The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-01-03
Raj WAY STATISTICS FOR 1915

Less miles OF new railroad were
built In the United States during 1915
than in any other year for over nfty
years. or since 1864. and more miles
of railroad were in receivers hands
during the year than ever before. &C
cording to the Railway Age Gazette
summary Of its railway statistics Tor
the wear, compiled from official
sources and published in its annual
review number. There have been only
three other years since 1S48 when
the increase in railway mileage was
less than 1000 miles and they were
the civil war years of 1861. 1862 and
1854.
In 1915 the total mileage Of new
railroad constructed in the United
States was 933, as compared with l.
532 in 1914 and 3,071 in 1918. There
was also large reduction In the
mileage Of second track built. In ad-
dition to the new line there was
built 356 miles of second track, as
compared with sos miles in 1914. and
1924 in 1913, and 65 miles OF third
track, fourth or other multiple track.
making total of 1854 miles OF track,
as compared with 2,127 in 1914 ana
4.466 in 1913. The largest mileage
in one state was in Pennsylvania,
WHICH QeduS Tie ilSl III oSoeSS "ASN~
90 miles. Oregon was second with
S3 miles and Washington third with
II miles New lines were built In
thirty-seyen states, while none was
built in eleven states. Canadian roads
built IT'S miles of new first track.
as compared with 1878 in 1914. In
Mexico 365 miles Of new line was
built as against none reported for
1914.
In the United States the reports
received by the Railway Age Gazette
show 2C62 miles OF new line project
ed. 1924 under survey and 1907 I'M
der construction and uncompleted, a
total of 1888 miles in prospect. A
wear ago there were 2.031 miles of
new line projected, 1,229 miles sur
yeyed and LOIS miles under con-
struction, or more than was actually
completed in 1915. In Canada there
are 375 miles of line projected. 299
miles under survey and 57S miles
under construction, total OF 1.25S
miles and in Mexico rs miles of line
are being built.
On December 81, 1915. according to
the Railway Age Gazette's compila-
ton, 1861 miles of railroad. with 9
total funded debt Of s1.607, 1895, 500.
and a total Of $747,004,801 capital
stock, or securities amounting to 81
35 .,s00,301 in all, were being oper-
ated by receivers. This represents
nearly one-sixth Of the total mileage
and capitalization of the railways OF
the country. On October 1, the mile
age in receivers hands. over 4l.000,
was the greatest ever recorded. Since
then the receivership Of the Wabash,
with ISIS miles, has been terminated,
and several small roads have been
sold under foreclosure. The mileage
now being operated by receivers was
exceeded in 1894, when the total was
4O.S1s on June go Roads having a
total mileage of 20,143 and a total
capitalization of s1,o7O, s08,62S went
into receiverships during the calen.
dar year 1915. This is the greatest
mileage placed in receivers hands
during one year since the panic year.
1893,
One Of the best indications Of the
progress of the railways is the ex-
tent to which they have added to
their equipment, and the Railway Age
Gazette has also compiled statistics
showing the number of new freight
and passenger cars and locomotives
ordered and built during the year as
follows: