Part 44
===========================+==============+==============+============== | 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 Prop. of gross earnings | 34.78| 37.25| 40.10 Prop. 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.
+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------ | | | | | | | | | 1909 States | 1835| 1840| 1850| 1860 | 1870 | 1880 | 1890 | 1900 |Incom- | | | | | | | | |plete --------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------ Alabama | 46| 46| 75| 743| 1,429| 1,851| 3,148| 4,219| 5,037 Arkansas | | | | 38| 256| 896| 2,113| 3,341| 4,883 California | | | | 23| 925| 2,220| 4,148| 5,744| 6,835 Colorado | | | | | 157| 1,531| 4,154| 4,587| 5,295 Connecticut | | 102| 402| 601| 742| 954| 1,007| 1,023| 1,015 Delaware | 16| 39| 39| 127| 224| 280| 328| 346| 342 Florida | | | 21| 402| 446| 530| 2,390| 3,272| 4,010 Georgia | | 185| 643| 1,420| 1,845| 2,535| 4,105| 5,639| 6,868 Idaho | | | | | | 220| 941| 1,261| 1,763 Illinois | | | 111| 2,799| 4,823| 7,955| 9,843|10,997|13,216 Indiana | | | 228| 2,163| 3,177| 5,454| 5,891| 6,469| 7,774 Iowa | | | | 655| 2,683| 5,235| 8,347| 9,180| 9,923 Kansas | | | | | 1,501| 3,439| 8,806| 8,719| 9,125 Kentucky | 15| 28| 78| 534| 1,017| 1,598| 2,694| 3,059| 3,484 Louisiana | 40| 40| 80| 335| 479| 633| 1,658| 2,824| 4,737 Maine | | 11| 245| 472| 786| 1,013| 1,313| 1,915| 2,150 Maryland and | | | | | | | | | D.C. | 117| 213| 259| 386| 671| 1,012| 1,168| 1,407| 1,468 Massachusetts | 113| 301|1,035| 1,264| 1,480| 1,893| 2,094| 2,118| 2,126 Michigan | | 50| 342| 779| 1,638| 3,931| 6,789| 8,193| 8,976 Minnesota | | | | | 1,072| 3,108| 5,466| 6,942| 8,285 Mississippi | | | 75| 862| 990| 1,183| 2,292| 2,919| 4,169 Missouri | | | | 817| 2,000| 4,011| 5,897| 6,867| 8,200 Montana | | | | | | 48| 2,181| 3,010| 3,537 Nebraska | | | | | 1,812| 2,000| 5,274| 5,684| 6,099 Nevada | | | | | 593| 769| 925| 909| 1,699 New Hampshire | | 53| 467| 661| 736| 1,015| 1,133| 1,239| 1,248 New Jersey | 99| 186| 206| 560| 1,125| 1,701| 2,034| 2,237| 2,302 New York | 104| 374|1,361| 2,682| 3,928| 6,019| 7,462| 8,121| 8,504 North Carolina| | 53| 154| 937| 1,178| 1,499| 2,904| 3,808| 4,476 North Dakota | | | | | 35| 635| 1,940| 2,731| 4,026 Ohio | | 30| 575| 2,946| 3,538| 5,912| 7,719| 8,774| 9,274 Oklahoma | | | | | | 275| 1,213| 2,150| 5,572 Oregon | | | | | 159| 582| 1,269| 1,723| 1,939 Pennsylvania | 318| 754|1,240| 2,598| 4,656| 6,243| 8,307|10,277|11,357 Rhode Island | | 50| 68| 108| 136| 210| 212| 212| 212 South Carolina| 137| 137| 289| 973| 1,139| 1,429| 2,096| 2,795| 3,324 South Dakota | | | | | 30| 630| 2,485| 2,850| 3,703 Tennessee | | | | 1,253| 1,492| 1,824| 2,710| 3,124| 3,761 Texas | | | | 307| 711| 3,293| 7,911| 9,873|12,987 Utah | | | | | 257| 770| 1,090| 1,547| 1,986 Vermont | | | 290| 554| 614| 912| 913| 1,012| 1,094 Virginia | 93| 147| 384| 1,379| 1,486| 1,826| 3,142| 3,729| 4,187 Washington | | | | | | 274| 1,699| 2,890| 3,806 West Virginia | | | | | 387| 694| 1,306| 2,198| 3,355 Wisconsin | | | 20| 905| 1,525| 3,130| 5,468| 6,496| 7,626 Wyoming | | | | | | 472| 941| 1,228| 1,526 Arizona | | | | | | 384| 1,061| 1,511| 1,930 New Mexico | | | | | | 643| 1,284| 1,752| 2,967 --------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------ Total |1,098|2,818|9,021|30,635|52,922|93,671|159,271 192,940 -- --------------+-----+-----+-----+------+------+------+------+------+------
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:
============+============================================================== | Miles of Road Completed Country +------+-----+-----+------+------+------+-------+------+------- |Opened| 1840| 1850| 1860 | 1870 | 1880 | 1889 | 1899 |1909(b) ------------+------+-----+-----+------+------+------+-------+------+------- Great | 1825 |1,857|6,621|10,433|15,537|17,933| 19,943|21,666| 23,205 Britain | | | | | | | | | United | 1827 |2,818|9,021|30,626|52,922|93,296|160,544| |234,182 States | | | | | | | | | Canada | 1836 | 16| 66| 2,065| 2,617| 7,194| 12,585|17,250| 24,104 France | 1828 | |1,714| 5,700|11,142|16,275| 21,899|26,229| 29,364 Germany | 1835 | 341|3,637| 6,979|11,729|20,693| 24,845|31,386| 35,558 Belgium | 1835 | 207| 554| 1,074| 1,799| 2,399| 2,776| 2,833| 2,871 Austria | 1837 | | 817| 1,813| 3,790| 7,083| 9,345|11,921| 13,427 (proper) | | | | | | | | | Russia in | 1838 | | 310| 988| 7,098|14,026| 17,534|26,889| 31,545 Europe | | | | | | | | | Italy | 1839 | 13| 265| 1,117| 3,825| 5,340| 7,830| 9,770| 10,312 Holland | 1839 | 10| 110| 208| 874| 1,143| 1,632| 1,966| 2,225 Switzerland | 1844 | | 15| 653| 885| 1,596| 1,869| 2,342| 2,740 Hungary | 1846 | | 137| 1,004| 2,157| 4,421| 6,751|10,619| 11,769 Denmark | 1847 | | 20| 69| 470| 975| 1,217| 1,764| 2,141 Spain | 1848 | | 17| 1,190| 3,400| 4,550| 5,951| 8,252| 8,432 Chili | 1851 | | | 120| 452| 1,100| 1,801| 2,791| 2,939 Brazil | 1851 | | | 134| 504| 2,174| 5,546| 9,195| 10,713 Norway | 1854 | | | 42| 692| 970| 970| 1,231| 1,608 Sweden | 1858 | | | 375| 1,089| 3,654| 4,899| 6,663| 8,321 Argentine | 1857 | | | | 637| 1,536| 4,506|10,013| 13,690 Republic | | | | | | | | | Turkey in | | | | 41| 392| 727| 1,024| 1,900| 1,967 Europe | | | | | | | | | Peru | | | | 47| 247| 1,179| 993| 1,035| 1,332 Portugal | | | | 42| 444| 710| 1,188| 1,475| 1,689 Greece | 1869 | | | | 6| 7| 416| 604| 771 Uruguay | 1869 | | | | 61| 268| 399| 997| 1,210 Mexico | 1868 | | | | 215| 655| 5,012| 8,503| 13,612 Roumania | | | | | 152| 859| 1,537| 1,920| 19,942 Australia(a)| | | | | | 789| 4,850|11,111| 16,502 Japan | 1874 | | | | | 75| 542| 3,632| 5,755 British | 1853 | | | 838| 4,771| 9,162| 15,887|23,523| 30,576 India | | | | | | | | | China | 1883 | | | | | | 124| 401| 4,162 Africa | | | | | | 583| 2,873| 5,353| 18,516 ------------+------+-----+-----+------+------+------+-------+------+-------
(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.
INDEX
Page
Abuses, old, reformed, 214
Accidents, decrease in 1909, 371
Accidents, effect of freight traffic on, 378
Accidents, fatalities in, since 1888, 375
Accidents on British railways, 379
Accidents on European railways, 382
Accidents, overwork seldom cause of, 381
Accidents, train, causes of, 379
Acworth, W. M., on relations of railroads to the state, 220
Acworth, W. M., testimony before Senate committee, 283
Additional lines, little room for, 47
Advances in railway rates, concerning, 261
African Cape government railroads, 231
Agricultural implements, freight rates on, 108
Agricultural products and freight rates, 183
Air brakes, introduction of, 119
Allegheny Mountains, elevations, 31
American railways by states, 1835 to 1909, 391
Area, number of miles to, in 1869, 134
Australian railways under government ownership, 221, 232
Automatic couplers, 120
Automatic mechanical stop, 320
Automatic signaling, 124
Bacon, Lord, on the necessity of easy transportation, 5
Bananas, relation of freight rate to price, 97
Beaulieu, Leroy, on American railways, 79
Belgian railroads owned by the state, 220
Bills, multitude of, affecting railways, 68
Block signaling, evolution of, 123
Block signals, miles protected by, 1908, 1909, 320
Brewer, Judge, on the right to change rates, 266
British railway commission discussed, 248
British railways, slow growth of, 243
British railways, statistics of, 389
Brown, W. C., on the freight rate situation, 107
Business suit, freight rates on a, 110
Butter, freight rates on, 111
Butter, price of, little affected by freight charge, 91
Canada railways, statistics of, 388
Canals, beginnings of American, 10
Canal construction, revival of, 17
Canals, scarcity of capital for, 18
Capital expenditure of British, German and American railways, 251
Capital for improvements the railway problem of to-day, 211
Capital, increased cost of, 176
Capital needed for Southern railways, 61
Capital, private, develops river traffic, 12
Capitalization, 1909, 337
Capitalization, foreign railways, 344
Capitalization, net, 1904-1909, 339
Capitalization of turnpikes, 16
Capitalization, Pres. Roosevelt rejects claims of over, 107
Car construction, 128
Car service operation, 356
Cars, number and capacity, 1902 to 1909, 317
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy R. R., condition of, 72
Civil war, importance of railways during, 118
Class rates, no change in certain, since 1897, 165
Coastwise commerce first developed, 15
Clothes we wear, freight rates on, 108
Commission, Interstate Commerce, its creation and purpose, 208
Commissions have advantages over legislatures, 208
Commodities, proportions of various, moved, 355
Comparison of American and English loads, 82
Competition has ceased to regulate, 233
Competition, public facilities increased by, 252
Conflict between competitive and uniform rates, 83
Congress, conditions confronting, in 1909, 288
Construction, cost of, 342
Control by democracy, 229
Cooking utensils, freight rates on, 108
Cooley, Judge, on superhuman task of fixing rates by Commission, 273
Cost of American and foreign railways compared, 50
Cost of living, 329
Cost, original, of Penn R. R., Harrisburg to Pittsburg, 36
Corporate entities necessary to railway construction, 206
Cotton, effect of freight charge on, 95-99
Cotton, freight rates on, 110
Crackers, relation of freight charge to price, 99
Cummins, Senator, on physical value of railways, 343
Daily compensation of employes, average, 1892 to 1908, 324
Damages and injuries to persons, 365
Dead weight hauled in mail service excessive, 149
Decisions of I. C. C. reducing rates, 301
Depreciation of money, significance, 192
Development of railways, 45
Depression, 1908, effect of, 296
Depression of 1908, effect on C. B. & Q. pay roll, 67-71
Difficulties under the present law, 216
Diminished purchasing power of railway earnings, 165
Discriminations once the rule without objection, 201, 213
Distribution of gross earnings, 1909, 361
Dividends, 1908, exaggerated, 292, 340
Dollar purchases less labor or commodities now than 1897, 166
Dressed beef, freight rates on, 111
Early history of railroads, 116
Early methods of travel, 6
Earnings and expenses, 1908-1909, 358
Earnings, gross, calendar years 1907, 1908, 1909, 296
Eggs, freight rates on, 111
Eggs, price slightly affected by freight charge, 91
Employes, average daily compensation, 1892-1909, 324
Employes, number and compensation, 1909, 321
Employes, pay of foreign, 326
Enlightened public opinion the hope of the railways, 237
Equipment cost, 1897-1907, 194
Equipment of American railways, 1909, 314
Equipment, output, 1899 to 1909, 314
Equipment requirements for replacement, 315
Erie railroad completed to Lake Erie, 117
Ethics of railroad operation high and just, 202
European wars, effect on American development, 11
Expenses, calendar years 1907, 1908, 1909, 297
Express, receipts from carrying, 350
Farm animals and freight rates, 184
Farms better investments than railways, 77
Fatalities, proportion of, to traffic, 138
Fink, Henry, on the right to increase rates, 281
Flour, effect of freight charge on price, 96
Flour, freight rates on a sack of, 110
Food stuffs, relation of freight charge to price, 101
Foreign railways, mileage of, 310
Foreign railways, ratio to area and population, 310
Foreign railways, statistics of, 386
Freight car performance, 1908-1909, 319
Freight car shortages and surplus, 1907-1910, 318
Freight cars, number and capacity, 1902-1909, 317, 318
Freight moved ten miles for three cents, 49
Freight rate primer, 107
Freight rates decrease in 1897-1907, 180
Freight rates, low, encourage production, 90
Freight service compared with mail service, 151
Freight traffic, 1908-1909, 352
Freight traffic, statistics of, 1888 to 1909, 354
French railway employes, number of, 329
French system vicious, 235
Fuel, cost of, 1899 to 1909, 367
Fuel, cost of, in several states, 170
Fuel for locomotives, cost of, 168
German railway employes, number and pay of, 328
German railways owned and operated by the state, 220
Germany, railway statistics of, 390
Gibb, Sir George S., on Railway Nationalization, 238
Government assistance sought, 12
Government may not usurp management of railways, 207
Government ownership must assume all risks, 259
Gradients on first Pennsylvania railroad, 22-26
Grade crossings, elimination of, 133
Growth of the railways, 137-391
Harbors insignificant compared to railroad yards, 52
Harrisburg to Pittsburg, location of road from, 21
Hazard, decreased, to train crews, 377
Heating cars, 129
Heurteau, Emile, on American railway system, 282
Hides, relation of freight rates to price, 98
High grade tonnage, increase in, 190
Highways in the 18th century, 9
Hill, James J., speeches at Seattle and Tacoma, 45
Home markets, Americans turn to, 11
Hostility to railroads, reasons therefor, 241
Household furniture, freight rates on, 109
Human element in operation, 135
Improvements, demand for, imperative, 203
Improvements, postponement of, 68
Income account, 1908, 292
Income account, calendar year 1909, 298
Income account of leased roads, 360
Increasing cost of railway maintenance and operation, 67
Injuries to persons and damages, 365
Interrelation of rates, 275
Interlocking signals, 125
Interstate Commerce Law contradictory, 201
Iron ore, relation of freight charge on, to industry, 100
Isolation of interior settlements, 7
Italian railways owned by the state, 221
Knapp, Chairman I. C. C., letter to Senate committee, 285
Knapp, Chairman I. C. C., analysis of same, 286
Knapp, Chairman I. C. C., on fair returns for railway investments, 113
Kruttschnitt, Julius, on railway mail pay, 142
Land grants unremunerative to railways, 76
Lane, Commissioner I. C. C., on relation of capitalization to rates, 84
Leather belting, freight rates on, 112
Legislation adds to expense of railways, 74
Lighting cars, 130
Lincoln, Abraham, in Mississippi bridge case, 131
Living, cost of, 329
Living, cost of, for normal families, 1901, 330
Locomotives, cost, 1897-1907, 194
Locomotives, cost to build in Australia, 316
Locomotives, development, 129
Locomotives, hauling power measured by weight, not revenues, 149
Locomotives, number and capacity, 1902 to 1909, 315
Low freight rates, how made possible, 104
Lumber, relation of freight charge to price, 100
Mail carrying made unremunerative, 143
Mail cars stronger and cost more, 146
Mail pay, railway, 142
Mail, receipts for carrying, 350
Mail, receipts from, compared with other receipts, 144
Mail routes, effect of heavy traffic on, 155
Management, railway, a learned profession, 210
Manufactures earn more than railways, 77
Margin between earnings and expenses narrow, 114
Massachusetts railroad commission commended, 236
Meat, effect of freight charge on price, 92
Mexican railway situation, 226