Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-04-14
VOLUME OF FREIGHT MOVED OVER
S.P. LINES in 1925 is GREATEST
IN HISTORY OF that RAILROAD

usual dispatch. With the exception OF
| the decrease noted in the movement
of citrus fruit freight traffic general
ly showed a gratifying Improvement
which, from presena indications, will
| continue through 1926
The average freight rate per ton
mile on traffic carried by the COM
pany in 1925 showed a decrease as
compared with 1924, the average reve-
nue. per ton mile being 1882 cents in
1925 and 1.4O3 cents in 1924.
While the average rate paid by the
public showed q decrease, the public
also gained in the amount of taxes
received from the companay, railway
tax accruals for 1925 amounting to
$21,275,282, an increase over 1924 of
$366,237 or LIS per cent. The taxes
for the year consumed 27.5 per cent of
the net revenue from railway opera
tions and almost equaled the total div
idents paid to stockholders which were
$22, 6O9,649.
The average tax per mile of road in
1925 was $1,6O9.
1t is interesting to note from the
report that the expenses incurred by
the company during the year on ac
count of the federal valuation of rail-
ways, amounted to 1920, sos, making
the total disbursements on this ac-
count from the time the valuation
work began to the close of 1925, $6,-
406,1O9
The report reflects a continued in
crease in efficiency in the carrying
On of the compaany's operations. For
example, the report shows that more
loaded cars were carried per train in
1924 and heavier tonnage was car
ried per train in 1925 than in the pre-
vious year, Still greater increase is
shown in fuel economy.
"The constant campFgn," says the
report, carried on for years to reduce
fuel consumption in locomotives, has
been reflected by gradual but large
reduction in the amount or fuel used
in proportion to ton mileage moved.
The reduction in pounds of fuel used
per 1000 gross ton miles in 1925, un-
der 1924, amounted to per cent in
passenger service and 2.1S per cent
in freight service. The value of the
economy realized in 1925 compared
with 1924 amounted to $725,48O and in
1925 compared with 1913 to $11,479,-
446."
During 1925, Southern Pacific in
creased it's equipment by 140 locomo-
tives, 158 passenger train cars, 9,104
freight cars and $50 units of work
equipment. The report also shows that
the company besides sharing one-half
the expense of 5000 refrigerator cars
ordered by the Pacific Fruit Express,
is also adding to it's own equipment
in 1926, by construction at company's
shops or by purchase from outside
builders, 48 locomotives, 81 passenger
cars, 1920 freight cars and IL units
of company service equipment. The
estimated cost of the rolling stock for
1925 thus far arranged for, including
Southern Pacifics one-half of the Pa
cific Fruit Express equipment amounts
to $40, 900.
The company's investment in prop
erty devoted to transportation pur-
poses is given as $1,341,7 ,780 while the
total investment of the company both
in transportation property comprising
it's transportation system and in af-
filiated companies, is given at ST.
O16,3S779O.
The transportation property is list
ed as follows: 1920 miles of first
main track, S94 miles of additional