Boston & Maine,

Fitchburg,

2,556,619 2,752,203 962,752 6,271,574

N. Y., N. H. & Hartford, 13,625,481 6,512,776 5,336,267 25,474,524

Averages,.

6,862,737 4,318,674 3,233,048 14,414,459

Passenger Traffic.

The total number of passengers carried the last year was 108,768,303 an increase of 6,724,323 passengers over the previous year. Each passenger travelled on the average a distance of 17.08 miles, making the total passenger mileage 1,858,253,279 - an increase of 142,171,674 miles, or passengers carried one mile, over the previous year.

The total volume of passenger traffic for each of the last ten years is shown in the following table:

Passenger Mileage for Ten Years, 1891-1900.

The passenger mileage on the four leading railroads during the last year, was as follows:

The next table gives the annual number of passengers carried to and from Boston on the railroads which have a terminus in this city, including the Boston, Revere Beach & Lynn, for each of the last ten years:

Passengers to and from Boston, 1891-1900.

The number of these passengers the last year was 4,261,672 greater than ten years ago, and 318,227 greater than five years ago,

Freight Traffic.

The total number of tons of freight hauled on all the roads the last year was 40,316,711-an increase of 4,088,627 tons over the previous year. Each ton of freight was hauled on the average a distance of 85.81 miles, making the total freight

mileage 3,459,439,263-an increase of 247,795,829 miles, or tons hauled one mile, over the previous year.

Freight Mileage for Ten Years, 1891-1900.

The preceding table gives the total volume of freight traffic for each of the last ten years.

The next table gives the freight mileage on the four leading roads for the last year:

Freight Mileage (Four Roads) in 1900.

66

DENSITY OF TRAFFIC.

By density of traffic" is meant the average annual number of passengers or tons of freight carried one mile per total mile of railroad operated. The density of traffic on a railroad system, other things being equal, is a measure of its earning capacity.

The following table shows the density of passenger traffic and freight traffic, and of both combined, during the last year, on all of the Massachusetts railroads taken together, and on the four leading roads in detail.

Density of Passenger and Freight Traffic in 1900.

EARNINGS AND EXPENSES OF OPERATION.

The gross earnings and expenses of operation the last year are classified and compared with those of the previous year, in the following table:

Gross Earnings and Expenses of Operation, 1899 and 1900.

Gross earnings from operation, $75,430,061 $82,191,293 $6,761,232 51,490,351 56,900,642 5,410,291

Operating expenses,

Net earnings from operation, . $23,939,710 $25,290,651 $1,350,941

* Decrease.

The next two tables show the revenue from passenger service and freight service respectively, the other earnings from

operation, and the gross earnings from operation, on each of the four leading roads for the last year, and on all of the roads for each of the past ten years:

Gross Earnings from Operation (Four Roads) in 1900.

Gross Earnings from Operation for Ten Years, 1891-1900.

Ratio of Operating Expenses to Gross Earnings.

The following tables give in like manner the gross earnings from operation, the operating expenses, the ratio of operating expenses to gross earnings, and the net earnings from operation of the four leading companies for the last year, and of all the companies for ten years: