The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-01-22
Many State Owned
Lands

Suggestions Of governmental con-
troll Of the railways OF the United
| States during the war, now being
made by oflcials Of the government
at Washington, lend interest to a
! compilation by the National City
] bank OF New York, showing govern
ment control or ownership Of the
/ railways throughout the world. II
shows that about one-third Of the
/ railways of the world are owned or
controlled by the governments Of the
respective countries or states in
which they operate. and that in
Europe, Asia, Africa and the British
J colonies more than one-half Of the
lines are government owned or con-
| troIled.
In some cases, notably Germany
and Australia, the railways are
chiefly the property Of the states or
subdivisions forming the general
government, in others they are the
direct property Of the government.
In Germany over 80 per cent of the
railways are classed as government
or state railways; Austria Hungary
SO per cent; Russia, "a per cent;
Italy, 70 per cent; Switzerland, SO
per cent: the Scandinavian states,
a. per cent, and France at present, II
per cent, while other parts OF its
system have been built in part or
whole by the government and are OPP
Grated by railway companies, and
will later revert to the government.
More Than Half in Europe.
OF Europe, as a whole, 81 per cent
OF the railway lines are classed as
state or governmental railways: Asia,
20 per cent; Africa, S. per cent;
South America, 81 per cent, and
North America but s per cent. In
Australia 80 per cent belong to the
colonies, which form the common
wealth of Australia; in New Zealand
80 per cent are governmental; India,
80 per cent, and the British colonies
as a whole, IS per cent; while those
of Great Britain, none is owned by
the government, though the entire
system is now temporarily control
led by the government for war pur-
poses. ..
In Canada about per cent of the
railways are government owned. In
China portions of the railways are
being constructed under agreements
which will finally make them gov
eminent property. and in Japan ~
per cent of the railways are now
classed as government lines.
The principal countries which do
not own or at least control any part
OF their lines are the United States,
Great Britain, Spain and Turkey,
though in certain OF the South Amer
lean countries, notably Argentina,
the share of the lines owned or con-
trolled by the government is COM
paratively small.
The cost of the railways Of the
world, including in this term first
and equipment, is estt-
mated at about so billion dollars, of
which those of Europe are about "a
billion, North America q billion,
South America 31h billion, Asia y
billion. Africa billion and Oceania
Ia billion.
The table which follows shows the
total number OF miles Of railway in
each Of the principal countries OF
the world, at the latest date for
which figures are available, and the
number Of miles owned or controlled
by the government or the states
forming the government.
The Mileage Compared.
The figures show miles OF road and
do not include additional mileage in |
the form of second, third or fourth |
main tracks or yard tracks and sid |
ings: