INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION CHARLES D. MAHAFFIE, CHAIRMAN CLYDE B. AITCHISON JOSEPH B. EASTMAN FRANK McMANAMY CLAUDE R. PORTER HUGH M. TATE CARROLL MILLER WALTER M. W. SPLAWN MARION M. CASKIE H GEORGE B. MCGINTY, Secretary. REPORT OF THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C., November 1, 1936. To the Senate and House of Representatives: The Interstate Commerce Commission has the honor to submit herewith its fiftieth annual report to the Congress. Plans are being made to take appropriate notice of the completion of a half century of its existence. The period covered by this report extends from November 1, 1935 to October 31, 1936, except as otherwise noted. A statement of appropriations and aggregate expenditures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1936, is contained in appendix H to this report. TRAFFIC AND EARNINGS OF TRANSPORT AGENCIES Since our last report the steam railways have experienced a further revival of traffic, both freight and passenger, and their gross and net earnings have increased substantially. The traffic of 1934 and 1935 was somewhat larger than that of 1933 but the upturn is being accelerated in 1936. The total operating revenues of the railways were 16.7 percent greater in the first 9 months of 1936 than in the corresponding period in 1935. The improving trend in rail traffic and revenues is clearly shown by the following figures: Index numbers of traffic and revenues of class I steam railways seasonally adjusted |