communities interested, the telephone companies and the representatives of this department.

In the matter of control and operation of telegraph and telephone service by the Post Office Department of the United States, the Commission from the start offered every co-operation to the Postmaster-General and his committees, and the experience of the department organization and the information in its possession have at all times been placed at the disposal of the Washington authorities.

The personnel of the department was changed somewhat during the year by the departure of Mr. James M. Cushing, the oldest inspector in point of service, into the military service. Mr. Patrick J. Drislane of Boston, who has had many years' experience in telephone work, was appointed as temporary inspector to fill the vacancy.

In this connection, it is only fair to mention the splendid co-operation given the department by representatives of the New England Telephone company, and particularly Mr. Clarence G. McDavitt, the executive assistant, who handles all Commission matters for the company and with whom the department deals directly. Because of his co-operation and willingness to eliminate the usual formalities and red tape, we have been enabled to dispose of hundreds of complaints in an informal manner with entire satisfaction to all parties at interest.

DECISION ON HOTEL TELEPHONE RATES.

The most important telephone decision of the year by the Commission was that concerning rates for public telephone service at hotels, which appears in full in the appendix.

This decision, in effect, required the telephone company to discontinue furnishing telephone service to hotels except upon condition that such service should not be resold by the hotels at a price higher than that charged by the telephone company for the same service at public stations.

The decision was appealed by the counsel for the Hotel Men's Association, but, later, following an order by the PostmasterGeneral, in effect confirming the order of the Massachusetts Commission, the hotels decided to obey the order and are now charging regular schedule rates for local service.

RAILROAD STATISTICS.

Annual returns for the year ending December 31, 1917, have been received from thirty-six railroad corporations, also a return from the receiver of the Boston & Maine Railroad. Returns have also been received from a canal company and a sleeping car company.

There was returned the past year a net decrease of 7.97 miles of railroad line located in this Commonwealth, caused by additions and remeasurements. There was a decrease of .01 of a mile of second main track, an increase of 3.21 miles of third main track and 41.66 miles of side track.

There are now in Massachusetts 2,133.50 miles of main and branch railroad line. The total length of railroad track within the Commonwealth, including second, third and fourth main track and side track, is 5,005.05 miles.

STATISTICS.

The following compilations of statistics are from the returns of the several railroad companies to the Commission for the year ending December 31, 1917.

The 4.20 miles of road owned by the Hartford & Connecticut Western, located in this Commonwealth and operated by the Central New England, are not included in the following tables and statistics.

The following table gives the length of railroad line and track in this Commonwealth on December 31, 1917, as compared with the previous year:

Railroad Mileage in Massachusetts, December 31, 1916 and 1917.

The total length of railroad line owned by the Massachusetts companies in and out of the Commonwealth is 4,263.741 miles; and the total length of railroad track so owned is 9,198.362 miles. The miles of main and branch line, of second, third and fourth main track, and of side track, owned December 31, 1917, and the increase over the previous year is stated in the following table:

Mileage Owned by Reporting Companies, December 31, 1916 and 1917.

* Includes 19.03 miles electric street railway track.

* Includes .61 of a mile of fifth track and .54 of a mile of sixth track.

• Includes .94 of a mile of electric street railway.

Mileage Operated.

The length of railroad line operated by the Massachusetts companies, within and without the Commonwealth, including roads operated under lease or contract as well as roads owned, is 5,177.611 miles; and the total length of track so operated is 10,687.632 miles, as shown in detail, with the increase over the previous year, in the next table:

Mileage Operated by Reporting Companies December 31, 1916 and 1917.

Miles of Railroads Owned and Operated, December 31, 1917.

COMPARATIVE GENERAL BALANCE SHEET.

In any examination for purposes of comparison between the report here following and reports prior to 1914, it must be distinctly understood that by reason of the adoption by the Commission, under authority of law, of the form of return prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission, the return now adopted differs substantially in principle from the return formerly in use under authority of the Commission. The assets and liabilities in the comparative general balance sheet of the companies, as returned December 31, 1917, have been tabulated and the increase or decrease in each class as compared with 1916 appear in the two following tables: