Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 July 1882 — RAILROAD PROGRESS IN 1881. [ARTICLE]

RAILROAD PROGRESS IN 1881.

An Increase of 11,142 Miles, making’ the Total in the United States at tbe End of 1881,104,813. From the forthcoming volume of “Poor’s Railroad Manual of the United States,” which has come to be acknowledged as an authority on snch statistics, the following synopsis of its prefatory statement of the general facts of railroad progress in the United States dnring the year 1881 is made : The year 1881 has been one of extraordinary activity in railroad affairs. Within the year 9,358 miles of railroad have been built, the greatest number for any one year. The greatest mileage for any previous year was 7,379 miles, in 1871. The totd miles in operation at the end of 1881 was 104,813, being an increase of 11,142 miles over the previous year. Tbe cost, at $25,000 per mile, of the lines constructed during the year was $233,750,000. In addition, ft least $75,000,000 were expended on lines in piogress, and $100,000,000, which is at the rate of only SI,OOO per mile, on old roads, in improving tlmir tracks, in building new stations, and in adding to their equipments. The total amount expended in construction dnring the past year was, in round numbers, $400,000,000. It now seems probable that the mileage to be opened in 1882 will equal that for 1881. Up to the Ist of June, 1882, 3,677 miles of line were opened, against 1,734 for the same period in 1881. The same rate of increase will not be maintained for the remainder of the year, but the aggrgate for it of new mileage is not likely to be much short of 10,000 miles. The earnings of all the roads in operation in the country the past year equaled $725,325,119, being an increase over the previous year of $110,000,000, the rate of increase being nearly 16 per cent The earnings equated $13.60 per head of our population. Their net earnings were $276,654,119, an increase of $24,500,000 over those for 1880. Their current expenses $449,565,071. The amount of interest paid dnring the year on their funded debts was $128,887,002; the amount paid in dividends was $93,342,200, against $77,115,411 for 1880. The cost of operating our railroads for the year was $449,565,071, or 62 per cent of their gross earnings. The total amount expended l their construction of new lines and in operating and improving the old ones was over s7so,ooo,ooo—the greater part of this vast sum being paid in wages. The number of persons employed in operating them the past year averaged fully twelve to the mile of operated line, or 1,200,000 in all. The number employed in the construction of our railroads equaled 400,000, increasing the total number of employes to 1,600,000, or about one-thirty-second part of our population, estimated at 53,200,000. The tonnage transported on all the railroads in the country in 1881 cannot have been less than 3,500 tons to the mile, or 350,000,000 tons. At an assumed value of SSO per ton, the value of the tonnage moved on all the railroads of the United States the past year, less one-third for duplication, was, say, $12,000,000,000, or more than S2OO per head of the whole population. The gross earnings for the New England States wero $52,880,809, agaiust $48,755,609 for 1880, $41,329,825 for 1879, and $41,260,203 for 1878. Of these earnings $31,924,145 were received for transportation of freight, mails, etc., and $20,956,664 for the transportation of passengers. The net earnings were $15,916,373, against $17,193,685 for 1880, $15,586,091 for 1879, and $13,685,927 for 1378. The dividends paid amounted to $8,393,030, against $7,999,191 for 1880, $7,236,203 for 1879, and $7,566,655 for 1878. The gross earnings of the railroads in the Middle States were $228,398,221, against $199,003,713 for 1880, $170,310,846 for 1879, and $155,458,963 for 1878. Of gross earnings, $176,780,223 were received for transportation of freight, mails, eta, and $ 1,617,998 for transportation of passengers. The net earnings were $84,862,704, against $83,923,393 for 1880, $70,416,970 for 1879, and $61,559,993 for 1878. The dividends paid amounted to $33,315,581, against $28,479,891 for 1880, $911,164 for 1879, and $21,148,422 for 1878. The gross earnings reported on the railroads in the Southern States were $63,737,087, against $48,317,754 for 1880, $43,917,284 for 1879, and $42,797,284 for 1878. The net earnings were $22,240,623, against $18,124,034 for 1880, $14,673,357 for 1879, and $14,379,958 for 1878. The dividends Daid amounted to $3,593,269, against $3,525,977 for 1880, $2,131,770 for 1879, and $2,805,799 for 1878. Tlio earnings from freigh’, mails, etc., were $49,950,755, and from passengers $13,786,332. Tho gross earnings of the railroads of the Western States were $344,393,806, against $290,588,190 for 1889, $232,379,646 for 1879, $2 9,852,275 for 1878. jhe net earnings were $134,756,393, against $125,166,218 for 1880, $98,961,906 for 1879, and $77,958,229 for 1878, The dividends paid amounted to $40,234,829, against $33,117,590 for 1880, $23,561,262 for 1879, and $19,341,222 for 1878. The earnings from freight, mads, etc., were $268,420,532, and from passengers $75,973,274. The earnings of the railroads in the Pacifio States, including the Central Pacific and its leased lines, amounted to $35,915,196, against $28,736,660 for 1880, $26,444,206 for 1879, and $26,881,007 for 1878. Of this sum $11,022,374 was derive-! from passengers, and $24,892,822 from transportation of freight, mails, etc. Tbe net earnings were $18,876,(60, againßt $lO,786,100 in 1880; dividends, $7,787,491, against $3,992,762 m 1880.