RELATIVE INCREASE IN TRAFFIC ITEMS, OPERATING EXPENSES AND REVENUE FROM 1880 TO 1906, INCLUSIVE ====================================================================== | --Average, from and inclusive-- Items | | 1881 | 1886 | 1891 | 1896 | 1904 | 1880| to | to | to | to | to | | 1885 | 1890 | 1895 | 1898 | 1906 ---------------------+-----+--------+--------+--------+--------+------ Ton miles of freight | 100 | 134.36 | 203.23 | 264.90 | 313.81 | 595.0 Passenger miles of | | | | | | passengers. | 100 | 138.12 | 189.46 | 233.15 | 224.65 | 412.0 Operating expenses | 100 | 132.75 | 174.39 | 215.30 | 221.42 | 394.0 Gross income from | | | | | | operation | 100 | -- | -- | 183.0 | 190.0 | 346.0 ====================================================================== From this table it appears that between 1880 and 1906 the ton mileage of freight increased about six fold, and the passenger business more than four fold. Operating expenses, on the other hand, were in 1906 less than four times as great as in 1880. Increasing returns are quite evident. The period from 1880 down to 1896-1898, before the recent general increases in prices and wages took place, shows this even more strikingly. In order to transport more than three times as much freight and two and one-quarter times as many passengers, it required a direct outlay for operation of little more than twice as much money.[57] On the other hand, owing to the rapid rise of all operating costs since 1898, a comparison of expenditures confined to the last ten years by themselves, affords an apparent contradiction. The results for this period have already been given, classified in greater detail. And yet, despite this disturbing factor and the one earlier mentioned that these later operating expenses have been heavily loaded with improvement expenditures, it appears by comparison of 1895 with 1905, that passenger business has more than doubled, and freight business is two and a half times as great, while operating expenses in 1905 were not much over twice their amount ten years before. [Illustration: EARNINGS & EXPENSES]