Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-26
Commissions Statistics

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 OPP
erations will be approximately $685.
600, 000 For the first nine months of the
year complete returns show 1885,
266. Even this does not represent the
full amount as roads whose income is
less than 100000 are not included.
The estimate of $1,09S, o00, 900 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-returns for which
are unavailable-but 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 as to its
size.
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 the net income in January of 1884,
915.2S6, had mounted to s1O7 $40. S14 in
i September, an increase of nearly s43.-
j COX. 900.
A. Never before in the history Of rail-
N9Oad operations have the roads had
Eoch a great gross income
expenses have not kept pace with the
Rld rise In receipts, although they
Ne measureably increased. From a
kal OF ls2,8S1,2e9 in January ex-
enees mad increased to 5000, 235, 1894 in
eptember, approximately II per cent.
Dur1ng. that period receipts had in
creased from $780, ,3o6 to s324.s54.-
s01. &ff. ''
! $4774 Per Mile
u About 23.50O miles of railroad were
IN operation during the year. Returns
show that for every mile of road op-
Grated in the country the railroads
Will receive this year approximately
Sl5,655 in gross receipts and a net in
come of $4774, or little more than 30
per cent. OF the gross. Compared with
previous earnings, net income for 1916
shows an increase of more than So per
cent. over the fiscal year of 1915; So
per cent. over 1914, and "a per cent.
over 1913.
East Gets the Cream
Nlue divergence III TeCelpLS among
the roads of various sections is dis
closed. The over-burdened railroads of
the East have SKINNED the cream of
the traffic. The congestion at Eastern
seaports and on almost every Eastern
road has spelled, in glutted sidings and
slow moving traffic, a flood of revenue
the like of which WAS undreamed of
even a year ago. For every mile Of So
200 in the Eastern group, more than
100000 has been received in revenue
and every mile had earned a net in
come of nearly $4,000. While the usual
eastward trend of traffic. the great
demands of nations at war and the
location at most of the country's fac
tories, munition and otherwise, in the
East are attributed as prime causes
for this condition, secondary attributes
are said to lie in the fact that Eastern
roads for the most part have short
hauls and traverse densely populated
areas. Especially is this noticeable N
the revenue from passenger traffic,
Eastern roads, with $4,000 miles hav-
ing received almost as much in pas
scnger fares as all the rest of the roads
in the country put together with a to-
tai Of 170.S00 miles.