Year: 1878

The above figures also show that May is the
heaviest month in Sixth avenue travel, and that the
receipts OF the Metropolitan Railway will probably
reach their highest figure next May unless heavy
blockades on the street cars should divert an
unexpectedly large proportion OF the horsecar travel
during the next two months.


PROFITS OF THE SIXTH AVENUE LINE.


In spite of the above decrease Of about $4,000 in
their receipts to the Both of September, the Sixth
Avenue Horse Car Company was able to pocket a
profit of Sl79,120 twenty per cent on . capi-
tai of s75Oo00 according to their own report 1t is
said that to show that the road had been ruined by
rapid transit and thus to enlist the sympathy OF the
public, no dividend declared usual but. in
addition to the 500 12O. which figures interest"
sl50.00o profit was put down under reduction float
ing debt One of the favorite methods of THIS road
to avoid show of enormous profits has been, it is
alleged issue certificates of indebtedness to its
stockholders, and, in this way it has been publicly
stated dividend of 100 per cent was divided by its
stockholders in 1874 and 1875 Some of the items
in the Sixth Avenue Company report afford
curious reading. Thus the cost OF ''roalbed and
perstructure' is put down at over 100000 for a
hors ecar line less than four and q half miles in
length, ut about S20OUO0 per mile. Carefully
made published estimates have placed the at from
$40 900 to $4,000 per mile. The road has ia
and 1?1 horses. and, according to the figures OF the
company, each must have Cost $1,000 tevcn allow
ing for wear and tear aud necessary renewall. and
each horse and harness about s1T0 The company
has about $50 drivers and conductors, who are put
down for slG7,5S9. 1t will thus be that the
company expends four times as much on one of its
conductors drivers IL does of its horses
For the letting of their panels for advertising
the company add $3.50 to their receipts, or about
$12 per car.


THE THIRD AVENUE LINE.


Next TO the Sixth avenue the business the Third
avenue re is of the greatest popular interest Just
now; for except the former it has been largely
affected by rapid transit than any other line. This
line is generally conceded to have been perfect
bonanza, and in the dividends of single years the
shareholders have received in profits as much
their entire original investment The Third avenue
company also raised the CRY that the elevated railway
would ruin" its business and reduce il to beggary.
Nevertheless, after the New York Elevated Railway
had been in operation to Sixtyseventh street for "A
portion of the year and had been carrying fifty
thousand passengers per day on Third avenue the
company still able to pocket profit of $T400J0,
thrtysevcn per cent. on waored of s2Oo00O0
The above thirty per cent profit. in the opin
of competent experts represents ut least seventy
fve per cent on the original investment or the cost
and equipment of the road. The latter item cost of
road il modestly stated in the report at over
St0tW.CO0, or more than s5OO,000 per mile, which
would make IL cost about twice much the ee-
vacd railway above its tracks This item will give
slight idea Of the jugglory of figures which
the horse car companies display in making
up their reports to the State Engineer, ia
order to show heavy investments. moder-
ate profits and. consequently. the utter inn
possibility OF their paying the city anything for
their valuable franchise OF reducing their exorbi-
tant fares Of doing anything for their passengers
comforts. of paying their conductors and drivers
more than starvation wages. Tho average traffic of
the Third avenue line last year was about eghythree
thousand per day, and the statement may well be
credited in view Of the enormous profits OF the com
pauy, that at reduction OF fare to three cents
the road would pay splendidly. The road has from
four to fivc hundred drivers and conductors and
ABOUT TWO thousand norses ana tns morse car COIL
pany has also found that IL costs-even a 81 75 per
day-more to keep a driver q conductor than a
horse, which costs about forty fifty cents per day
for maintenance!


THE SECOND AVENUE LINE.


The business Of the Second road is OF special
Interest in view Of the prospective construc-
ton Of elevated railway over its line by
the Metropolitan Company. This road car
ried last year just about the number car
red by the Sixth avenue horse line and presumably
the Second avenue elevated line would, therefore,
enjoy traffic equal to that on Sixth avenue II IL
be objected that there more people travelling on
Sixth than on Second avenue who can afford to pay
ten cents IL may bt replied that the FIVE cent traffic
on Second avenue would probably be much greater
than Sixth. particularly in the morning. The
road has i,lyT horses and mules, which.
with harness, &c, stated to have cost
slI66l6, or less than 500 piece. The cars were
not cheap for 167 put down at s92,s 800 making
1856 for each still only about half the price put
down Tor the Sixth cars. This. however Is
exclusive of repairs to cars, harness., &c put down
at $30,I39 81, or about Sl75 additional per car.
curious item Is "horscshoeing' which amounts to
less than $l6,5g3 25$I3 50 per horse or to little
over 81 u month each. The feed Of horses absorbs
s0s 1858, nearly 500 cac-lcss than 81 week per
horse. 1t is evident from these figures that the
horses OF the Third avenue company are either
great deal hungrier great deal better
fed than those ON the great rival line on