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Sixty-two per cent of the track in the State is laid with steel rails.

ROAD BED AND TRACK.

The total number of track sections reported in Iowa is 1311, varying from five to seven miles. On each of these from three to seven men are employed, averaging five. The number of new ties laid within the year was 1,649,558. The oak ties last in track an average of eight years; the cedar six years. There were 53,399 tons of new steel, and 1,618 of new iron laid in tracks during the year.

FENCING.

Five thousand, four hundred miles of road are reported fenced. The number of miles of fence needed to complete the fencing of the

track is 2,904. This we understand would complete all the fencing in the State. On this subject we have nothing to add to what we said in our report last year, which we here re-print:

"The barbed wire fences cost less than fifty cents per rod; at this rate, no road, however poor, can afford to be without fences. The time has arrived when the legislature should pass a law requiring all roads in operation to be fenced, and all built in the future to be fenced within a reasonable time after the track is laid, and this time should be fixed in the law. The safety of trains and passengers requires this, and the land holder has by this time acquired the right to protection. The cases that come before this Board, where the greatest injustice is done the property holder, are those where the companies refuse to fence, availing themselves of the law that allows them to pay for stock killed; we are powerless to afford any remedy, and can only urge the immediate passage of some law upon this subject that will remedy the evil."

TELEGRAPH LINES.

Most of the lines are owned by the Western Union Company. The railroads report 1,037 miles owned by them, and 5,520 by the Western Union Company. The number of offices in railway stations in Iowa is 1,074.

TRAIN MILEAGE.

The total number of miles run by passenger trains was
The total number of miles run by freight trains was
The total number of miles run by switching trains was

25,699,838

44,773,147

15,380,204

The total number of miles run by construction and other trains was..

3,973,573

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The average distance traveled by each passenger was about thirtyeight miles; the amount paid about ninety cents. The maximum rate is fixed by statute. Discounts are sometimes made on through tickets, and most of the roads sell mileage tickets.

Speed of passenger trains varies from twenty to thirty miles per hour; of freight trains from ten to fifteen miles per hour.

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The number of empty cars hauled is about thirty-four per cent of all the cars hauled. This we regard as rather a favorable showing. The following table gives the amount of freight charges per ton per mile, in cents and fractions of cents, for the railroads doing

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The amount it costs to move freight per ton per mile is not generally returned. The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern give 0.82; the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, 0.80; the Des Moines & Fort Dodge, 0.40; the Iowa Northern, 4.90; the Wabash, 0.62; the Wisconsin, Iowa & Nebraska, 0.80; the Clarinda & St. Louis, 0.65; Burlington & Northwestern, 1.95; Burlington & Western, 1.75. These returns are not valuable, as it is evident the same elements do not enter into the determination of cost.

PERCENTAGE OF LOCAL FREIGHT.

As stated last year, the term local freight, as defined by the Commissioners, and on which information was sought, was the freight originating in the State and carried to points in the State. The term through freight, that originating in the State and carried to points outside the State, that originating outside the State and carried to points within the State, as well as that carried across the State origin

ating at points outside the State and carried to points outside the State. The information furnished the Commissioners is so meager and conflicting, and the purport of the questions seems to have been so generally misunderstood, that it is hardly safe to hazard an opinion. We may assume that it does not exceed twenty-five per cent. Last year we concluded that it might reach thirty, but in this we now think we were mistaken.

EQUIPMENT.

The total number of locomotives is reported 3,309. The weight of the standard gauge varies from thirty to eighty-one tons; of the narrow gauge from eighteen to twenty-two. The total number of cars reported is 106,178. Of these 1,351 are passenger cars, 779 baggage and mail cars, 207 parlor, dining and sleeping cars, 63,875 box freight cars, 10,508 stock cars, 21,757 platform and coal cars, 7,701 other cars.

STATIONS.

The total number of stations reported in Iowa is 1,340.

EMPLOYES.

The total number of persons reported as regularly employed in operating the roads in this State is 25,761; the amount paid for their services is $13,677,780.53, or $591,229.09 more was paid for personal services than the net earnings, from which interest and dividends to the parties owning the property are paid.

TRUSS BRIDGES.

The total number of wooden truss bridges reported is 252, the length 36,120; of combination truss bridges 165, the length 27,525; of iron truss bridges 93, the length 17,631.

WOODEN TRESTLE AND PILE.

The total number of wooden trestle and pile bridges is 11,592, the length 927,322 feet, or more than one hundred and seventy-five miles.

IRON TRESTLES.

The total number of iron trestles is 15, their length 3,197 feet. This is less than reported last year, but we think it correct.

ARCH CULVERTS.

The total number of arch cnlverts with twenty feet opening or more is 62; with less than twenty feet is 819.

BOX CULVERTS.

The total number of stone box culverts is 1,699; of timber, 6,937.

BRIDGES BUILT WITHIN THE YEAR.

There were built and rebuilt within the year 14,467 lineal feet of bridges.

CATTLE-GUARDS.

The number of cattle-guards reported is 13,244.

RAILROAD CROSSINGS.

The number at grade is 267; over or under, 52; or, as both roads report, one-half this number.

HIGHWAY CROSSINGS.

The number of highway crossings at grade is reported as 7,786. Over track, 120; under, 183; bridges 18 feet above rail, 108; less than 18 feet, 4; highway crossings at which there are flagmen, 86,

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The increase over last year is 252,339 tons. While the increase is not large it is encouraging, in view of the small increase of mileage for the year.

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