Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-12-26
RAILROADS CLEAR
BILLION DOLLARS
Estimated 1916 Receipts
Reach Gigantic Sum Of
$780, ,640,602.
GREATEST YEAR IN HISTORY
Net Income One-Third
Above Former High
Mark Set in 1913.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 25.-More
operations was made by the railroads
of the country during the year now
closing. The huge total is the peak
of prosperity in railroad operations
and stands more than one-third
higher than the total of 1913, hitherto
the banner year
Statistics gathered by the inter-
state commerce commission, complete
for nine months and made the basis
for calculation for the entire year. in
dicate that the total net income from
operations will be approximately
sl,O9S. 900, 900. For the first nine
months of the year complete returns
show s7S5,55S.2G6 Even this does
not represent the full amount as
roads whose income Is less than
sl.000,O00 are not included.
Estimate Conservative.
The estimlte-sl .09S. 900, ,000-is re-
gardcd by officials as conservative.
IT makes no allowance for normal in
crease in business during the last
three months of the ycar-rcturns for
which are unavailable-bu places the
income for October November and
December at the same figures as for
July, August and September. There
is no question. officials say. but that
there will be an increase: the only
doubt is rs to its size.
Analysis of the returns for the first
nine months show n startling increase
from January TO September, amount
ing to more than 81 per cent. Thus
net income in January s64.915.2S6
had mounted to sl07.9i0.S14 in Sep
tember, an increase of nearly s43,-
900, 900.
How lt Was Made.
For the first nine months of the
year the commissions figures show
that the railroads collected s2.654,-
S29, ,Gi7 from all sources of operation.
the chief items of which were as
follows
Freight. si.s59.O19.99O: passenger
traffic $522. l03.907: mails, si5.3IS,
609; from express companies, S65,-
0S9,l1i; incidentals - dining and
buffet car service, operation OF hotels
and restaurants, sale of vending
privileges on trains aud at stations,
parcel rooms at stations. demurrage,
storage of freight and baggage, tele-
graph and telephone wires leased to
other companies, operation of grain
elevators. etc-S6O, ,414,597; and all
other transportation charges, s76,-
0S7,61l. The last item embraces
sleeping and parlor car service; freight
on milk which has virtually an ex-
press service. switching charges and
the operation of special trains.
An Immense Toa;.
This total, using the first nine
months as II basis will reach $4,000
G4n.592, when the year closes, Off
cials estimate and without doubt will
exec cd il. Never before in the history
of railroad operations have the roads
had SO great gross income.
Expenses have not kept pace witt
the rapid rise in receipts altho they
have measurably increased. From u
total of $1S2.SSl,2 ,269 in January, ex-
penses had increased to S203,235,394
in September, approximately IL per
cent. During that period receipts had
increased from S260.054, 300 to 1924
954,301. approximately 25 per cent.
The chief items of expense for the
nine months period for which returns
are available are as follows;
Maintenance of way S32O.l57, ,526,
maintenance of equipment s44l,75O,-
069 transportation SS5S,973.536,
traffic s46.679,422. miscellaneous
operations sl9,90i,769, general eX-
penses including administration s61,-
s96,42S. All operating expenses
totalled Sl,7+I, l60,022.
Expenses of Year.
On the same basis the years ex-
perscs will approximate S2,346, ,066,-
$50 leaving net revenue from opera
tions ,25l57S.5l2. T"om the last