Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-26
EARNINGS OF RAIL
ROADS SETRECORD
TRANSPORTATION LINES OF THE
COUNTRY HAVE UNPREcE-
DENTED PROSPERITY.

Washington. D. c., Dec. 26-More
than $l,000,000,00O net income from
operations was earned by the rail-
roads of the country during the year
now closing. The huge total is the
peak of prosperity in railroad opera
tlons and stands more than one-third
higher than the total of 1913, hitherto
the banner year.
Statistics gathered by the interstate
commerce commission, complete for
nine months and made the basis for
calculation for the entire year, indi
cate that the total net income from
operations will be approximately ST.
O9S,O00,000 For the first nine months
of the year complete returns show
$7S5, ,558,266. Even this does not rep
resent the fun amount, as roads whose
income is less than 81 ,0G0, 600 are not
included.
The estimate-$1, ,09S, ,ooO, ,000-is re-
garded by officials as conservative. It
makes no allowance for normal in
crease in business during the last
three months Of the year-retrns for
which are unavailable-but places the
income for October. November and
December at the same figures as for
July, August and September.
Data for Nine Months.
Analysis of the returns for the first
nine months shows a startling in
crease from January to September,
amounting to more than 81 per cent
Thus, net income in January, $64,915,-
206 had mounted to $107,910,S14 in
September, an increase of nearly $43,-
600 900.
For the first nine months of the year
the commissions figures show that
the railroads collected $2,654 ,S29 CAT
from all sources of operation. the
chief items of which were as follows:
Freight. $1,s75, ,019 800: passenger traf-
fic, $522. .103, ,907: mails, s45,34S 500;
from express companies, $65,0S9,47
MISUNDERSTANDING and buffet car SER
vice. operation of hotels and restau-
rants. sale of vending privileges on
trains and at stations, parcel rooms at
stations. demurrage, storage of freight
and baggage. telegraph and telephone
wires leased to other companies. oper-
alton of grain elevators, etc.-$60. .414.-
597, and all other transportation
charges, s7e,0s7.611.
This total. using the first nine
months as basis, win reach $3,600.-
640,502 when the year closes, officials
estimate, and without doubt will ex-
ceed it. Never before in the history
of railroad operations have the roads
had so great a gross income.
Expenses Fall Behind Pace.
Expenses have not kept pace with
the rapid rise in receipts, although
they have measurably increased.
From a total of $1S2,SS1, ,269 in Janu-
arv expenses had increased to $685.
1885, 1874 in September, approximately
II per cent During that period re-
ceipts had increased from $3.50, ,054 300
to s324,954, ,302, approximately Is per
cent.
On the same basis the years ex-
penses will approximate $2,346, ,06S. $50,
leaving net revenue from operations
$1,254,573,512. From the last figure.
however, must be deducted the rail
roads annual tax bill. approximately
$155, ,625,54S and bad debts-down on
the books as uncollectable revenue
approximating $965,92s, total Of
$156, ,591, ,474
About 100000 miles of railroad
were in operation during the year. In
the first months the total fell below
100000; during the latter part of the
year it exceeded 100000 Using $780,
900 as an average, returns show that
for every mile Of road operated in the
country the railroads will receive this
year approximately $15,655 in gross re-
qeipts and net income of s4,774, or a
little more than 80 per cent of the
gross.