The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-08
AN INCREASEIN VALUATION
Forty Miles Of New Road Built
During the Year.
NO APPEAL HAS BEEN TAKEN
All Complaints Have Been Satisfactorily
Adjusted Rates Lower Than in Any
Other State telegraph Lines
and Steamboats,.
and Steamboats,.

issued by this commission. Comprising
4T6 pages it contains much that is Of in-
terest to every North Carolinian who
takes any interest in his. States develop
ment and much more of great value to
those interested in railroads
This report is divided into two parts.
Besides the letter of Commissioners, ac-
companying the report. Part |, contains
the Railroad Commission Act as amend
ed: rules of practice in cases and pro-
ceediRgs before the commission; rules
governing the transportation Of freight
and passengers; freight and passenger
tariffs of various roads in the State; ex-
press tariff; railroad mileage and ter
minals: stations and distances tele-
graph companies and Offices in the State;
steamboat companies; Pullman and eX-
press companies; classification OF
freight; reports and decisions. Part II.
shows the assessment and valuations OF
railroads, steamboats,, Pullman cars,
telegraph companies and the apportion-
! ment to various counties and towns, IN
proportion to mileage of track in the res
pective counties and towns A complla-
+ ton Of railroad returns is also made,
showing capital stock, funded debt, earn
ings from operations, passenger, freight,
mail, express and miscellaneous incomes.
Operating expenses are given in detail
such as maintenance of way, equipment,
conducting transportation, &c. Employ
es and salaries paid them on each road,
passenger and freight train mileage,
number of tons and kind of freight haul
ed, description of equipment, accident to
persons, characteristics of road; such as
grading, bridges, iron, trestles, &c, are
set forth.
In their letter to the Governor the Com
missioners state that the total main line
mileage in North Carolina is 3,445.43 a.
gainst Z, 405.9S one year ago. This is an
increase of 1916 miles. Since the
last report the mileage in the
State has been increased as follows:
Caldwell and Northern, 1000 miles;
Henderson and Brevard, 21.60 miles;
Aberdeen and West End, 7.25 miles
THE TAX VALUATION.
The taxable property was increased
during the year 81 ,491. 54S. Prior to the
organization of the Commission as
Board Of Appraisers the valuation of the
railroad property in the State was placed
at S12.424540. The valuation for the
year 1896 is 500, 096.99, an increase
since the establishment Of the Commits
sion Of $14151 5000.
From this it appears that about one
eighth o6 the taxes of the State is paid
by the railroad companies
The Atlantic Coast Line operates Is
Pullman cars valued for taxation at
S26, 1864 IS The Southern Railway has
SO Pullman cars valued at $36, 240.54 and
the Seaboard has worth $20,777.75.
The total value Of Pullman cars running
over roads ia this State is $83,982.47.
The Western Union telegraph com
pany has 3,224.60 miles Of line in the
State worth S98,926.G0, and 8650.99
miles excess wire valued at SIS, 1SS0S,
while its batteries and office furniture
are assessed at So, 1872, making the to-
taI valuation for the company property
$182, 252.80.
The Postal company has 1,350.23 miles
0f wire valued at $40, 1905 The total
valuation OF its property in the State
is $31 ,270.48.
Property Of miscellaneous telegraph.
companies in the State is valued at
S3,3T1.21.
NO APPEALS TAKEN.
Most Of the complaints that came be-
fore the commission were for over
charges, determinations, damages, petit
tions for freight and passenger stations,
train connections aud passenger accom-
modations all of which seem to have had
prompt and careful attention by the
Railroad Commission.
"All complaints, says the report, how
ever trivial, have been adjusted by the
Commission to the satisfaction Of the
compliments as well as to the corpora
tons, as is shown by the fact that no
appeal has ever been taken from its rul"
ings The number of complaints have
been very small, considering vast amount
Of business done by the parties interest
cd, and in no case was it shown that the
matter complained of resulted from an
Intentional disregard Of the laws OF the
State or the rules Of the Commission,
but simply clerical errors.
THE business of the country was dur
ing the year greatly disturbed by war
Of rates. AS a general rule these reduc-
ed rates applied to competitive points
outside of this State only To prevent
/ this discrimination the Railroad Com
mission had notices served upon all the
companies having a cut rate in force, to
appear before it and show cause why
these low rates should not cover all
points in this State on the respective
roads and be made permanent, and also
TO reduce the local rates in this State in
the same proportion. From investiga
ton made It appeared to the Commission
that the rates now in force were Just and
reasonable and such as were cOntem
plated in the Act creating the Commits
sion. and that the continued war meant
only ruin to their respective corpora
tons"
low RAILROAD RATES.
Comparing the passenger traffic of inn
portant railroads OF the North"and West
with the traffic Of the roads in North
Carolina, the report says it win be seen
that the passenger rates charged in this
State are now very much lower, in pro-
portion to the volume OF traffic, than the
rates in other sections Of the country.
| A statement is given showing local
rates in different States, varying from
cents per mile in Florida to 3 cents in