The sun., 1916-12-26
RAILROADS INCOME
is $1,O98,OOO,OOO
Net Revenue From Operations
in 1915 Will Show Peak
of u. s. Prosperity.
RECEIPTS FOR Q MONTHS
Interstate Commerce Statis-
tics Show %785.558.266
in That Period.

WAsHiNGToN, Dec. 25.--NIore than one
billion dollars net income from opera
tions was made by the railroads OF the
United States in the year now closing.
The huge total IL the peak OF prosperity
In railroad operations. and stands more
than one-third higher than the total Of
1918. hitherto the banner year
Statistics gathered by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, complete for
nine months and made the basis for cal
culation for the entire year. indicate that
the total net income from operations will
he approximately sl.09s. 900. 200. For
the first nine months of the year COM
plete returns show s7s5.55S.2s6. Even
this does not represent the full amount.
AZ roads whose income Is less than
sl.O0o.00o are not included.
The estimate of sl.09s. 100000 IL re-
garded by officials as conservative II
makes no allowance for normal increase
In business during the last three months
OF the year-returns for which are UNI
ava.lable--but places the income for
October. November and December at the
same figures as for July. August and
September. There IL no question. off,
cials say. but that there will be an in
Increase Of 17 Per cent.
Analysis OF the returns for the first
nine months shows startling increase
from January to September. amounting
to more than 81 per cent Thus net In
come in January. s6i.s15.2Ss. had
mounted to slo7.slosl4 in September.
an increase of nearly S43.0O0.00O.
For the first nine months OF the year
the commissions figures show that the
railroads collected s2.65i.s29,s47 from
all sources of operation. the chief Of
which were as follows Freight. sl.S15.-
O19990: passenger traffic. s522. 2.l03,907 !.
mails. s45,3ts.600 from express COM
panies, s65,OS9.i14 ncidentals tdining
and buffet car service, operation OF ho-
tells and restaurants. sale OF vending
privileges on trains and at stations. par
Gel rooms at stations. demurrage. stor-
age of freight and baggage. telegraph
and telephone wires leased to other com
panics. operation OF grain elevators, etc },
$S0.4lt.59,. and all other transportation
charges. s76.0S7.6Il. The last item em-
braces sleeping and parlor car service.
freight on milk, which has virtually an
express service. switching charges and
the operation of specia! trains.
biggest Gross Income On Record.
This total, using the frst nine months
as basis, Will reach $3.6Oo,oio.Ao2
when the year closes. officials estimate
and without doubt will exceed H. Never
before i'm the history OF railroad opera
ton have the roads had SO great gross
income
Expenses have not kept pace with the
rapid rise in receipts. although they
have measurably increased. From total
OF sis2sS1. .2sa in January expenses had
increased TO s203.235,S?t In september
approx imately IL per cent. During that
period receipts had increased from $780,
O543OS TO s324,s5t.30l. approximately
e5 per cent. The chief items OF expense
for the nine months period for which rc-
turns are available are as follows
Maintenance OF way. s32o, ,l51.j26 .
maintenance OF equipment. si4l,I4O, ,o6a .
TRANSFORMATION, ss5s,973.j3o; traffic
,s.679Aoe: miscellaneous operations,
Slq.aOi..Ga: general expenses Including
administration, SOL 1885, I2s. All oper-
ating expenses totalled siIiii6o,0e:.
Expense 2.3aO,O86. 900.
ON the same basis the years expenses
will approx mate s23is ,os6,sso. leaving
ne, revenue from operations Sl.2Ji,5'3,-
5la. From the last hsure, however
must be deducted the railroads annual
tax bill. approximately Slb5,6:5,5i6, and
bad debts-down on the books as
uncollect,ble revenue approximatine
| sa65.9.S. a total OF sliG,5alA7t
About a3o.50o miles Of railroad were
| in operation In 1915. In the first months
| the total fell below 10000, during the
| latter part OF the year II exceeded .3o.-
ooo. Using 100000 as an average. re-