Chapter XXI: Introduction (5)

The inquiries of the Board of Trade into the causes of British railway accidents in 1908 confirm former findings that, exclusive of train accidents, in the case of passengers "they mostly arise from carelessness of the passengers themselves," and the same is true of the vast majority of accidents to employes.

OVERWORK AND RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

At last the statistics of the British Board of Trade furnish what well nigh amounts to demonstration that long hours play very little part as an actual cause of railway accidents. Under the statute the Board requires reports of all instances of periods of duty in excess of twelve hours worked on British railways. For the month of October, 1908, the returns show 31,052 excess hours worked out of 2,773,891; and for October, 1909, 24,486 out of 2,695,036, or an excess of 1.12% in 1908 and .92%, in 1909.

Now, out of 861 accidents investigated in 1908, only 16, or 1.85%, occurred to men working in excess of 12 hours; and out of 804 investigated in 1909 only 9, or 1.12%. This bears out the opinion of a high English official, that experience "does not show any close connection between long hours and accidents."

The following statement shows the relation of accidents to the hours the persons involved have been on duty on British railways for a period of five years:

HOURS WHEN BRITISH ACCIDENTS OCCUR.

======================================================================
| | Hours on Duty when Accidents Occurred
Three months |Off +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
to |duty| 1st| 2d | 3d | 4th| 5th| 6th| 7th| 8th| 9th|10th
---------------|----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
Sept. 30, 1908 | 1 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 17
Dec. 31, 1908 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 34 | 14 | 23 | 23 | 16 | 14 | 19 | 13
March 31, 1909 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 29 | 28 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 11 | 12
June 30, 1909 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 24 | 12
---------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
Year 1909 | 11 | 61 | 72 | 92 | 78 | 69 | 77 | 68 | 60 | 65 | 54
Year 1908 | 6 | 60 |103 | 83 | 85 | 77 | 81 | 72 | 70 | 63 | 57
Year 1907 | 1 | 70 | 86 | 78 | 78 | 71 | 64 | 59 | 48 | 68 | 62
Year 1906 | 6 | 52 | 64 | 70 | 86 | 63 | 81 | 68 | 70 | 71 | 61
Year 1905 | 3 | 52 | 74 | 65 | 54 | 71 | 66 | 59 | 48 | 53 | 56
---------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
Five years | 27 |295 |399 |388 |381 |351 |369 |326 |296 |320 |290
---------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----

{table continued}
==============================================================
| | Hours on Duty when Accidents Occurred
Three months |Off +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
to |duty| 11th| 12th| 13th| 14th| 15th| 16th| 17th
---------------|----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
Sept. 30, 1908 | 1 | 14 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Dec. 31, 1908 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
March 31, 1909 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
June 30, 1909 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
---------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
Year 1909 | 11 | 51 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
Year 1908 | 6 | 53 | 35 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0
Year 1907 | 1 | 43 | 35 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 1
Year 1906 | 6 | 42 | 39 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2
Year 1905 | 3 | 41 | 37 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1
---------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----
Five years | 27 | 230 | 183 | 44 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 4
---------------+----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----

It will be observed that out of these 3,945 accidents investigated and reported on by British inspectors during the years 1905 to 1909, inclusive, a majority happened during the first half of the twelve hours for which the men were booked and 2.28% when they were working overtime. In no instance was the accident attributed to long hours.

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS IN EUROPE.

Excluding the returns of injured, for the reason that no two countries have a common definition of a reportable injury, the accidents on European railways, according to the latest reports, resulted in the following fatalities:

KILLED IN EUROPEAN RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

(Total mileage represented 182,459.)

-----------------+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+---------
Country | Year |Passengers|Employes| Other | Total |Preceding
| | | |Persons| | Year
-----------------+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+---------
United Kingdom | 1908 | 107 | 432 | 587 | 1,128 | 1,211
Germany | 1908 | 105 | 604 | 644 | 1,353 | 1,558
Russia in Europe | 1905 | 231 | 478 | 1,149 | 1,858 | 1,632
France | 1907 | (a)36 | 322 |(b)301 | 659 | 627
Austria | 1907 | 11 | 147 | 145 | 303 | 213
Hungary | 1907 | 32 | 138 | 172 | 343 | 319
Italy | 1907-8 | (c)42 | 105 | 115 | 262 | 277
Spain | 1907 | 25 | 64 | 213 | 302 | 219
Portugal | 1904 | | | | 55 |
Sweden | 1906 | 10 | 45 | 57 | 112 | 105
Norway | 1908 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 9
Denmark | 1907-8 | (c)1 | 20 | 9 | 30 | 22
Belgium | 1907 | 4 | 72 | 70 | 146 | 125
Holland | 1907 | 3 | 18 | 25 | 46 | 60
Switzerland | 1907 | 14 | 45 | 36 | 95 | 78
Roumania | 1907-8 | 8 | 42 | 50 | 100 | 103
+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+--------
Totals | | 630 | 2,536 | 3,580 | 6,803 | 6,595
-----------------+--------+----------+--------+-------+-------+--------

(a) Train accidents only; other accidents to passengers included under
"Other Persons."

(b) Excluding suicides.

(c) Statistics cover State railways only.

These figures, representing a European mileage of 182,459, may be compared with those of the United States in 1897 when it had 183,284 miles of line and an accident record of 222 fatalities to passengers, 1,693 to employes and 4,522 to other persons; or even with the American record for 1909, when with a mileage 27% greater the record stood 335 fatalities to passengers, 2,456 to employes and 5,978 to other persons. The excess of fatalities to other persons in this country is due to the notorious indifference to danger and law of all classes of citizens in using railway right of way as a common thoroughfare for adults and playground for children. Despite the elevation of the tracks in Chicago, the writer has seen scores of youngsters scarcely able to walk playing on those raised tracks and laughing at the locomotives as they went shrieking by.

In all comparisons of accidents on American railways with those on foreign roads, it should be remembered that our excess of mileage and freight traffic more than balance their density of passenger traffic and that nowhere else on earth is railway right of way common to foolhardy pedestrians and creeping children.

The Railroad Commission of Indiana is to be commended for its efforts to enlist public sentiment against trespassing on railway tracks.

XIII

RAILWAY RECEIVERSHIPS IN 1909

Only five railway companies, operating 859 miles of line, went into the hands of receivers during the calendar year 1909, as compared with 24 companies, operating 8,009 miles, for the preceding year. The capitalization of these five roads was $78,095,000, against $596,359,000 for those financially involved in 1908. The following statement gives the names, mileage, funded debt and capital stock of the roads for which receivers were appointed in 1909:

===============================+=========+=============+============
| Mileage | Funded Debt | Stock
-------------------------------+---------+-------------+------------
Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic | 572 | $18,533,000 | $35,000,000
Alabama Terminal | -- | 2,445,000 | 3,000,000
Georgia Terminal | -- | 3,000,000 | 1,500,000
Yellowstone Park | 32 | 696,000 | 696,000
Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis | 255 | 5,875,000 | 7,350,000
-------------------------------+---------+-------------+------------
Total | 859 | $30,549,000 | $47,546,000
-------------------------------+---------+-------------+------------

The number, mileage and capitalization of the railways that have failed since 1875 are as follows, the figures being from the _Railroad Age Gazette_:

RECEIVERSHIPS SINCE 1876.

=====+=======+=========+===========
| | | Bonds and
| Roads | Miles | Stock
-----+-------+---------+-----------
1876 | 42 | 6,662 | $467,000
1877 | 38 | 3,637 | 220,294
1878 | 27 | 2,320 | 92,385
1879 | 12 | 1,102 | 39,367
1880 | 13 | 885 | 140,265
1881 | 5 | 110 | 3,742
1882 | 12 | 912 | 39,074
1883 | 11 | 1,990 | 108,470
1884 | 37 | 11,038 | 714,755
1885 | 44 | 8,836 | 385,460
1886 | 13 | 1,799 | 70,346
1887 | 9 | 1,046 | 90,318
1888 | 22 | 3,270 | 186,814
1889 | 22 | 3,803 | 99,664
1890 | 26 | 2,963 | 105,007
1891 | 26 | 2,159 | 84,479
1892 | 36 | 10,508 | 357,692
1893 | 74 | 29,340 | 1,781,046
1894 | 38 | 7,025 | 395,791
1895 | 31 | 4,089 | 369,075
1896 | 34 | 5,441 | 275,597
1897 | 18 | 1,537 | 92,909
1898 | 18 | 2,069 | 138,701
1899 | 10 | 1,019 | 52,285
1900 | 16 | 1,165 | 78,234
1901 | 4 | 73 | 1,627
1902 | 5 | 278 | 5,835
1903 | 9 | 229 | 18,823
1904 | 8 | 744 | 36,069
1905 | 10 | 3,593 | 176,321
1906 | 6 | 204 | 55,042
1907 | 7 | 317 | 13,585
1908 | 24 | 8,009 | 596,359
1909 | 5 | 859 | 78,095
-----+-------+---------+-----------
Total, 34 years |
| 712 | 128,498 | $7,370,526
-----+-------+---------+-----------

[Three figures omitted in bonds and stock column.]

XIV

COST OF RAILWAY REGULATION

Nothing in the record of railway development in the United States has increased with the rapidity of the cost of their regulation under the act creating the Interstate Commerce Commission. Since the first Commission, composed of Judge Thomas M. Cooley, of Michigan, chairman, William R. Morrison, of Illinois, Augustus Schoonmaker, of New York, Aldace F. Walker of Vermont, and Walter L. Bragg, of Alabama, Commissioners, and Edward E. Moseley, Secretary, and Prof. Henry C. Adams, Statistician, to date the yearly expenditures on its account have been as follows:

============================+========
1888 Five Commissioners | $97,867
1889 " " | 149,453
1890 " " | 180,440
1891 " " | 214,844
1892 " " | 221,745
1893 " " | 217,792
1894 " " | 209,250
1895 " " | 216,206
1896 " " | 234,941
1897 " " | 234,909
1898 " " | 237,358
1899 " " | 238,125
1900 " " | 243,624
1901 " " | 255,979
1902 " " | 271,728
1903 " " | 298,842
1904 " " | 321,533
1905 " " | 330,739
1906 " " | 382,141
1907 Seven Commissioners | 538,827
1908 " " | 736,530
1909 " " | 988,936
----------------------------+--------

From this it appears that the cost of regulating American railways has increased tenfold in twenty years. Of this only $34,000 is chargeable to the increase in number and compensation for the Commission under the Hepburn Act. Of the balance it was charged by Representative Adair of Indiana in a speech in Congress last January that $450,000 annually was for "Interstate Commerce Detectives."

XV

STATISTICS OF FOREIGN RAILWAYS

In the following review of the mileage and traffic statistics of the principal divisions of Europe and other countries, the information has been derived from the latest official sources wherever available, and where estimates have been resorted to as noted they have been computed from ascertained facts.

======================================================================
| | Miles | |
| | Covered | Capitalization | Passenger
Country | Year | by | or Cost of | Revenues
| |Capitalization| Construction |
-----------------+------+--------------+-----------------+------------
United Kingdom | 1908 | 23,205 | $ 6,382,296,742|$207,539,004
German Empire | 1908 | 35,558 | 3,903,848,400| 178,100,400
France | 1907 | 24,817 | 3,455,436,000| 145,355,448
Russia in Europe | 1905 | 31,545 | (b)3,170,876,360| 58,813,500
Austria | 1907 | 13,427 | 1,515,576,800| 41,716,800
Hungary | 1907 | 11,769 | 741,586,200| 20,836,800
Italy(a) |1907-8| 8,762 | (c)1,091,608,000| 31,149,886
Spain | 1905 | 8,432 | 649,919,610| 16,215,866
Portugal | 1905 | 1,425 | 162,385,280| 4,014,196
Sweden | 1906 | 7,938 | 267,408,450| 10,665,270
Norway | 1908 | 1,608 | 61,841,610| 2,253,420
Denmark(a) |1907-8| 1,191 | 59,806,620| 5,111,910
Belgium | 1907 | 2,871 | (d)451,592,980| 18,340,790
Holland | 1907 | 2,225 | 191,821,000| 10,978,400
Switzerland | 1907 | 2,740 | 303,426,747| 16,222,422
Roumania |1907-8| 1,979 | 183,492,074| 5,089,191
Canada | 1909 | 24,104 | 1,608,963,337| 39,073,488
Argentine | 1907 | 13,690 | 820,433,280| 19,853,760
Japan(a) | 1908 | 3,982 | 190,173,728| 18,786,895
British India | 1908 | 30,809 | 1,336,005,760| 55,132,160
New South Wales | 1909 | 3,623 | 231,870,440| 8,380,744
|------+--------------+-----------------+------------
Total | | 255,700 | $ 26,780,369,418|$913,630,350
| | | |
United States | 1908 | 230,494 |(e)12,840,091,462| 566,832,746
| | | |
-----------------+------+--------------+-----------------+------------

(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).

{table continued; part 2}
===================================================================
| | | |
| | Freight | Other | Total
Country | Year | Revenues | Revenues | Earnings
| | | |
-----------------+------+--------------+------------+--------------
United Kingdom | 1908 | $ 286,786,249|$ 89,560,115| $ 583,885,371
German Empire | 1908 | 412,635,760| 56,715,200| 647,451,360
France | 1907 | 176,664,215| 6,421,010| 323,440,673
Russia in Europe | 1905 | 221,967,500| 39,678,500| 320,459,500
Austria | 1907 | 122,214,200| 5,692,800| 169,628,800
Hungary | 1907 | 54,650,400| 3,327,000| 78,814,200
Italy(a) |1907-8| 51,266,976| 6,929,979| 89,346,841
Spain | 1905 | 34,694,555| 6,190,271| 57,100,692
Portugal | 1905 | 5,322,875| 423,936| 9,761,000
Sweden | 1906 | 21,051,360| 815,670| 32,572,300
Norway | 1908 | 3,029,920| 108,810| 5,392,150
Denmark(a) |1907-8| 5,266,350| 680,400| 11,058,660
Belgium | 1907 | 38,532,450| 858,271| 89,731,511
Holland | 1907 | 10,664,400| 1,300,000| 22,942,800
Switzerland | 1907 | 21,204,331| 1,677,556| 39,114,310
Roumania |1907-8| 10,269,530| 629,373| 15,988,094
Canada | 1909 | 95,714,783| 10,268,065| 145,056,336
Argentine | 1907 | 56,597,760| 7,578,240| 83,029,760
Japan(a) | 1908 | 14,651,808| 1,448,881| 34,887,584
British India | 1908 | 84,225,280| 4,088,640| 143,446,080
New South Wales | 1909 | 14,437,981| 1,669,826| 24,488,551
|------+--------------+------------+--------------
Total | |$1,741,848,683|$246,062,543|$2,927,596,573
| | | |
United States | 1908 | 1,665,419,108| 171,554,135| 2,393,805,989
| | | |
-----------------+------+--------------+------------+--------------

(a) State only.

{table continued; part 3}
========================================================================
| | | | | |
| | |Per Cent| | |
Country | Year | Operating |Expense | |Average |
| | Expenses | to | Passengers|Journey |
| | |Revenue | Carried | Miles |
| | | | | |
-----------------+------+--------------+--------+-------------+--------+
United Kingdom | 1908 | $372,103,990| 63.7 |1,725,631,620| 7.8 |
German Empire | 1908 | 476,290,080| 73.6 |1,361,655,150| 14.1 |
France | 1907 | 183,444,503| 55.9 | 474,335,306| 19.9 |
Russia in Europe | 1905 | 216,987,500| 67.8 | 116,441,000| 73.2 |
Austria | 1907 | 120,103,800| 70.8 | 223,717,302| 19.1 |
Hungary | 1907 | 53,309,000| 67.6 | 107,171,000| 21.4 |
Italy(a) |1907-8| 73,735,071| 82.6 | 64,276,501| 25.0(f)|
Spain | 1905 | 27,750,936| 48.6 | 41,846,249| 26.0(f)|
Portugal | 1905 | 4,426,236| 45.3 | 13,446,043| 20.0(f)|
Sweden | 1906 | 21,624,840| 66.3 | 46,452,445| 16.8 |
Norway | 1908 | 3,727,620| 69.1 | 10,679,732| 15.5 |
Denmark(a) |1907-8| 9,344,430| 84.5 | 20,818,639| 21.7 |
Belgium | 1907 | 38,428,809| 64.4 | 181,216,314| 14.0 |
Holland | 1907 | 19,174,400| 83.6 | 42,319,000| 18.4 |
Switzerland | 1907 | 26,311,883| 67.3 | 97,752,465| 12.8 |
Roumania |1907-8| 9,587,468| 60.0 | 8,193,037| 42.2 |
Canada | 1909 | 104,600,082| 72.1 | 32,683,309| 62.0 |
Argentine | 1907 | 56,198,080| 67.7 | 41,911,512| 25.2 |
Japan(a) | 1908 | 17,875,971| 51.2 | 101,115,739| 23.3 |
British India | 1908 | 86,408,000| 60.2 | 321,169,000| 37.7 |
New South Wales | 1909 | 14,380,252| 58.7 | 52,051,556| 11.1 |
|------+--------------+--------|-------------+--------+
Total | |$1,935,812,951| 66.1 |5,084,882,919| 16.52 |
| | | | | |
United States | 1908 | 1,669,547,876| 69.75 | 890,009,574| 32.66 |
| | | | | |
-----------------+------+--------------+--------+-------------+--------+

(a) State only.

(f) Estimated.

{table continued; part 4}
==========================================================
| | | | |
| | | |Per Cent|
Country | Year |Freight Tons | Average | Net |
| | Carried | Haul |Revenues|
| | | (Miles) | to |
| | | |Capital |
-----------------+------+-------------+---------+--------+
United Kingdom | 1908 | 491,595,056| 25.0 | 3.32 |
German Empire | 1908 | 461,296,759| 61.6 | 4.51 |
France | 1907 | 156,504,353| 78.8 | 4.18 |
Russia in Europe | 1905 | 156,129,875| 151.1 | 3.73 |
Austria | 1907 | 151,941,132| 53.7 | 3.27 |
Hungary | 1907 | 61,483,000| 69.5 | 3.6 |
Italy(a) |1907-8| 32,635,763| 66.0(f)| 1.4 |
Spain | 1905 | 22,662,548| 69.4 | 4.5 |
Portugal | 1905 | 3,775,559| 54.0(f)| 3.3 |
Sweden | 1906 | 31,961,244| 43.4 | 4.24 |
Norway | 1908 | 4,501,455| 35.4 | 2.55 |
Denmark(a) |1907-8| 4,726,757| 55.1 | 2.92 |
Belgium | 1907 | 72,494,073| 43.5 | 4.72 |
Holland | 1907 | 15,924,600| 53.8 | 1.93 |
Switzerland | 1907 | 17,411,711| 69.5 | 3.7 |
Roumania |1907-8| 6,796,315| 55.9 | 3.54 |
Canada | 1909 | 66,842,258| 197.0 | 2.51 |
Argentine | 1907 | 27,933,828| 115.9 | 3.95 |
Japan(a) | 1908 | 18,312,223| 78.7 | 8.9 |
British India | 1908 | 62,398,000| 159.1 | 4.33 |
New South Wales | 1909 | 9,298,929| 68.4 | 4.36 |
|------+-------------+---------+--------+
Total | |1,876,625,438| 66.7 | 3.71 |
| | | | |
United States | 1908 |1,532,981,790| 142.5 | 4.17 |
| | | | |
-----------------+------+-------------+---------+--------+

(a) State only.

(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
Pass. carried 1 mile | 2,049,549,813 | 2,081,960,864 | 2,033,001,225
Average journey (miles)| 64 | 61 | 62
Average pass. per train| 56 | 54 | 51
Mileage of pass. 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 pass. | $39,184,437 | $39,992,503 | $39,073,488
Receipts per pass. 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
Prop. of gross earnings | 40.02% | 41.10% | 43.58%
Prop. 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
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

Mileage by states, 1907, 1908 and 1909, 307

Mileage of American railways, 1909, 306

Mileage, ratio to area and population, 307

Mileage, 1890 to 1909, 308

Miles built in 1890-1909, by states, 308

Mississippi river, first bridge across, 131

Money for improvements must be earned or borrowed, 50

Municipal bodies unfitted for business enterprises, 256

McCain, C. C., on diminished purchasing power of railway earnings, 165

McPherson, Logan G., on transportation charge and prices, 90

National aid for internal improvements, 19

National Board of Trade opposes changes in I. C. Law, 290

National development and the railways, 112

Nationalization, arguments for, 246

Nationalization, arguments against, 247

Nationalization of the railways, 238

Nationalized railways a field for social experiments, 257

New England, early railways of, 8

Nomenclature, changes in, 293

Ores, relation of freight rates to values, 98

Ownership of American railways, 345

Ownership of the Great Northern, 98

Owners of railways not opposed to nationalization, 238

Pacific Northwest, railways of, 45

Panic of 1837, effect on railways, 117

Passenger cars, number, 1902-1909, 317

Passenger service compared with mail service, 151

Passenger traffic, 1909, 346

Passenger traffic, relation of accidents to, 376

Passenger traffic, statistics concerning, 1888 to 1909, 348

Pay, increase in average daily compensation, 334

Pay of British railway employes, 326

Pay of foreign railway employes, 327

Pay roll, proportion to gross earnings, 1899-1909, 325

Pennsylvania R. R. Co., first report of engineer, 21

Pennsylvania R. R. Co., how located, 24

Pennsylvania R. R. Co. in 1848 and 1909, 44

Pennsylvania R. R. Co. owned by 50,000 people, 218

Petroleum, relation of freight charge to price of, 99

Physical valuation and rate making, 83

Physical valuation, Senator Cummins on, 343

Policy of fairness and liberality needed, 62

Popular hostility to the railroads, 212

Postal cars, increasing cost of, 158

Postal cars, pay for, 157

Postal deficit, cause of, 160

Potatoes, effect of freight charge on price, 92

Poultry, freight rates on, 111

Preference, undue, would increase under nationalization, 255

Pre-railway era in America, 5

Pre-railway era in England, 5

Prices and actual rates, 191

Prices, relative, wholesale, 182

Prices, retail, London and New York, 336

Prices, retail, of principal articles, 1890-1909, 382

Priestley, Neville, on American railways, 78

Private capital, dependence on, 87

Private corporations, railway companies are, 207

Private property, railways are, 75

Problems confronting railways, Daniel Willard on, 66

Problems of construction and operation essentially different, 244

Problems, railroad, of to-day, J. B. Thayer on, 211

Property rights involved in fixing rates, 266

Proportion of pay roll to gross earnings, 1899-1909, 325

Prosperity of the country depends on prosperous railways, 115

Public and the railroads, John C. Spooner on, 205

Public approval and the railroads, E. P. Ripley on, 199

"Public be damned," origin of saying, 200

Public control and private ownership, are they compatible?, 204

Public sentiment rules in the United States, 200

Public service of American railways, 346

Rails, their evolution, 132

Railway mail pay in 1899 reported not excessive, 132

Railways, American, are private property, 75

Railways essential to happiness of American people, 205

Railways, situation of, to-day, Frank Trumbull on, 80

Rates before the era of railways, 5

Rates by I. C. C., groups, 1897-1908, 186

Rates, discussion of how made, 272

Rates in United States must be elastic, 277

Rates made to get the business, 74

Rates measured in money, 1897-1907, 184

Rates must fluctuate to meet conditions, 278

Rates, true principle of making, recognized from the first, 43

Raw materials, how rates are adjusted on, 104

Reasonable rates, right to make, fundamental, 265

Rebates past, 202

Receiverships, railway, since 1876, 384

Reduction in railway mail pay not warranted in 1899, 146

Reductions, no, without the right to advance, 280

Relations of railways to the state, 220

Relative cost of mail, freight and passenger service, 152

Refrigerators, freight rates on, 109

Regulate, how shall government, 233

Regulation, cost of, 174

Regulation, cost of, increase since 1888, 385

Regulation of American railways, 300

Regulation, just, welcomed by the railways, 215

Results, comparative, 1889, 1899 and 1909, 295

Retrospect of four years, 80

Returns from mail, freight and passengers compared, 148

Revolution, highways before and after, 8

Right of railways to fix rates recognized, 262

Ripley, E. P., on the railways and public approval, 199

Risk in railway investments, 46

Roosevelt, President, rejects over-capitalization theory, 107

Safety appliances, 320

Safety in railway operation progressive, 116

Safety of American railways, 368

Seattle, James J. Hill at, 45

Senate committee concerning advance in railway rates, 261

Shareholders, number of railway, 345

Ship subsidy criticised, 51

Shippers protected under existing law, 263

Shoes, effect of freight charge on price of, 93

Signaling, development of railway, 122

Smith, A. H., on progressive safety in railway operation, 116

Socialistic aspect of nationalization of railways, 239

Southern products increase in 25 years, 60

Southern railways and their needs, 58

Southern railways crippled by the civil war, 58

Southern railways, mileage of, 59

Spooner, John C., on railroads and the public, 205

Stage line, first, between New York and Philadelphia, 6

State control or state ownership, 228

State ownership by autocracy, 229

State ownership not favored in America, 223

State ownership widely extended, 222

Standard time, adoption of, 136

Statistics of American railways, 1909, 291

Statistics of foreign railways, 386

Steamboat, when first a commercial success, 13

Sugar beets, relation of freight rate to industry, 97

Sugar, effect of freight charge on price of, 97

Supplies, cost of railway, 171-194

Supreme court gives control of rates to carriers, 263

Surplus of freight cars in 1908-1909, 318

Swiss railway employes, number and pay of, 328

Tacoma, James J. Hill at, 54

Tacoma waking up, 48

Taxes, 1889-1909, 363

Taxes, increase, 1897-1907, 174

Terminals, increased cost of, 47

Thayer, J. B., on railroad problems of to-day, 211

Tobacco, effect of freight charge on price of, 96

Tolls on turnpikes, 17

Tonnage, classified, 189

Tonnage, water, at Duluth leads the world, 53

Tracks, all, mileage of, in the United States, 312

Tracks, all, mileage of, in the United Kingdom, 313

Train despatching, 126

Transportation charge and prices, Logan G. McPherson on, 90

Transportation needs anticipated in America, 59

Trespassers, fatalities to, 139

Trumbull, Frank, on railroad situation of to-day, 80

Turnpikes, capitalization of, 16

Turnpikes, the early American, 10

United Kingdom railways, statistics of, 389

Valuation, physical, 343

Vastness of railway industry, 118

Wages, effect of increase on C. B. & Q., 69

Wages, railway, in the United States and abroad, 76

Wages, railway employes, 1897-1907, 166

Wages, railway, per day, 1897-1907, 167

Wages, railway, 1909, 322

Wages, railway, per day, 1892-1909, 324

Wagon roads into interior of America, 14

Wallace, John F., on needs of Southern railroads, 58

"Watered Stock" discussed by James J. Hill, 46

Watermelons, relation of freight charge to the industry, 101

Wearing apparel, effect of freight charge on price, 94

"What the traffic will bear" misconstrued, 200

Wheat margin between production and consumption, 55

Wheat, the problem of, discussed by James J. Hill, 54

Willard, Daniel, on American railway problems, 65

World railways, mileage of, 1840 to 1909, 392

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

Bold text is denoted by =equal signs=.

Fractions have been left in the form a/b except for ¼ ½ ¾. A dozen
or so occurrences of 'nn a-b' have been changed to 'nn-a/b', mainly on
pages 27-40, for consistency.

Footnote anchors in a table are of the form (a) and the corresponding
Footnote is placed at the bottom of that table. Other Footnote anchors
are of the form [A] with placement at the end of that Chapter.

To save table space some column headings use the following
abbreviations:
Pass. for Passenger
Mill. for Millions
Prop. for Proportion

Many wide tables have been split into two or more parts. Each part
after the first is labelled at the top with {table continued}.

Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
the text and consultation of external sources.

The Table of Contents has been expanded to include the seventeen
sections under the 'Statistics' chapter at page 291.

Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. For example:
employes, employees; pay roll, pay-roll; reconnoissance; asperse.

Pg 15, 'would built' replaced by 'would build'.
Pg 19, 'incontestible' replaced by 'incontestable'.
Pg 38, column headings, copied from the earlier similar table on pg 36,
have been added to this table for clarity.
Pg 42, 'transhipment' replaced by 'transshipment'.
Pg 97, 'Oamha' replaced by 'Omaha'.
Pg 97, 'remainding' replaced by 'remaining'.
Pg 133, 'uniformily' replaced by 'uniformly'.
Pg 150, 'R. P. O.' in the Table replaced by 'R.P.O.' to save space.
Pg 153, some $ signs removed from the Table to save space.
Pg 177, missing Table Footnote '(a) January to July, only.' added.
Pg 181 Footnote [F], '89 and 95' replaced by '89 to 95'.
Pg 200, 'correst' replaced by 'correct'.
Pg 205, 'leachlike' replaced by 'leechlike'.
Pg 210, 'inocuous' replaced by 'innocuous'.
Pg 226, 'parlimentary' replaced by 'parliamentary'.
Pg 272, 'is practical' replaced by 'its practical'.
Pg 295, '(m = 1,000.)' replaced by '(m = 1,000; d = decrease.)'.
Pg 298, 'phenomenonally' replaced by 'phenomenally'.
Pg 316, 'direct charges' replaced by 'Indirect charges'.
Pg 316, '$250,635.34' replaced by '$240,635.34'.
Pg 318, Table 11th row, 'XII' replaced by 'XI'.
Pg 331, 'arbitraters' replaced by 'arbitrators'.
Pg 335, 'desponding' replaced by 'despondent'.
Pg 357, Table note (b), 'Bureau 99' replaced by 'Bureau in'.
Pg 357, Table note (b), 'December, in 10' replaced by 'December, is'.
Pg 359, to save space in the Table, the two columns with totals have
been merged into the columns with their constituent data. No
data has been omitted.