289 CHAPTER VII. RAILWAYS. ment aid railway ies. 408. In India and in all of the principal British Colonies Governwith the exception of Canada, the railways have been prin- to public cipally, and in some cases entirely, built by the Government companwith public money, and large portions of the public debts. have been incurred for that purpose, but in this country the Government have only built such lines as were required by public policy, those being the Intercolonial and Prince Edward Island Railways; the first being built in accordance with the wishes of the Imperial Government, and the second to fulfil the pledges made to Prince Edward Island when that Province entered Confederation. The Government, however, has always been active in encouraging private enterprise, and in that way has expended no less a sum than $129,810,633 in the shape of bonuses at different times to different railways, which sum represents a considerable portion of the public debt, and which as previously mentioned, though directly productive to the country at large, brings in no immediate return to the Government. In addition to the above the Government has at various times made loans to railways, the amount of such loans at present outstanding being $20,592,026. The Provincial Governments have also contributed aid to the extent of $21,204,793, and various municipalities to the extent of $12,812,836. Early rail Canada. 409. The first railway in Canada was opened on the 21st July, 1836, between Laprairie and St. Johns in the Pro- ways in vince of Quebec, its length being 16 miles, but such little progress was made in railway development, that when the first sod of the Northern Railway was turned by Lady Elgin in 1850, there were but 71 miles in operation. Speaking of that ceremony the Illustrated London News said: "The inhabitants of the frozen and hitherto imperfectly "understood region of Canada have not until recently "availed themselves of the modern advances in public improvements." Slow though this country undoubtedly was at one time in the matter of railway construction, it in railway has of late years made very considerable progress. In 1867 there were 2,258 miles in operation, and on 30th June, 1887. 11,691 miles, with a total of 12,332 miles completed, being an increase in the 20 years since Confederation of 9,433 miles. In 1868 the paid-up capital amounted to $160,471.190, and in 1887 to $683,773,191. Progress construc tion. Particulars of capital paid. 410. The following table gives the sources from which the various sums have been derived that make the total capital paid, the amount derived from each source, and the amount of each per mile of completed railway : PARTICULARS OF RAILWAY CAPITAL PAID, 1887. 411. The proportion that each amount bears to the total Proporcapital is as follows: tion of details of capital to total. Twenty-five per cent. of the total capital has thus it will be seen been contributed by state and municipal aid. statistics 412. Though returns of a certain kind were annually made Railway to the Government, they were, previously to 1874-75, more 1875 1887. or less incomplete, and only since that year have any accurate statistics been collected. The following table gives the train mileage, number of passengers and tons of freight carried, and the receipts and expenditure of all railways in the Dominion for each year since the 1st July, 1874: 4,826 17,680,168 5,190,416 5,670,836 19,470,539 15,775,532 Particulars of 413. It will be seen that there was a very marked increase increases. indeed in the business of the railways in 1887, and the totals in each column are considerably larger than they have ever been before. The earnings per mile in 1880 averaged $3,418, in 1884 $3,490, in 1885 $3,175 in 1886 $3,106, and in 1887 $3,322, being an increase of $216 per mile as compared with the year before, making a decided break in the tendency which was manifesting itself for the earnings to decrease as the mileage was extended The average amount of working expenses per mile in 1886 was $2,166, and in 1887 $2,363, showing an increase of $197 per mile, but there was an improvement in the proportion of net receipts to capital cost; in 1886 it was 141 per cent., and in 1887, 164 per cent. There was an increase in train mileage of 3,157,660 miles, in the number of passengers carried of 837,614, in the tons of freight carried of 685,875, and in the net receipts of $1,005,527. Business of Cana 414. The following is a comparative statement of the dian Rail business done by Canadian Railways in the years 1886 and 1887, particulars of the principal lines being given separately: ways 1886 and 1887. |