The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-12-28
MORE THAN BILLION
EARNED BY ROADS
Greatest Prosperity Ever Known
for u. S. Carriers.
REPORT BY COMMERCE BODY
Statistics Gathered by Commission
Indicate the Total Net Income
for the Year Will Be
s1,oee, 100000.

IOT the year WIN Dc
$1,oes, 100000.
Washington, Dec. 26.-More than
81 900, 100000 net income from opera
tons was made by the railroads of
the country during the year now clos
ing. 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 interstate
commerce commission, complete for
nine months and made the basis for
calculation for the entire year, ind-
cate that the total net income from
operations will be approximately ST.
n9S 100000. For the first nine months
of the year complete returns show
$TS5, 5lS, 26G. Even this does not rep
resent the full amount, as roads whose
income is less than $10O0,000 are not
included.
Estimate Is Conservative.
The estimate-Sl 09S, 900, coos re-
garded by officials us conservative 1t
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 De
cember 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 the size.
Analysis of the returns for the first
nine months shows Il startling increase
from January to September. amount
aing to more than 81 per cent. Thus.
net income in January SG4,915,2SG,
had amounted to S1O7,91OS14 in Sep
TENDER, an increase of nearly SI3, 900
600.
Where Money Came From.
For the first nine months of the
year the commissions figures show
that the railroads collected S2,6J4 500
64T from all sources of operation. the
chief items of which were as follows
Freight, Si,S75,019. 800; passenger traf-
iic, $500, 103,907: mails, S45,34S, GO9 :;
from express companies $Gj,0S947i.
To Exceed $500, 64o,5
This total, using the first nine
months as n basis, will reach $1,000
Gi0,5O2 when the year closes, officials
estimate, and without doubt will ex-
coed it. Never before in the history
of railroad operations have the roads
had SO great n gross income.
Expenses have not kept pace with
the rapid rise in receipts, although
they have meaSurably Increased. From
total of SIS, ISL. 2G9 in January ex-
pcnses had increased To 500, pa. 1914
in September, approximately IL per
cent. During that period receipts had
increased from $260054.306 to S324,-
9J4,301, approximately % per cent.
All operating expenses totaled ST.
IA, 16O022
Expenses s2,346, oe6, 900.
on the same basis, the years eX.
penses will approximate S2,346, 066, 800,
leaving net revenue from operations
1,254 ,J13,512. From the last figure,
however, must be deducted the rail
roads annual tax bill. approximately
$3.50 ,G25, $40, and bad debts-down on
the books as uncollectable revenue
approximating $965,92S, II total Of
$156, 591, 4T4.
mil of
in operation during the year.
Compared with previous earnings,
net income for 1916 shows an increase
of more than 81 per cent over the
fiscal year of 1915; 50 per cent over
1914, and 81 per cent over 1913.
Wide divergence in receipts among
the roads of various sections is dis
closed. The overburdened railroads
of the East have skinned the cream
of the traffic. The congestion at east
ern seaports and on almost every east
ern road has spelled, in glutted sidingS
and slow-moving traffic, Il flood of
revenue the like of which was UNI
dreamed of even Il year ago. For every
lllIlt Oh lllt ,l'-NO III lllt tHSlflii group
more than $4,000 has been received
in revenue and every mile has earned
a net income Of nearly $1,000.
Why East Gets Profits.
While the usual eastward trend of
traffic, the great demands of nations
at war and the location of most of
the countrys factories, munition and
otherwise, in the East are given as
prime causes for this condition, sec
andary reasons are said TO be that
eastern roads for the most part have
short hauls and traverse densely pop
ulated areas. Especially Is this no
ticeable in the revenue from passen-
ger traffic, eastern roads, with 5000
miles, having received almost as
much in passenger fares as all the
rest of the roads in the country put
together, with a total of 110,SO0 miles.
PAGE Gets U. S. Greetings.