Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-05
MILLIONS USED
TROLLEY CARS

CeulnS year ana wages pdlu ShhpioJS CO
jumped 27.4S per cent. over 1916.
Following the reading of the re-
port the stockholders reelected the
following directors whose terms had
expired: Edward Bailey. ]. M. Cam
eron and S. F. Dunkle.
Report of Earnings
The annual reports show that
while the gross earnings of the COM
pany increased $155,673.59. or 1873
per cent, the net earnings were in
creased only $11,76S.62, or Sc per
cent. The operating expenses dur
ing the period increased $136,52O.37,
or 2S.9 per cent. The percentage of
operating expenses as related to the
gross earnings was 52.05 per cent,
an increase of 5.45 per cent. over
1916.
According to the report the gross
earnings in 1917 were $1,17O,677.96
and in 1916 the figures were $1,015,-
004.37, the increase for last year be-
ing $155,673.59. The operating eX-
penses for last year were $685.
415.01 and in 1916, $472,S94.64, an
increase of $136,520.37; allowances
for depreciation, $9S,670, as COM
pared with $95,476 in 1916. an in
crease of $3,194;. taxes. including
amount reserved for unsettled taxes,
$83, 800, as compared with $4,000 in
1916, an increase of $4,000; rentals
of leased lines in 1917 were $751;
940.60, against $157,55O in 1916, an
increase of $S90.60. These items for
fnf a
with $S05,920.64 in 1916 and show
an increase of $143,904.97.
These expenses deducted from the
gross earnings make the net earn
ings for 1917, $22O,852.35. In 1915
the net earnings amounted to $685.
083.73, the increase in 1917 being
$11,768.62. The income from the
company's investment in 1917 was
20,421.S0, an increase of 81, 1,624.47
over 1916 and the total of the net
earnings and the income from in
vestments for 1917 was $241,274.15,
or 13,393.09 more than in the pre-
ceding year. The interest paid on
bonds during last year was $14S,-
S75. or S267.S6 more than in 1916,
making the net income for the COM
pany, $92,399.15, or $13, 3,125.73 more
than in 1916.
Operating Costs Heavy
On December 81, 1916, there was
balance of $7S,700.12 on hand and
this, with the net income for 1917,
made s171, 1,099.27 from which divi-
dends of l x per cent. paid April
and 1 per cent. paid October !, to-
falling $57,750 were deducted, leav-
ing $113, 3,349.27.
During the year, the report shows,
$104,7S8.95 was expended for main
tenance, as compared with S77,-
1868 in 1916. The gross earnings
as already noted Increased $155,-
673.59, or 1873 over 1916. Against
this increase" says the report,
there was an increase in operating
expenses of $136,520.37, or 2S.9 per
cent. This entire increase in gross
earnings, therefore, with the excep-
ton of $19,153.22, was consumed by
increased operating expenses.
This heavy increase in operating
expenses was due largely to the alb
normal increases in costs of fuel, re-
pair. materials and wages.
Comparing the cost of fuel for
making power, we have in 1916,
$41,5S4.12 and in 1917, $105,0S3.S4,
an increase of $63, 3,499.72, or 152 per
cent.
'"rhe cost of wages was sSi9.-
974.16 as compared with $274.-
632.O6. for 1916, an increase of
$75,342.1O, or 27.43 per cent.
Operating conditions have been
the most severe this winter, eX-
perienced in the history of the com
pany. Schedules have been most
difficult to maintain, due to the
severe weather and heavy SHOWS,
forcing vehicular traffic on the
tracks, and also disabling tenn
porarily, much of the rolling stock"
OF the rolling stock, the report
says that during 1917 five new
standard city type cars of the No.
600 series were purchased, together
with five large suburban type cars
of the No. 500 series. Announce
ment was also made that five more
of the suburban type were ordered
for delivery in the spring and the
stockholders were warned that the
prices will be greatly in excess of
those of last year.
"At the end of the year, the roll
ing stock equipment was as fol-
lows:
Passenger service-Total num-
of closed cars, 105; number of open
cars. "a.
"Of the one hundred and five
closed cars, ninety-one are of the
pay-within type.
"In miscellaneous service-6 old
passenger cars, snow sweepers,
snowplow, l street sprinkler.
1.-TWO (2) 31k ton gasoline motor
trucks were purchased to replace
teams that it was customary to hire,
and the results have been entirely
satisfactory.
Substation
Ground was purchased at Reilly
and Marion streets, Harrisburg, for
erecting a substation to utilize high
tension current that will be pur-
chased to take care of the overload
at the main plant.
"Your board thought it advisable
to arrange for this power, rather
than attempt an enlargement of the
power plant equipment at this time.
Deliveries of machinery of this
character cannot be secured under
one and one-half to two years, and
the prices prevailing are extremely
high.
Track and Roadway
mo extensions of work of an inn
portant character were undertaken
during the year. Scarcity of labor
and difficulty in securing materials
made it impracticable to undertake
any extensions or betterments.
while the gross business for the
year was large, the heavy operat-
ing costs were out of all proportion
to this revenue, due to the fact that
the rate of fare has remained sta
tionary. Taxes are rising very ran
idly, and with these unavoidable ex-