Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-04-21

In the assembly Monday evening ma
jority and minority reports were made
by the special committee appointed 70
ascertain whether the railroads of the
state were evading taxation on their
gross earnings, the minority being A.
r. Hall alone.
In brief Mr.. Hall declares that during
the past II years the Chicago & North
western has not paid taxes on S51 ,463,-
362.11 of gross earnings in the various
northwestern states and the st. Paul
company on $22,363, 411.16. 1t is also
claimed that the earnings are reported
as being much more per mile in Illinois
than in Wisconsin, fact which Mr.
Hall deems suspicious. The latter sub
mitted a resolution providing that the
railroad commissioner, state treasurer
and attorney general make a thorough
investigation of the matter and report
to the next legislature.
The majority reported that the total
gross earnings of the entire line of the
st. Paul Railroad from 1883 up to and
inclusive of the year 1892, as reported
by it to the Railroad commissioner of
this state, aggregated $262, AT ,S51. 90,
while the total gross earnings of such
railway for the same period of time as
reported by it to the various state
authorities in the various states in
which it operated, and as by them re-
ported to us, aggregated $24O, 054 40.
a. and that the difference between the
reports made by such railway COM
pany to the authorities Of the several
states in which it operated during the
period referred to and the aggregate
amount reported by such railway com
pany as it's total gross earnings for
such period to the Railroad commits
sioner Of this state is 500, 1863, 41116.
The total gross earnings of the entire
line of the Northwestern from 1881 UP
to and inclusive of the year 1892, as re
s1oner of this state aggregated $313,-
$50, 23S.11, while the total gross earn
ings of such railway for the same per-
iod Of time as reported by it to the
various state authorities in the various
states in which it operated, and as by
them reported to us, aggregated $262,-
O75,912, and that the difference be-
way company to the authorities Of the
several states in which it operated
during the period referred to and the
aggregate amount reported by such
railway company as it's total gross earn
ings for such period to the Railroad
commissioner of the state is SOL 1863
326.11.
Upon receiving the above informa-
ton, the committee requested the Of
ficials of the st. Paul road and the
Northwestern road to make eXplana-
tons as to the apparent inconsistency
in the reports made by them for the
several years Of the Railroad commits
sioner of this state Of it's total gross
earnings and Of the aggregate Of such
total gross earnings as computed from
the reports made to the Railroad com
missioners of the several states in
which it operated. Pursuant to such
request, Mr.. Hughitt, president of the
Northwestern, and Mr.. Miller, of the
st. Paul, Informed the committee that
such difference occurred by reason OF
the fact that in some of the states in
which their roads were operated, they
were not required by law to make re-
port to the railroad commissioner of
the actual earnings of such road in such
states, as they are in the state of Wis
consin, and that in such states, instead
of reporting the actual earnings of the
road in those states, they report to the
railroad commissioners the earnings Of
such road, proportional to the number
of miles operated therein.
The committee said that it verified
the accuracy of these statements and
concludes thus:
From the examination made, and
from all of the information which has
been received, it is satisfied that cor
rect and honest reports have been
made by the various railroad companies
operating lines within this state, to this
state Of the actual earnings Of each of
such roads,