IOWA TONNAGE.

The following is a table of tonnage on Iowa business to June 30, 1889, as compared with the previous year, which shows, notwithstanding short crops and largely diminished coal tonnage last winter, a healthy increase in Iowa business:

During the year 72 persons were killed and 512 injured on the railroads of the State. Of those killed 35 were employes, 4 passengers and 33 having no relation to the road or its business. Of the injured 442 were employes, 25 passengers and 46 not connected with the road.

Of the employes 8 were killed coupling cars, 5 falling from trains, 2 in collisions, 3 by derailments, 6 by other train accidents at stations, and 3 from other causes. Of the passengers killed

1 was at station and 3 from other causes; of the others killed 1 was from train accident, 7 at highway crossings, 8 at stations, 12 from other causes.

Of the employes, 149 were injured coupling cars, 44 falling from trains, 14 from collisions, 8 from derailments, 18 from other train accidents, 9 at stations, and 195 from other causes. Of the passengers injured 5 were from collisions, 6 from derailments, 5 from other train accidents, 1 at station, 8 from other causes. Of others injured, 2 were from collisions, 2 from derailments, 7 from other train accidents, 7 at highway crossings, 8 at stations, 18 from other

causes.

LAND GRANTS.

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company has received from congressional grants in Iowa 372,133.27 acres of land. There is yet to inure to the company from the grant, 2,000 acres. The company has sold 368,864 acres at an average of $4.87 per acre. The amount received from sales is $1,796,722.49; the amount unpaid on outstanding contracts is $37,898.47. The gross amount received from sales, contracts, forfeited contracts, up to June 30, 1889, is $1,961,519.55. The amount expended in the sale and management of the lands is $142,122.17; the amount of taxes paid on the lands is $30,914.59. The amount realized from the sales of lands above the expenses incurred in the management and taxes is $1,585,608.25. This includes amount due on contracts after deducting $202,874.54 for breaking credits allowed purchasers.

The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway Company has received from congressional grants in Iowa 550, 193.51 acres of land. The amount yet to inure to the company is uncertain, but small. The average price at which these lands have been sold is $8.78 per acre; the total number of acres sold is 542,945.92; the amount received from sales is $4,528,404.01; the amount unpaid on outstanding contracts is $265,480.61; the gross amount received from sales, contracts, forfeited contracts, etc., is $5,594,351.56; the amount expended in the sale and management of lands is $283,684.54; the amount of taxes paid upon the lands is $610,655.36. The amount realized from the sales of lands above the expenses incurred in the sale, management and taxes is $4,700,011.66.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company reports that it is unable to give the tonnage crossing the Mississippi and Missouri rivers at Burlington and Plattsmouth. This is much to be regretted, as this tonnage has always been information that the Commissioners have thought desirable for the General Assembly and the public.

The reason assigned for not furnishing this information is that the extreme poverty of the company had compelled it to abolish the statistical department. See Mr. Ripley's letter in the report of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company.

INTERLOCKING SWITCHES.

In view of the fact that rapid transit has become the rule for trans-continental traffic in the carriage of passengers and freight, that a large portion of this traffic hitherto passed and now passes through Iowa, and that there are 175 railway crossings at grade in the State, it seems to the Commissioners that chapter 173 of the laws of the Twentieth General Assembly should be so modified that where interlocking switches are put in, trains may cross the tracks of railways without stopping. It certainly is not the intention of the legislature or the people of the State to obstruct or drive the