.32 HISTORY OF THE GRANGE MOVEMENT; OR, 



mile was $55,116. The gross earnings for the year 

 were $473,241,055, of which $132,309,270, or 28 per 

 cent., was received for transportation of passengers, and 

 $340,931,785, or 72 per cent., for the transportation of 

 freight, including under this head the small amount 

 received from ' miscellaneous sources.' The receipts per 

 mile were $8256. The ratio of earnings to population 

 was $11.76 per head. The operating expenses for the 

 year were $307,486,682, or 65 per cent, of the gross 

 receipts, leaving $165,754,373, or 35 per cent., as net 

 earnings." 



Thus, in the comparatively short period of forty-six 

 years, over 67,000 miles of railroads have been con- 

 structed in the Union, involving an outlay for construc- 

 tion alone of over three thousand millions of dollars. 

 These vast corporations are the possessors of immense 

 quantities of real and personal estate, employ thousands 

 of operatives, and receive and pay out annually sums 

 of hundreds of millions of dollars. It is a wonderful 

 history. 



