cite, as example, one of the Southern lines, such as that running to Bahia Blanca via Tornquist; a line built almost at a loss by the Southern Railway Company of Buenos Ayres, but which to-day is yielding over 4 per cent., thanks to the agricultural development which has followed its course. According to figures of reliable origin, the traffic of this line between the stations of General La Madrid and Bahia Blanca, has increased from 63,580 tons in 1888 to 458,750 tons in 1908, or an increase of 620 per cent, in twenty years, and even so these figures do not include the through-goods traffic between these points.
Generally speaking, we may say that the revenues of the Argentine railways more often than otherwise exceed expectation, even in the case of new lines. On the other hand, it is difficult to reduce the expenses of working, on account of the special conditions of the traffic, which is only heavy at the time of harvest, instead of being distributed throughout the year.
We must warn the reader that the summary just given is of only approximate value. To avoid wounding the susceptibilities of the State, or in order not to justify demands on the part of the State for lower tariffs, certain of the railroad companies publish far lower profits than they really make, by means of transforming a portion of their profits to the reserve or redemption accounts. With the same object, they sink considerable sums in land purchase or in permanent-construction work.
Other companies, on the contrary, hoping that the State will eventually take over certain of their lines, seek to augment their returns temporarily, in order to obtain a better sale price.
We may safely say, however, the administrative methods of the greater companies being what they are, that on the whole the average revenues are above rather than below the figures we have given. Accounts are conducted on a basis of very cautious evaluation, in order to lessen the shock of a bad harvest.
As for the tariffs of the various companies, they are still very high, as always happens when there is no competition.
Here are some of the prices of freight per ton, according to the articles and the distance they are carried:[23]
[23] The Argentine “tonne” weighs 35 lbs. less than the English ton being 1000 kilogrammes, or 2205 lbs. in weight.
| Up to 50 kilometres | 300 kilometres or | 700 kilometres or | |
| or 30 miles. | 180 miles. | 421 miles. | |
| Wheat | 4s. 9·4d. to 5s. 6·5d. | 10s. 11d. to 14s. 9·6d. | 14s. 9d. to 17s. 2d. |
| Wool in bale | 5s. 8d. to 12s. 9d. | 26s. 3d. to 39s. 11d. | 39s. 2d. to 58s. 1d. |
| Wool in sacks | 14s. 11d. to 18s. 3·6d. | 47s. 6d. to 58s. 9d. | 72s. 3d. to 93s. 3d. |