CountryYearMiles Covered by CapitalizationCapitalization or Cost of ConstructionPassenger RevenuesFreight RevenuesOther RevenuesTotal EarningsUnited Kingdom190823,205$6,382,296,742$207,539,004$286,786,249$89,560,115$583,885,371German Empire190835,5583,903,848,400178,100,400412,635,76056,715,200647,451,360France190724,8173,455,436,000145,355,448176,664,2156,421,010323,440,673Russia in Europe190531,545(b)3,170,876,36058,813,500221,967,50039,678,500320,459,500Austria190713,4271,515,576,80041,716,800122,214,2005,692,800169,628,800Hungary190711,769741,586,20020,836,80054,650,4003,327,00078,814,200Italy(a)1907-88,762(c)1,091,608,00031,149,88651,266,9766,929,97989,346,841Spain19058,432649,919,61016,215,86634,694,5556,190,27157,100,692Portugal19051,425162,385,2804,014,1965,322,875423,9369,761,000Sweden19067,938267,408,45010,665,27021,051,360815,67032,572,300Norway19081,60861,841,6102,253,4203,029,920108,8105,392,150Denmark(a)1907-81,19159,806,6205,111,9105,266,350680,40011,058,660Belgium19072,871(d)451,592,98018,340,79038,532,450858,27189,731,511Holland19072,225191,821,00010,978,40010,664,4001,300,00022,942,800Switzerland19072,740303,426,74716,222,42221,204,3311,677,55639,114,310Roumania1907-81,979183,492,0745,089,19110,269,530629,37315,988,094Canada190924,1041,608,963,33739,073,48895,714,78310,268,065145,056,336Argentine190713,690820,433,28019,853,76056,597,7607,578,24083,029,760Japan(a)19083,982190,173,72818,786,89514,651,8081,448,88134,887,584British India190830,8091,336,005,76055,132,16084,225,2804,088,640143,446,080New South Wales19093,623231,870,4408,380,74414,437,9811,669,82624,488,551Total255,700$26,780,369,418$913,630,350$1,741,848,683$246,062,543$2,927,596,573United States1908230,494(e)12,840,091,462566,832,7461,665,419,108171,554,1352,393,805,989(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).
Transcriber Note: The table below is a continuation of the table above. These two tables were on facing pages in the original text.
Transcriber Note: The table below is a continuation of the table above. These two tables were on facing pages in the original text.
Operating ExpensesPer Cent Expense to RevenuePassengers CarriedAverage Journey MilesFreight Tons CarriedAverage Haul (Miles)Per Cent Net Revenues to CapitalCountry.$372,103,99063.71,725,631,6207.8491,595,05625.03.32United Kingdom476,290,08073.61,361,655,15014.1461,296,75961.64.51German Empire183,444,50355.9474,335,30619.9156,504,35378.84.18France216,987,50067.8116,441,00073.2156,129,875151.13.73Russia in Europe120,103,80070.8223,717,30219.1151,941,13253.73.27Austria53,309,00067.6107,171,00021.461,483,00069.53.6Hungary73,735,07182.664,276,50125.0(f)32,635,76366.0(f)1.4(a)Italy27,750,93648.641,846,24926.0(f)22,662,54869.44.5Spain4,426,23645.313,446,04320.0(f)3,775,55954.0(f)3.3Portugal21,624,84066.346,452,44516.831,961,24443.44.24Sweden3,727,62069.110,679,73215.54,501,45535.42.55Norway9,344,43084.520,818,63921.74,726,75755.12.92(a)Denmark38,428,80964.4181,216,31414.072,494,07343.54.72Belgium19,174,40083.642,319,00018.415,924,60053.81.93Holland26,311,88367.397,752,46512.817,411,71169.53.7Switzerland9,587,46860.08,193,03742.26,796,31555.93.54Roumania104,600,08272.132,683,30962.066,842,258197.02.51Canada56,198,08067.741,911,51225.227,933,828115.93.95Argentine17,875,97151.2101,115,73923.318,312,22378.78.9(a)Japan86,408,00060.2321,169,00037.762,398,000159.14.33British India14,380,25258.752,051,55611.19,298,92968.44.36New South Wales$1,935,812,95166.15,084,882,91916.521,876,625,43866.73.71Total1,669,547,87669.75890,009,57432.661,532,981,790142.54.17United 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 1909.190719081909Miles of line operated22,60822,96624,104Second track1,0961,2111,464Yard track and sidings4,0924,5464,761All tracks27,79628,72330,329Capital cost:Stock$588,563,591$607,425,349$647,534,647Funded debt583,369,217631,869,664660,946,769Government railways100,958,402109,423,104111,545,903Subsidies162,017,157166,291,482188,963,337Total capital cost$1,434,908,367$1,515,009,599$1,608,990,656Per mile of line63,91065,96866,752Passenger traffic:Passengers carried32,137,31934,044,99232,683,309Passengers carried 1 mile2,049,549,8132,081,960,8642,033,001,225Average journey (miles)646162Average passengers per train565451Mileage of passenger trains30,220,46131,950,34932,295,730Mileage of mixed trains5,971,4146,210,8077,061,580Receipts from passengers$39,184,437$39,992,503$39,073,488Receipts per passenger mile (cents)1.9111.9201.921Freight traffic:Tons carried56,497,88563,019,90066,842,258Tons carried 1 mile11,687,711,83012,961,512,51912,961,512,519Average haul (miles)183206197Freight train mileage38,923,89040,476,37040,304,906Average tons per train260278278Receipts from freight$94,995,087$93,746,655$95,714,783Receipts per ton mile (mills)8.127.237.27Miscellaneous receipts$12,558,689$13,179,155$10,268,065Total receipts146,738,214146,918,313145,056,336Expenses of operation:Way and structures$20,887,092$20,778,610$21,153,274Maintenance of equipment21,666,37320,273,62621,510,303Conducting transportation57,325,54362,486,27054,284,587General expenses3,869,6643,765,6363,853,094Traffic expenses——3,798,824Total expenses$103,748,672$107,304,142$104,600,082Ratio to earnings70.72%73.04%72.11%Net receipts$42,989,552$39,614,171$40,456,251Percentage to capital cost3.00%2.61%2.51%Gross receipts per mile$6,535$6,398$6,018Gross expenses per mile4,6214,6724,339Number of employes124,012106,404125,195Compensation$58,719,493$60,376,607$63,216,662Proportion of gross earnings40.02%41.10%43.58%Proportion of operating expenses56.61%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 1908.19071908Length of railways:Double track or more (miles)12,84512,926Single track10,26310,279Total length of line23,10823,205Total length, all tracks, sidings, etc.53,15853,669Total capitalization (paid up)$6,302,099,773$6,382,296,742Capitalization per mile of line272,723275,040Passenger traffic:Passengers carried1,259,481,0001,278,115,000Season ticket journeys445,101,956447,516,620Passengers carried one mile13,295,747,05813,459,926,636Average journey (miles)7.87.8Receipts from passengers$205,036,740$207,539,004Average receipts per passenger per mile (cents)1.541.542Mail and other passenger train receipts$43,213,632$44,067,043Freight traffic:Minerals, tons carried407,602,177388,424,541General merchandise108,284,939103,170,515Total freight, tons515,887,116491,595,056Tons carried one mile12,897,177,90012,289,876,400Average haul (miles)2525Receipts from freight$298,058,610$286,786,249Average receipts per ton mile (cents)2.312.333Miscellaneous receipts$45,634,648$45,493,075Total receipts$591,943,630$583,885,371Expenses of operation373,085,840372,103,990Ratio of expenses to earnings63.063.75Net receipts$218,857,790—Percentage to total paid-up capital3.47—Gross receipts per mile$25,616$25,162Gross expenses per mile16,16516,035Number of employes621,341(a)621,341Total compensation$158,116,560$156,348,915Proportion of gross earnings26.726.78Proportion of operating expenses42.442.02Average 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 1908.190619071908Length of State railways (miles)32,05032,36732,922Length of private railways2,5132,6132,636Total34,56334,98035,558Cost of construction$3,613,493,706$3,767,220,777$3,903,848,400Cost per mile104,548107,694109,788Passenger traffic:Passengers carried1,209,224,0721,294,881,9231,361,655,150Passengers carried (one mile)17,189,336,94018,372,644,32719,202,935,120Average journey (miles)14.2114.1814.10Receipts from passengers$170,165,002$172,339,593$178,100,400Receipts per passenger per mile (cents)0.990.940.93Freight traffic:Fast freight and express:Tons carried3,791,7693,935,5384,013,970Tons carried 1 mile265,115,720272,898,271269,726,040Average haul (miles)69.9169.3466.96Receipts from same$16,924,080$17,295,969$17,015,040Receipts per ton mile (cents)6.386.346.32All freight:Tons carried455,144,382484,147,325461,296,759Tons carried one mile28,118,620,68029,702,981,14929,420,680,340Average haul (miles)61.7861.3561.60Receipts from freight$397,580,738$418,021,052$412,635,760Receipts per ton mile (cents)1.411.411.42Miscellaneous receipts$63,151,060$68,413,909$56,715,200Total receipts$630,796,800$658,774,554$647,451,503Expenses of operation407,174,400454,610,032476,290,080Ratio expenses to earnings64.569.173.6Net receipts$223,622,400$204,645,522$171,261,040Percentage on cost of construction6.185.424.51Gross receipts per mile$18,251$18,833$28,173Gross expenses per mile11,78012,99613,489Number of employes648,437695,557699,155Total compensation$219,390,932$245,389,859$259,606,560Proportion of gross earnings34.7837.2540.10Proportion of operating expenses53.8853.9854.50Average 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.
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 IncompleteAlabama4646757431,4291,8513,1484,2195,037Arkansas———382568962,1133,3414,883California———239252,2204,1485,7446,835Colorado————1571,5314,1544,5875,295Connecticut—1024026017429541,0071,0231,015Delaware163939127224280328346342Florida——214024465302,3903,2724,010Georgia—1856431,4201,8452,5354,1055,6396,868Idaho—————2209411,2611,763Illinois——1112,7994,8237,9559,84310,99713,216Indiana——2282,1633,1775,4545,8916,4697,774Iowa———6552,6835,2358,3479,1809,923Kansas————1,5013,4398,8068,7199,125Kentucky1528785341,0171,5982,6943,0593,484Louisiana4040803354796331,6582,8244,737Maine—112454727861,0131,3131,9152,150Maryland and D.C.1172132593866711,0121,1681,4071,468Massachusetts1133011,0351,2641,4801,8932,0942,1182,126Michigan—503427791,6383,9316,7898,1938,976Minnesota————1,0723,1085,4666,9428,285Mississippi——758629901,1832,2922,9194,169Missouri———8172,0004,0115,8976,8678,200Montana—————482,1813,0103,537Nebraska————1,8122,0005,2745,6846,099Nevada————5937699259091,699New Hampshire—534676617361,0151,1331,2391,248New Jersey991862065601,1251,7012,0342,2372,302New York1043741,3612,6823,9286,0197,4628,1218,504North Carolina—531549371,1781,4992,9043,8084,476North Dakota————356351,9402,7314,026Ohio—305752,9463,5385,9127,7198,7749,274Oklahoma—————2751,2132,1505,572Oregon————1595821,2691,7231,939Pennsylvania3187541,2402,5984,6566,2438,30710,27711,357Rhode Island—5068108136210212212212South Carolina1371372899731,1391,4292,0962,7953,324South Dakota————306302,4852,8503,703Tennessee———1,2531,4921,8242,7103,1243,761Texas———3077113,2937,9119,87312,987Utah————2577701,0901,5471,986Vermont——2905546149129131,0121,094Virginia931473841,3791,4861,8263,1423,7294,187Washington—————2741,6992,8903,806West Virginia————3876941,3062,1983,355Wisconsin——209051,5253,1305,4686,4967,626Wyoming—————4729411,2281,526Arizona—————3841,0611,5111,930New Mexico—————6431,2841,7522,967Total1,0982,8189,02130,63552,92293,671159,271192,940—
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: