In view OF the fact that nearly all OF
the recent wage Increases became ef-
ectfve before Nay ], and therefore
would be expected TO cause an in
crease ii the operating expenses for
that mOnth-many Of the increases, IN
fact becoming effective April IA
study Of the reports OF the last three
Of the first eleven months Of the fiscal
year 1910 is intensely interesting In
the accompanying table II viii be
noted that operating expenses for
March were S15s.471-5O0- For april
they were less, S15S.569-5TS- For Nay
they were more, S162,526-l49-
Wage Increases Included
The reports for Nay include prac-
ticaLy all the wage increases The
May operating expense IS the biggest
Of ali the eleven months, but il is
only about sS.0O0.00O 10 S10000,00
greater than the earlier months. in
which the greatest operating revenues
and greatest net revenues were re-
corded. This would indicate that the
total wage increase of the country Is
nearer 500. 100000 than 100000. 600
q year
For convenience OF comparison with
previous years by fun years, the June.