NOTE: The figures showing the number of crossings are for the years ended December 31, 1916 and 1917 respectively.

Trespassers.

The total number of trespassers killed during the year ended June 30, 1918, was 98; the number of traspassers injured was 24. During the preceding year 145 trespassers were killed and 37 injured, while the average number killed and injured annually for the preceding ten years was 150 and 58 respectively. The character of accidents to trespassers during the year ended June 30, 1918, is shown by the following:

Two persons were reported killed and 2 injured during the year, classified as follows:

In addition to the above, 5 persons were reported killed and 2 injured, whose proper classification in the reports of accidents was indeterminable.

RAILWAY STATISTICS.

Annual returns for the year ending December 31, 1917, have been received from fifty-three railway companies. Returns have also been received from the receiver of the Bay State and the Norton & Taunton, also from the receivers of the Bristol County Property (this property was sold to the Taunton & Pawtucket at a receivers' sale in 1904), and a return from the Providence & Fall River to September 22, 1917, when the road was sold to the Swansea & Seekonk.

COMPANIES ADDED TO THE LIST.

During the year two companies were organized under the general law and added to the list, namely, the Norton, Taunton & Attleboro (purchaser of the Norton & Taunton at a receiver's sale) and the Swansea & Seekonk (purchaser of the Providence & Fall River).

COMPANIES DROPPED FROM THE LIST.

During the past year two companies have been dropped from the list, the Norton & Taunton and the Providence & Fall River, the properties having been sold to new companies formed as above stated.

OPERATION OF COMPANIES.

There were, at the end of the year, fifty-three existing companies; of this number, thirty-eight operated their railway and fifteen were operated under lease or contract by other companies.

RAILWAY MILEAGE.

New Mileage.

There was an increase during the past year in the mileage of the Massachusetts companies of 1.931 miles of street railway line, and an increase of 3.172 miles of second track, making a

total increase of 5.103 miles of main track. There was also an increase of 8.524 miles of side track, making a total increase of 13.627 miles reckoned as single track.

Mileage Owned.

The Massachusetts companies now own 2,359.424 miles of street railway line, 531.899 miles of second main track and 204.406 miles of side track, making the total length of track owned, reckoned as single track, 3,095.729 miles. All the track owned is surface street railway track, with the exception of 14.852 miles of elevated line and 14.632 miles of elevated second track. Of the sidings, all are surface track, with the exception of 10.000 miles of elevated track. All the elevated track is located in the cities of Boston and Cambridge.

Mileage Operated.

The total miles of main track (including trackage rights) operated was 3,007.841, an increase of 25.844 miles over the previous year.

The Bay State leases and operates the Nashua, located in New Hampshire, and the Newport and Fall River, located in Rhode Island, having a total mileage of 38.930 miles of main and second track. The Berkshire leases and operates The Vermont Company, having a mileage of main and second track of 26.660 miles, located in Vermont. The Massachusetts Northeastern owns, leases and operates 43.810 miles of main and second track, located in New Hampshire. Accordingly, 109.400 miles of main and second track are operated outside of this Commonwealth.

STATISTICS.

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

The following table gives the length of railway line and track and total reckoned as single track returned by the companies for the year ending December 31, 1917, as compared with the previous year:

Street Railway Mileage Owned, December 31, 1916 and 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 appears in the two following tables: