STATISTICS OF AMERICAN RAILWAYS (continued 3)

26,311,883 67.3 97,752,465 12.8 17,411,711 69.5 3.7 Switzerland

9,587,468 60.0 8,193,037 42.2 6,796,315 55.9 3.54 Roumania

104,600,082 72.1 32,683,309 62.0 66,842,258 197.0 2.51 Canada

56,198,080 67.7 41,911,512 25.2 27,933,828 115.9 3.95 Argentine

17,875,971 51.2 101,115,739 23.3 18,312,223 78.7 8.9 (a)Japan

86,408,000 60.2 321,169,000 37.7 62,398,000 159.1 4.33 British India

14,380,252 58.7 52,051,556 11.1 9,298,929 68.4 4.36 New South Wales

$1,935,812,951 66.1 5,084,882,919 16.52 1,876,625,438 66.7 3.71 Total

1,669,547,876 69.75 890,009,574 32.66 1,532,981,790 142.5 4.17 United States

(a) State only.

(b) Including Siberian.

(c) 1906-7.

(d) State only. 2,543 miles.

(e) Exclusive of switching and terminal companies (1,626 miles).

(f) Estimated.

From the data here furnished it is possible to arrive at a close approximation of the passenger and freight rates in the countries named. The average passenger journey and freight haul in the United States is nearly twice as long as the average for the rest of the world. In comparing net results it should be remembered that rentals and taxes should be deducted from the American figures.

For further details of the railways of Canada, the United Kingdom and the German Empire, for which complete statistics are available, the reader is referred to succeeding pages.

Here the writer would acknowledge the courtesy of the Railway Department of Canada for advance copies of the Dominion railway statistics for 1909.

Railways of Canada.

Statistics of the Railways of the Dominion for the Years Ending June 30, 1907, 1908 and 1909.

1907 1908 1909

Miles of line operated 22,608 22,966 24,104

Second track 1,096 1,211 1,464

Yard track and sidings 4,092 4,546 4,761

All tracks 27,796 28,723 30,329

Capital cost:

Stock $588,563,591 $607,425,349 $647,534,647

Funded debt 583,369,217 631,869,664 660,946,769

Government railways 100,958,402 109,423,104 111,545,903

Subsidies 162,017,157 166,291,482 188,963,337

Total capital cost $1,434,908,367 $1,515,009,599 $1,608,990,656

Per mile of line 63,910 65,968 66,752

Passenger traffic:

Passengers carried 32,137,319 34,044,992 32,683,309

Passengers carried 1 mile 2,049,549,813 2,081,960,864 2,033,001,225

Average journey (miles) 64 61 62

Average passengers per train 56 54 51

Mileage of passenger trains 30,220,461 31,950,349 32,295,730

Mileage of mixed trains 5,971,414 6,210,807 7,061,580

Receipts from passengers $39,184,437 $39,992,503 $39,073,488

Receipts per passenger mile (cents) 1.911 1.920 1.921

Freight traffic:

Tons carried 56,497,885 63,019,900 66,842,258

Tons carried 1 mile 11,687,711,830 12,961,512,519 12,961,512,519

Average haul (miles) 183 206 197

Freight train mileage 38,923,890 40,476,370 40,304,906

Average tons per train 260 278 278

Receipts from freight $94,995,087 $93,746,655 $95,714,783

Receipts per ton mile (mills) 8.12 7.23 7.27

Miscellaneous receipts $12,558,689 $13,179,155 $10,268,065

Total receipts 146,738,214 146,918,313 145,056,336

Expenses of operation:

Way and structures $20,887,092 $20,778,610 $21,153,274

Maintenance of equipment 21,666,373 20,273,626 21,510,303

Conducting transportation 57,325,543 62,486,270 54,284,587

General expenses 3,869,664 3,765,636 3,853,094

Traffic expenses — — 3,798,824

Total expenses $103,748,672 $107,304,142 $104,600,082

Ratio to earnings 70.72% 73.04% 72.11%

Net receipts $42,989,552 $39,614,171 $40,456,251

Percentage to capital cost 3.00% 2.61% 2.51%

Gross receipts per mile $6,535 $6,398 $6,018

Gross expenses per mile 4,621 4,672 4,339

Number of employes 124,012 106,404 125,195

Compensation $58,719,493 $60,376,607 $63,216,662

Proportion of gross earnings 40.02% 41.10% 43.58%

Proportion of operating expenses 56.61% 56.27% 60.43%

Average per employe per year $473 $569 $505

Railways of the United Kingdom.

Statistics of Mileage, Capitalization, and Traffic for the Years 1907 and 1908.

1907 1908

Length of railways:

Double track or more (miles) 12,845 12,926

Single track 10,263 10,279

Total length of line 23,108 23,205

Total length, all tracks, sidings, etc. 53,158 53,669

Total capitalization (paid up) $6,302,099,773 $6,382,296,742

Capitalization per mile of line 272,723 275,040

Passenger traffic:

Passengers carried 1,259,481,000 1,278,115,000

Season ticket journeys 445,101,956 447,516,620

Passengers carried one mile 13,295,747,058 13,459,926,636

Average journey (miles) 7.8 7.8

Receipts from passengers $205,036,740 $207,539,004

Average receipts per passenger per mile (cents) 1.54 1.542

Mail and other passenger train receipts $43,213,632 $44,067,043

Freight traffic:

Minerals, tons carried 407,602,177 388,424,541

General merchandise 108,284,939 103,170,515

Total freight, tons 515,887,116 491,595,056

Tons carried one mile 12,897,177,900 12,289,876,400

Average haul (miles) 25 25

Receipts from freight $298,058,610 $286,786,249

Average receipts per ton mile (cents) 2.31 2.333

Miscellaneous receipts $45,634,648 $45,493,075

Total receipts $591,943,630 $583,885,371

Expenses of operation 373,085,840 372,103,990

Ratio of expenses to earnings 63.0 63.75

Net receipts $218,857,790 —

Percentage to total paid-up capital 3.47 —

Gross receipts per mile $25,616 $25,162

Gross expenses per mile 16,165 16,035

Number of employes 621,341 (a)621,341

Total compensation $158,116,560 $156,348,915

Proportion of gross earnings 26.7 26.78

Proportion of operating expenses 42.4 42.02

Average per employe per year $254.47 $251.78

(a) No enumeration of employes has been made since 1907, the last preceding, in 1904, gave a total of 581,664.

Railways of Germany.

Statistics of Mileage, Cost of Construction, and Traffic for the Years 1906, 1907 and 1908.

1906 1907 1908

Length of State railways (miles) 32,050 32,367 32,922

Length of private railways 2,513 2,613 2,636

Total 34,563 34,980 35,558

Cost of construction $3,613,493,706 $3,767,220,777 $3,903,848,400

Cost per mile 104,548 107,694 109,788

Passenger traffic:

Passengers carried 1,209,224,072 1,294,881,923 1,361,655,150

Passengers carried (one mile) 17,189,336,940 18,372,644,327 19,202,935,120

Average journey (miles) 14.21 14.18 14.10

Receipts from passengers $170,165,002 $172,339,593 $178,100,400

Receipts per passenger per mile (cents) 0.99 0.94 0.93

Freight traffic:

Fast freight and express:

Tons carried 3,791,769 3,935,538 4,013,970

Tons carried 1 mile 265,115,720 272,898,271 269,726,040

Average haul (miles) 69.91 69.34 66.96

Receipts from same $16,924,080 $17,295,969 $17,015,040

Receipts per ton mile (cents) 6.38 6.34 6.32

All freight:

Tons carried 455,144,382 484,147,325 461,296,759

Tons carried one mile 28,118,620,680 29,702,981,149 29,420,680,340

Average haul (miles) 61.78 61.35 61.60

Receipts from freight $397,580,738 $418,021,052 $412,635,760

Receipts per ton mile (cents) 1.41 1.41 1.42

Miscellaneous receipts $63,151,060 $68,413,909 $56,715,200

Total receipts $630,796,800 $658,774,554 $647,451,503

Expenses of operation 407,174,400 454,610,032 476,290,080

Ratio expenses to earnings 64.5 69.1 73.6

Net receipts $223,622,400 $204,645,522 $171,261,040

Percentage on cost of construction 6.18 5.42 4.51

Gross receipts per mile $18,251 $18,833 $28,173

Gross expenses per mile 11,780 12,996 13,489

Number of employes 648,437 695,557 699,155

Total compensation $219,390,932 $245,389,859 $259,606,560

Proportion of gross earnings 34.78 37.25 40.10

Proportion of operating expenses 53.88 53.98 54.50

Average per employe per year $338.35 $352.82 $371.00

Mark the increased capital cost per mile and in proportion of wages to earnings, and the increased ratio of net earnings to cost of construction. Then figure how long it will take at this rate before the German people are taxed to support their railways or by increased rates because the railways have been run for politics and not for the people.

XVI GROWTH OF RAILWAYS

In three-quarters of a century American railways, from small beginnings in Pennsylvania in 1827, Maryland in 1828, South Carolina in 1830, and New York and Massachusetts in 1831, show the following remarkable growth by decades:

Progress of Railways in the United States Since 1835.

States183518401850186018701880189019001909 Incom­plete

Alabama4646757431,4291,8513,1484,2195,037

Arkansas———382568962,1133,3414,883

California———239252,2204,1485,7446,835

Colorado————1571,5314,1544,5875,295

Connecticut—1024026017429541,0071,0231,015

Delaware163939127224280328346342

Florida——214024465302,3903,2724,010

Georgia—1856431,4201,8452,5354,1055,6396,868

Idaho—————2209411,2611,763

Illinois——1112,7994,8237,9559,84310,99713,216

Indiana——2282,1633,1775,4545,8916,4697,774

Iowa———6552,6835,2358,3479,1809,923

Kansas————1,5013,4398,8068,7199,125

Kentucky1528785341,0171,5982,6943,0593,484

Louisiana4040803354796331,6582,8244,737

Maine—112454727861,0131,3131,9152,150

Maryland and D.C.1172132593866711,0121,1681,4071,468

Massachusetts1133011,0351,2641,4801,8932,0942,1182,126

Michigan—503427791,6383,9316,7898,1938,976

Minnesota————1,0723,1085,4666,9428,285

Mississippi——758629901,1832,2922,9194,169

Missouri———8172,0004,0115,8976,8678,200

Montana—————482,1813,0103,537

Nebraska————1,8122,0005,2745,6846,099

Nevada————5937699259091,699

New Hampshire—534676617361,0151,1331,2391,248

New Jersey991862065601,1251,7012,0342,2372,302

New York1043741,3612,6823,9286,0197,4628,1218,504

North Carolina—531549371,1781,4992,9043,8084,476

North Dakota————356351,9402,7314,026

Ohio—305752,9463,5385,9127,7198,7749,274

Oklahoma—————2751,2132,1505,572

Oregon————1595821,2691,7231,939

Pennsylvania3187541,2402,5984,6566,2438,30710,27711,357

Rhode Island—5068108136210212212212

South Carolina1371372899731,1391,4292,0962,7953,324

South Dakota————306302,4852,8503,703

Tennessee———1,2531,4921,8242,7103,1243,761

Texas———3077113,2937,9119,87312,987

Utah————2577701,0901,5471,986

Vermont——2905546149129131,0121,094

Virginia931473841,3791,4861,8263,1423,7294,187

Washington—————2741,6992,8903,806

West Virginia————3876941,3062,1983,355

Wisconsin——209051,5253,1305,4686,4967,626

Wyoming—————4729411,2281,526

Arizona—————3841,0611,5111,930

New Mexico—————6431,2841,7522,967

Total1,0982,8189,02130,63552,92293,671159,271192,940—

The most striking feature of this statement is the number of states devoid of railway mileage previous to 1870, which since then the railways have converted into mighty commonwealths whose resources have been multiplied "some thirty fold, some sixty and some an hundred". And those to which the railways have made the greatest prosperity possible are the states whose politicians today are trying the hardest to muzzle the ox that treads out the corn for their people.

Growth of Railways of the World.

In the following table is given the mileage of the principal countries in the world from the earliest date available to the latest:

CountryMiles of Road Completed

Opened18401850186018701880188918991909(b)

Great Britain18251,8576,62110,43315,53717,93319,94321,66623,205

United States18272,8189,02130,62652,92293,296160,544—234,182

Canada183616662,0652,6177,19412,58517,25024,104

France1828—1,7145,70011,14216,27521,89926,22929,364

Germany18353413,6376,97911,72920,69324,84531,38635,558

Belgium18352075541,0741,7992,3992,7762,8332,871

Austria (proper)1837—8171,8133,7907,0839,34511,92113,427

Russia in Europe1838—3109887,09814,02617,53426,88931,545

Italy1839132651,1173,8255,3407,8309,77010,312

Holland1839101102088741,1431,6321,9662,225

Switzerland1844—156538851,5961,8692,3422,740

Hungary1846—1371,0042,1574,4216,75110,61911,769

Denmark1847—20694709751,2171,7642,141

Spain1848—171,1903,4004,5505,9518,2528,432

Chili1851——1204521,1001,8012,7912,939

Brazil1851——1345042,1745,5469,19510,713

Norway1854——426929709701,2311,608

Sweden1858——3751,0893,6544,8996,6638,321

Argentine Republic1857———6371,5364,50610,01313,690

Turkey in Europe———413927271,0241,9001,967

Peru———472471,1799931,0351,332

Portugal———424447101,1881,4751,689

Greece1869———67416604771

Uruguay1869———612683999971,210

Mexico1868———2156555,0128,50313,612

Roumania————1528591,5371,92019,942

Australia(a)—————7894,85011,11116,502

Japan1874————755423,6325,755

British India1853——8384,7719,16215,88723,52330,576

China1883—————1244014,162

Africa—————5832,8735,35318,516

(a) Including New Zealand.

(b) Or latest figures.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In conclusion I would reiterate the following recommendations:

Railway Statistics.

That the Bureau of Railway Statistics and Accounts, now a division of the Interstate Commerce Commission, be transferred to the Department of Commerce and Labor.

That its statistics be confined to the affairs of operating railway companies, the only carrier companies engaged in Interstate Commerce.

That its inquiries be confined to the data necessary to furnish the public with a comprehensive knowledge of railway conditions and operations in the United States from year to year.

That these statistics be devoted to publicity and not to the promotion of personal or official theories.

Accidents.

That Congress provide for an official investigation of all railway accidents in the United States along the lines so successfully adopted in the United Kingdom, and not in a spirit of hostility to the railways, as proposed in pending legislation.

This investigation should be through a Bureau of the Department of Commerce and Labor, composed as follows:

One Chief Inspector.

Ten District Inspectors, one for each Interstate Commerce group, appointed from Engineer service of the United States Army, with the rank of Major. This would insure fitness and impartiality for the work and valuable experience in regard to railway operations to the Army Engineers.

Three Deputy Inspectors for each group.

Three Assistant Inspectors for each group.

Several groups might require four inspectors of each class, and as many could get along with two.

Enough money could be deducted from the Interstate Commerce Commission appropriation to pay these officials liberally, so as to secure competent service, without crippling the legitimate work of the Commission.

Respectfully submitted,

SLASON THOMPSON.