Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-27
RAILROADS FORM
LARGE INDUSTRY
OVER 1000 900 CARS ARE OWNED
az THE ROADS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
VALUE is BILLIONS
Tho $1,000 Locomotives Consume S21s,
DOC. 1000 for Coal and Water An
nuaIIy-Trackase is $780,
900 Miles.

Most people know that the railroads
of the United States form one Of the
largest industries in the world, but few
realize the magnitude Of the enterprise
that Is represented by the maze of in
itials seen on the various types of cars
that daily pass through this and other
cities in the wonderful interchange Of
traffic that Is constantly moving over
the country. AS there are 2,146,000 cars
in use by the railroads of the United
States and their value is placed at $2,-
S00,000,O00 one will readily see that the
railroads represent a large industry
The following from the Rock Island
Employees Magazine sheds some light
on the value of railroads in the United
States:
The 100000 freight cars of the rail-
roads of the United States, valued at
$4,000 100000, and capable Of holding
47,000,000.O00 pounds at a time. are
sufficient to form single train around
the earth at the latitude of Chicago.
In them are hauled annually over L.
500,o00,000 tons Of freight, each ton Of
which is carried 151 miles. This is equal
to hauling one ton almost 220,000,o00,-
600 miles.
The $4,000 passenger cars of the rail-
roads Of the United States, valued ut
s300,O00.0O0. are capable of seating at
one time 100000 people, and, if press
ably 100000 persons.
They transport annually almost 9O0,-
100000 passengers, each Of whom rides
approximately thirty three miles,
Practically, therefore, one passenger is
hauled 10000. 100000 miles. i
There are $1,000 locomotives doing
service for the railroads Of this coun-
port people and wares. The total num-
Der is estimated to be worth no less
than $1,000, 100000.
The freight and passenger locomo-
tives alone cover eight and half mil !
lion miles in a single year.
The engines consume annually fuel
and water enough to cost the public |
effect Of the distribution of which is |
felt in every nook and corner Of the
land.
Yet the owners of these vast facil
tiles rendering SO tremendous service
to the people of the country, received
for the year ending June 80, 1909. only
1896, 100000 in dividends on total cap
italization Of s14.00O,00O,000.
The trackage of the United States.
100000 miles, would build railroad
from the earth to the moon, and 100,-
700 miles beyond, or 1873 transcontin-
entail railroads.
The rails Of the $4,000 miles Of our
tracks weigh approximately 43,000,000
tons. and would counterbalance the
weight of three fourths of the people
IF the earth There are enough to form
eighty two steel roads with which to
skewer the earth.
To hold the rails to the ties, in round
thirty times as many spikes
are necessary, 3o0,O00.000, as the num-
Der Of the stars which even the keen
ems Of the sensitive film Of the camera
nave been able to reveal. The cost Of
,hese spikes alone is approximately
3o,o0O,000.
Practically 9oo.0oO.00O ties, 7,s5o,ooO
:eet long, receive these spikes.
TO transport each passenger. the
.ailroads move four and a half tons of
equipment or dead weight. useful only
n making it possible to carry pas
senger in safety and comfort.
For each family in the United States
The railroads ship seventy-f1ve tons
annually: this is equal to one ton be-
ng shipped total distance Of 1925
niles.
Each inhabitant of the United States
.akes approximately ten trips on the
railroads yearly Of thirty-three miles
each. The cost Of this service is only
one and seven tenths cents per day
per capita. and nothing if he does not
choose to travel.