States and Territories contributed 1478 miles to the aggregate, and the nine Pacific coast States 430 miles, while in the middle west the record of 1898 shows only 532 miles, nearly half of which, as indicated, was constructed in Minnesota.
From the advance report of the Statistician of the Interstate Commerce Commission for the year ending June 30, 1898, covering 97 per cent of the operated mileage in the United States, it is learned that the total gross earnings of the mileage represented were §1,238,523,380 for the year ending June 30, 1898. The distribution of these earnings shows that $332,892,782 were derived from the passenger service and $874,865,487 from the freight service. Other earnings from operation amounted to $30,765,111. The operating expenses of the railways during the year were $811,241,458. The net earnings for the year were $427,281,922.
The total income of the operating railways covered for the year ending June 30, 1898, was $466,790,116. The total deductions from income, which term embraces taxes ($41,699,348), interest on funded debt, rents for leased lines, and other charges against income, were for the same period $358,189,202, while the aggregate of dividends declared by the operating railways was $65,995,915. The deduction of these items from the total income of the operating railways shows a surplus of $42,604,999 from the operations of the year ending June 30, 1898. The corresponding figures for the year ending June 30, 1897, resulted in showing a deficit from operations of $1,412,399.
Railroad Commissions
The composition and duties of the Interstate Commerce Commission of the Federal Government have been given on page xv. The following-named States have railroad commissions: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Shipping
NUMBER AND GROSS TONNAGE OF CANAL BOATS AND BARGES IN THE UNITED STATES, VARIOUS YEARS, 1870 TO 1898
[These vessels are included in Statement following this.]
| Year ending June 30— | Canal Boats | Barges | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Tons | No. | Tons | No. | Tons | |
| 1870 | 6,410 | 567,915 | 1,530 | 240,411 | 7,940 | 808,326 |
| 1880 | 1,235 | 106,590 | 1,930 | 383,629 | 3,165 | 490,219 |
| 1890 | 1,097 | 114,953 | 1,241 | 341,042 | 2,338 | 455,995 |
| 1894 | 745 | 82,362 | 1,370 | 389,338 | 2,115 | 471,700 |
| 1895 | 680 | 75,051 | 1,368 | 382,632 | 2,043 | 457,683 |
| 1896 | 682 | 75,225 | 1,357 | 393,188 | 2,039 | 468,413 |
| 1897 | 650 | 73,786 | 1,480 | 432,523 | 2,130 | 506,309 |
| 1898 | 660 | 74,640 | 1,667 | 467,348 | 2,327 | 541,988 |
