Character Of Power.

1902

1890

Per Cent Of Increase.

Number of companies.

Miles of single track.

Number of companies.

Miles of single track.

Number of companies.

Miles of single track.

United States...............

849

*22,589.47

761

8,123.02

11.6

178.1

Electric

747

†21,920.07

126

1,261.97

492.9

1,637.0

Animal

67

259.10

506

5,661.44

‡86.8

‡95.4

Cable..........................

26

240.69

55

488.31

‡52.7

‡50.7

Steam.........................

9

169.61

74

711.30

‡87.8

‡76.2

* Includes 12.48 miles of track duplicated in reports of different companies, † Includes 6.06 miles operated by compressed air. ‡ Decrease.

At both censuses some companies reported the use of more than one kind of power, and in order to show the total number of companies for each class, they have been counted more than once; therefore the total given in table above exceeds the actual number of separate companies. The increase in the length of track is confined entirely to the roads operated by electric power. The use of electric power was reported by 126 companies in 1890 and 747 in 1902. The single track mileage operated by this power increased from 1.261.97 miles in 1890 to 21,920.07 in 1902. A decided decrease is shown in the number of companies and the trackage for each of the other classes of power.

The length of single track, 22,589.47 miles, reported for 1902, consists of 16,651.58 miles of first main track, 5,030.36 miles of second main track, and 907.53 miles of sidings and turnouts. The second table reproduces the totals for the United States and shows the mileage of each of the different classes of track and the per cent which each class forms of the total.