The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1925-01-06
THE RAILROADS SPENT
300 MILLIONS IN 1924
ECONOMY AND EFFICIENCY
MARKED OPERATION OF THE
LINES PAST YEAR.
TRAFFIC GREATEST KNOWN
Despite Economies and Record Bust
ness Earnings Were Only 4.30 Per
Cent Paid Million Dollars Day in
Taxes. Interesting Facts.

ness Earnings Were Only 4.3o Per
Cent. Paid Million Dollars Day in
Taxes. Interesting Facts.
| Although the railroads established a
series of high records the past year in
the volume Of traffic handled in trans
portation economies they failed to
earn $50 per cent on their investment.
This is the substance of a state
ment issued by the American Railway
IAssociation, in which it is shown that
"the greatest efficiency and economy"
in the history OF the industry, plus an
unprecedented amount OF business,
still left the railroads without that
moderate return contemplated under
the existing level of transportation
charges"
Interesting Data Given.
The association submitted interest
ing information on capital iexpendi-
lures, cooperation by shippers, in
come, taxes paid and new equipment
purchased.
Translated into dollars, the operat-
ing efficiency of the railroads, the as
sQciation insists, meant a saving to
the shipping public of about $600000,-
900 in reduced freight rates alone,
compared with the rates in 1921. Also
it was said an enormous saving to
the public was effected through
prompt and adequate car service.
Part of the economy in operation
in 1924 was due to lesser costs for
materials and lower rates for labor"
the statement said. The great bulk
of it, however, was due to improved
methods OF operation made possible
by large capital expenditures for
equipment and other improvements.
Spent More Than $800,oo0,oOO.
For improvement in the transporta-
ton plant and expansion of its capac-
ity, including Improvements in and
additions to roadway facilities loco
motives and cars, the railroads au-
thorized in 1924 capital expenditure
of Sl,100,000,000, it was shown OF
that amount expenditures during the
year were more than $S00,000,000,
which leaves about $300,000,000 of au-
thorized capital expenditures to be
carried over into 1925. No estimate of
what capital expenditures will be in
1925 has been made, this depending
on business conditions and the freight
traffic outlook.
Reports up to November | showed
that for locomotives capital expendi-
lures authorized for 1924 amounted to
$l01, 233,000; for cars, $412, 264, 600 and
for other work which included inn
provement in roadways, structures
and extension OF line $563,800,000.
New Record Set in 1924.
The association cited the new rec
ords set in handling traffic. Some of
these were:
The greatest freight traffic for any
month in history was carried in Oc-
tober, when the total amounted to
43109, $4,000 net ton miles.
More cars were laden with revenue
freight in the week ended October rs
-1,112,345 cars-than in any other
week in history.
Except for coal, coke and ore load
ing of all other commodities this year
was the heaviest on record, amount
ing to 37,800,000 cars, an increase of
10 per cent over 1928.
More cars were laden this year with
grain and grain products than ever
before, the total being 100000 cars.
Loadings OF miscellaneous freight
in 1924 were the greatest on record
for any similar period.
The greatest number of cars in any
one week i'll history were laden with
miscellaneous freight the week ended
October rs.
On October IS there were moved
1,0302l1 freight cars, the greatest
number in any other day in history.
In October there was an average
of 43.8 cars per freight train, the high
est average ever attained.
Net operating income of class
carriers was given as about $970,000,-
000 or 40 per cent on their property
investment Their earnings in 1923
were 81, 657 600, or AL per cent. This
estimate for 1924 was based on COM
plete reports for 10 months, which
showed net operating income of $685.
075,079, Or at an annual rate of return
of 4.3l per cent on the property in
vestment, and an estimate based on
incomplete reports for the last two
months of the year.
100000 Per Day in Taxes.
Class railroads paid $350,O00,O00 in
federal and state taxes, nearly $1,000
600 day. This was an increase Of
about $13,618,000 over the taxes paid
in 1923.
Cash dividends paid in 1924, accord
ing to an estimate by the bureau of
railway economics, amounted to $685.
100000, an increase OF about s., 100000
over 1923.
AUTO LICENSE FEES IN