PHILADELPHIA, WILMINGTON, AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD.

We have received a copy of the fourteenth annual report of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company, with the report of the engineer and general superintendent, for the year ending November 30th, 1851, made January 12th, 1852. The report of Mr. Felton, the President of the Company, furnishes a clear and comprehensive statement of the business of the year.

The total receipts of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad Company during the year amounted to $580,723 68, from the following sources:

Passengers. Freight and express. $451,768 56

$83,259 93 $7,622 49 $38,072 70 $580,723 68

The expenses, including transportation, maintenance of way, general and miscellaneous, together with interest accrued on debts, amounted to $379,199 36, leaving a balance in favor of revenue account of $201,524 32.

The receipts of the New Castle Company from passengers, freight, and rents, amounted to $187,286 74, and the expenses, including tax on capital and interest, were $133,993 10, leaving a balance of $3,293 64, and a joint surplus of $204,817 96. A dividend of 2 per cent on the 1st of April, and 14 per cent October 1st, and tax amounting to $135,905, left a surplus of $68,912 96.

A comparison of the foregoing revenue with that of the year before shows an increase in the aggregate, on both lines, of $27,355 93. Up to August 1st there was a slight falling off in receipts, since which the gain has been quite unexpected in amount. Some of the causes of this falling off in the first part of the year, and increase in the last, is thus explained in Mr. Felton's report :

"It will be recollected that at the commencement of the last year, the winter through fare was reduced from four dollars to three dollars. This reduction of 25 per cent required an increase in the travel of 334 per cent to give the same amount of money as the fare of four dollars.

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"A result so favorable was not expected for the first year, and it will be seen from the following statistics that the reduction in fare of 25 per cent produced an increase of travel only equal to 21 1-5 per cent, and that the company apparently lost in the four months $9,341 50. The beneficial effects of a reduction in fare are scarcely ever felt immediately. The first result is generally a loss in revenue. To fairly test its value will require two or three years' experience. The directors have no doubt that in the end it will prove beneficial both to the public and the company. From December 1st, 1849, to April 1st, 1850, the whole number of passengers paying four dollars each was 25,669, who paid in all $102,679. From December 1st, 1850, to April 1st, 1851, the whole number of passengers paying three dollars each was 31,112, who paid in all $93,337 50, showing a falling off in money received of $9,341 50, or 9 1-10 per cent, and an increase in the number of passengers of 21 1-5 per cent."

STATISTICS OF RAILROAD LINE. The whole number of through first-class passengers, on the railroad, in 1850, was 103,525, paying $322,000; of second class, 10,423, paying $18,000. Total receipts from through passengers, in 1850, $340,000. The whole number of through first-class passengers on the railroad, in 1851, was 107,824, paying $306.500; of second-class, 15,142, paying $27,500. Total from through passengers, in 1851, $334,000, showing a loss in the whole year on receipts from through travel of $8,000, and a gain in the number of through passengers of 9,018. This loss on receipts from through travel resulted from the reduction of fares; from the opening of other and competing railroads; from the establishment of new lines of steamers between New York and Philadelphia, and southern ports, and from the short session of Congress, a result which was not unanticipated by your directors. It will be seen, hereafter, that the loss on through travel was very great for the first eight months of the year, and that there was a large gain in the last four months.

The whole number of way passengers, in 1850, on the railroad, was 208,891, paying

$106,634. In 1851, the number was 237,629, paying $117,768, showing a gain in the receipts from way travel of $11,134, and a gain in numbers of 28,738.

The receipts from freight and express, in 1850, were $61,914 16; in 1851, $83,259 93, showing a gain of $21,345 77 from freight and express. The receipts from mail and other sources, in 1850, were $44,851 68; in 1851, the receipts from the same sources were $45,695 19, showing a gain of $843 51. Total gain in the receipts on the railroad, in 1851, $27,323 84.

The number of passengers transported over the railroad in both directions, through and way, in each year since 1845, was as follows:

Number of passengers carried on the railroad one mile, in years, was as below:

each of the following

1846.

11,878,776

1817. 14,776,559

1848. 14,891,535

11 months. 1849. 1850. 1851. 13,607,011 15,312,626 18,225,076

STATISTICS OF NEW CASTLE LINE. The whole number of through first class passengers on the New Castle line, in 1850, was 26,109, paying $76,973 56; of secondclass, 3,607, paying $7,215. Total from through passengers, in 1850, $84,188 56. The whole number of through first-class passengers on the New Castle line, in 1851, was 26,565, paying $77,566 08; of second-class, 5,582, paying $11,165. Total from through passengers, in 1851, 88,731 08, showing a gain of $4,542 52 in receipts from through travel in 1851, and a gain of 2,431 in the number of through passengers. The whole number of way passengers, in 1850, on the New Castle line, was 40,374, and the receipts from way passengers, freight, and other sources, were $53,149 20. In 1851, the whole number was 43,255, and the receipts from way passengers, freight, and other sources, were $48,555 66, showing a loss in the receipts from way travel, freight, and other sources, of $4,593 54, and a gain in the number of way passengers of 2,880. Total loss in receipts on the New Castle line, in 1851, $52 02. This loss resulted from a reduction of fare on the way travel, and other temporary

causes.

THROUGH TICKETS BETWEEN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON.

The reduction of fare on the Philadelphia Wilmington, and Baltimore Railroad, and the partial adoption by the different lines between New York and Washington in August, 1851, by which the passenger was entitled to be carried with his baggage, free of expense, through Philadelphia and Baltimore by the night line, works well, as will be seen by the following extract from the report of the Directors, and will probably be extended to every train run :—

"This, as far as it went, gave great satisfaction, and materially increased the revenue, being equivalent to a large reduction of fare to the traveler, at a small cost to the companies, to say nothing of the saving of annoyance and imposition to which the passengers had before been subjected in their transits through the cities. Under this system, there were ticketed through Philadelphia, in August, 1,705 passengers; in September, 2,930; in October, 2,256; in November, 1,929 passengers. Through Baltimore, in August, 2,428 passengers; in September, 3,680; in October, 2,910; and in November, 2,409 passengers. Total, through Philadelphia and Baltimore, in August, September, October, and November, 20,246 passengers. Arrangements have lately been made to extend this through ticket to two trains daily each way, between New York and Washington, and your Directors hope soon to see it in operation from

Boston. To test the value of this through ticket, as an accommodation to the public and a means of adding to the revenue of the road, the following statistics of the through travel, both before and after the through ticket was established, are presented. From December 1st, 1849, to August 1st, 1850, there being no through ticket, the receipts from through passengers on the railroad were $204,743 72. From December 1st, 1850, to August 1st, 1851, the period before the through ticket was introduced, the receipts from through passengers were $178.780 71. Showing a falling off in the receipts from through travel of $25,963 01, for the first eight months of the last year. It has before been shown that there was an apparent falling off in receipts of $9,331 50 in the first four months of the year 1851, from a reduction of fare. Deducting this from the foregoing, and there appears to have been an actual falling off of $16,631 51, in the receipts from through passengers, independent of the reduction of fare, between the 1st of December, 1850, and the 1st of August, 1851. From August 1st, 1850, to December 1st, 1850, there being no through ticket, the receipts from through passengers were, on the railroad, $135,256 28. From August 1st, 1851, to December 1st, 1851, the period during which the through ticket was in operation, the receipts from through passengers were $155,219 32; showing a gain in the through travel of $19,963 04, for the last four months of the last year, as compared with the same months of the year before. It cannot, of course, be pretended that the whole of this gain was from through tickets, but the coincidence is sufficient to show the importance, not only of continuing the system, but of extending it to every train run, instead of one as heretofore.

THE SCHUYLKILL NAVIGATION COMPANY.

The annual report of the President and Managers of this company to the stockholders, dated January 5th, 1852, has been published. The business of the year, as we learn from the report, has been as follows:—

This is the greatest tonnage ever passed over the work, and exceeds that of any previous year by 104,580 tons; the quantity carried in 1841, being 737,517 tons, of which 584,692 tons were anthracite coal; the coal tonnage of 1851 being only 5,536 tons less than that year. Of the coal carried in 1851, there were 112,697 tons delivered at points along the line short of the city of Philadelphia. The greatest tonnage of any week, was 27,796 tons, and the largest load of any boat 188 tons.

The toll on coal amounted to $218,660 17, and on other articles to $66,961 07, making a total of $285,621 24. The amount received for rents of real estate, and water power, was $23,480 38. The tools and materials on hand at the close of the year 1850, in the car repair shops of the company, were sold to the contractors for repairing the cars, for the sum of $7,563 87. The sum of $15,202 95 has been credited on account of drawbacks allowed by the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company, on anthracite coal carried to the waters of New York Bay, by way of the Schuylkill Navigation and their canal. These several items make an aggregate income for the year of $331,868 44.

The charges against this aggregate income have been as follows:-

Current expenses of canal and works, salaries of officers, lock-tenders'

RAILWAY TRAVELING IN RUSSIA.

The regulations of the police authorities for railway traveling are highly characteristic. Persons wishing to travel by the Petersburg Moscow line, and to join it at one of the intermediate stations, must produce their papers and police certificate of leave, testifying that there is no obstacle to their traveling. Government officers and persons on business exhibit the written permission of their superiors. Travelers from foreign parts must show their legitimation papers to the railway authorities, &c. The name of every traveler by the railway is entered in a book, with observations as to his place of abode, destination, objects of journey, &c. The railway officers who have to inquire into the validity of the papers, &c., are paid by the railway board.

INCREASE OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

The aggregate amount of traffic on railways in the United Kingdom, published weekly from the 1st of January to the 15th of November, 1851, inclusive, amounted to £13,045,912; corresponding period of 1850 to £11,353,011; corresponding period of 1849 £9,818,104; and in 1848 to £8,931,293; showing an increase in 1851 over the corresponding period of 1850 of £1,692,901; an increase in 1850 over the corresponding period of 1849 of £1,534,907; and in 1849 over the same period of 1848 of £886,811.

JOURNAL OF MINING AND MANUFACTURES.

COAL MINES IN SOUTH AMERICA.

FREEMAN HUNT, Esq., Editor Merchants' Magazine :—

DEAR SIR-The hourly increasing importance of steam navigation, and the consequent increase of the consumption of coal, renders it almost indispensable that either some discovery should be made, or some advantage of the discoveries that have been made, should be developed, and my object in penning this note is to bring to the notice of your readers some facts which, in the present phase of steam navigation, are rendered important, and, it occurs to me, will prove incontestably of as much or equal importance as any that has yet been made.

În conversation with an intelligent man who had traveled much, I was informed of the existence of large beds or mines of coal in South America. My interest, or, call it curiosity, becoming excited, I spent time, trouble, and money, to get accurate information in regard to the same, together with the importance of the discovery, and soon brought myself in connection with the owners of these mines, who attach but little importance or value to them; and I found that they are situated about the northernmost part of South America, at about midway between the windward islands and Chagres, within some ten to twelve miles of a convenient sea-port, and that there has been made, by an intelligent and competent French engineer, a reconnoissance of these mines, who has expressed the opinion that there existed large beds of coal, of the best kind for sea-steamers. Now the mere existence of coal, even in large quantities, is of but little importance in itself, without the additional-1st. That it can be easily got at. 2d. That its cost when delivered will be at a low price. 3d. That there exists a market for the sale of the same-which points allow me to consider briefly.

1st and 2d. These mines are about ten to twelve miles distant from a sea-port, capable of floating the largest fleet in the world, and the coal can be brought to market by means of a railroad, which the country will allow to be built at a low price; and upon a calculation of the cost of a ton of coal, when delivered for shipping, I find that it will not exceed one dollar per ton, inclusive of all expenses and the delivery on shipboard. 3d. By reference to the statistics of the steam Commerce of the West Indies, it will be found that the number is nearly fifty steamers, consuming each on an average about twelve tons daily; our Chagres steamers' coal, at Jamaica or Havana, at the cost of from $5 to $8 per ton could be delivered from these South American mines at Jamaica or Havana at the cost of not over $2 per ton. A single fact will illustrate more fully than otherwise what I wish to state; the average number of regular running steamers between the port of New York and Chagres during the past

year was about twelve, who used about 40,000 tons of coal-one-half, or nearly onehalf of which they were obliged to purchase at Havana or Jamaica, and were obliged to take coal at New York to last them on their return passages from Chagres to Havana or Jamaica. Now, say that they purchased at Jamaica or Havana, during the past year, 20,000 tons, (a fair calculation,) which cost them $5 per ton-that would be $100,000. Now, coal can be delivered at Chagres for $3 per ton from these South American mines, which would be both a saving of $40,000 in money, besides a saving of the room that they were obliged to take up with coal from Chagres to Jamaica or Havana.

And further, the other steamers navigating the West Indies and South America are obliged to get their coal in the same manner as our Chagres steamers-i. e. from either the United States or England, which would be furnished by these South American mines at a decreased cost and greater convenience. There is now a line about to be, or is, established between Southampton, Madeira, and Brazils, and so on to the Cape of Good Hope, and there connecting with the East Indies' steamers to Bombay, &c. Now calculate the cost of the fuel for these steamers, which must be placed at Rio, purchased and shipped from the United States or England, and the difference between it being purchased from South America.

Another point, which is also of equal importance: the Panama Railroad will be in a short time in operation, by which means coal can be delivered at Panama at a cost not to exceed $3 50 per ton, from which place all the Pacific steamers can procure regular supplies; (these supplies are now very irregular, having to depend upon whatever kind of coal has been sent there, which is often of the worst description.) Considering these facts of value and importance to your commercial readers, I have taken the trouble to give them for their use and information,

And am respectfully yours,

GAYLER'S SALAMANDER SAFE..

FREEMAN HUNT, Esq., Editor of the Merchants' Magazine, etc.

J. D. STEVENSON.

SIR-I beg leave to refer to an article published by you some time ago under the caption, "FIRE PROOF SAFES-THE SALAMANDER"-and to call the attention of yourself and the public to what follows in reference to the utility of my safes at the time of the great fire in this city in 1835, and from that time to the present. The article referred to states:

"The universal destruction of safes in the great fire of 1835, induced a prejudice against those (safes) then in use."

This statement has been, and still is, detrimental to my interest, and affords my competitors the opportunity to quote it in their handbills, &c; and as I am now about to prove that the destruction of safes at that time was "not universal," I think, in fairness, you will not object to publish the following statement of facts:—

In April, 1833, I patented my "Double Fire Proof Safe." The same year the name "SALAMANDER" was applied to it, for the reason that one had been subjected to a very intense heat for a long time, and fully protected its valuable contents from injury. At the time of the great fire, in 1835, FORTY of these safes were in use by merchants in the fire district, all of which were exposed to the fire, and many of them as much so as they could have been in any of the buildings then destroyed, for proof of which see certificates. My safes then saved about half a million of money, notes, &c., besides the account books, &c., they contained, and so far was the result of this severe trial of my safes from "inducing a prejudice" against them, the demand from that time increased, and for several years after I sold all the safes I made by the the daily employment of from fifty to one hundred hands in my factory. Many more of these were subsequently tested, and not one instance of failure occurred.

In 1836 I made safes with a fire proof composition, and have continued its use ever since; and up to this period, not one of Gayler's Salamander Safes has failed to answer the purpose fully when exposed to fire. I can refer to as many tests of the fire proof quality of my safes as any other maker; and show that as many of my manufacture are now in use; four of them were very severely tried by fire, and by falling three or four stories, when the last great fire at Buffalo destroyed "Spalding's Exchange," together with the Bank of Lake Erie, the Bank of Attica, &c., not one of these safes failed; and I can with full confidence say to all who need a safe that GAYLER'S SALAMANDERS ARE FIRE PROOF BEYOND A DOUBT. This assertion is amply en