The Railroad Commissioners Report

The Michigan Railroad Commissioners' report embraces the returns received from 35 companies in active operation, and from 12 others whose roads are only projected or only partly built. Nine of the 35 are branches operated by other companies, which are either their owners or lessees. The aggregate length of the 35 operated roads, lying without as well as within the State, is 5,584 miles, and in Michigan alone 3,253 miles, the doublé track laid in Michigan amounts to 55. Additional track laid in 1873 : Chicago and Canada Southern, and Toledo, Canada Southern and Detroit, 90.50 miles; Chicago and Northwestern, 9.25; Detroit and Bay City, 35.50 ; Grand Rapids and Indiana, 79 ; Jackson, Lansing and Saginaw, 8 ; total, 275.75. The capital stock of roads in operation is $139,441,875.75, and ranges from $69,406.75 per niile in the case of the Michigan Central, to $.036.60 in that of the Kalamazoo and South Haven branch, and averages forall roads, $27,139.01 per mile. The total debtis $148,814,623 77- comprising $134,924,045 80 funded debt, and $13,890,577 97 floating debt. The debts of the Miohigan Central, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, and Detroit and Milwaukeo Roads were each about $40,000 per mile. The average earnings above expenses, per mile, $2,619 82. But three roads paid dividends during the year. The Michigan Central paid 4 per cent. in stock, amounting to $719,656. The Lake Shoro and Michigan Southern paid 10 per cent, on preferred stock, and 4 per cent. on common stock. The Chicago and Northwestern paid 3 12 per cent. on preferred stock, $751,042 24. Two hundred and fifty persons were injured during the year, 94 fatally. Forty per cent. of the injuries occurred beyond the control of the victims, and 60 per cent. by their own carelessness. The returns of many companies, reporting their average rates per toa per mile, show reductions from the rates of previous years, varying from 2 to 4 per cent. ■ The Lake Shore and Michigan Southorn report a steady downward movement in the rates per ton for the eyÊge freight movement of thia road for nre past six years. The Adrián Journal Bays : There still resides in this city the man who felled the first tree in this%ounty, nearly half a century ago. This was the first farm opened up in this vicinity. The man's name is Bouck, and he is still a ble to do a day's work.