Cost Of Running Railroads

Iu the prelinuinary report of Statistician HeDry C. Adams of the Interstate Commerce Comruissiou, whiob was reoeived at this ofiice tbis week, are some figures jgarding the earniDgs of the Michigan Central and the Ann Arbor roads for the year ending Jnne 30, 1896, whioh may prove of interest to Argus readers. The Michigan Central operates 1,642. 15 miles of road, inclnding 380.04 miles in Canada. The passenger earnings were $4, 468,510 and the freigbt earnings $9, 001, 740. The operating expenses were $10,195,410, leaving the net eamings $3,922,788, an increase of $53,786 over the preceding year. Tbe ineome f rom other sources was $44,665. The total deductions from ineome were $3,073,986 and the dividends declared were $749,520 leaving a surplus of $143,947. The report of the Ann Arbor road is for eight ïuonths ending June 30, 189(. In these eight months there were 302.73 miles of road operated and the passenger earnings were $182,483, and freight earoings $550,463. The operating expenses were $703,203, leaving the net earnings $48,293, a decrease of $137,053 from the preceding year. The total dednetions trom ineome were $51,726, leaving a deficit nf $3,433. In the year all the roads of tbe United States operated 172.368 miles of road and the passenger earning were 323,468,891, the freight earniugs were $772,071,374. while the operating expenses were $754,971,315 and the total deductious from income were $341,408,209. The income from other sources than freight and passenger earuings were $34,045,651, The dividends declared amonuted to $54,983,732, an increase of about $50.0,000 over tbe pre oeding year and tbe surplus from the operations of the year was $6,328,667.