The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-01
PROPERTY TAX VALUATION
Fats and Figures as to the Railways .and
Other Property of the state Taken from
the Report of the Railway Commission
for 1897
Especial Correspondence.)


Raleigh, N. C, February 26.
Today Clerk Henry Clay Brown, Of
the railway commission, furnished ad-
amt sheets Of the annual report for
1897. 1t is a big volume. The first
part is devoted to the valuation of
railways:
Atlantic Coas Line system-686 miles
main lines, 80 of sidings, total 725; value
Of track S. S4 go, Of rolling stock sS27,-
1913, Of other property s1s1, $40, total
1868, S23.
Southern system-1,O 66 miles main
line, 14 of sidings, total lilo; value OF
track s8,O91, $50, Of rolling stock 81, O97,-
105, of other property S164 ,030, total
1882 15.
Seaboard Rir Line-6O7 miles main
line, 63 Of sidings, total go; value of
rae $5,079, 200, of rolling stock s44S,-
638, of other property s110,3S3, total
s. 1888, 221.
Miscellaneous ads 123 miles main
line, 81 of sidings, total 1,220; value of
track s5,03S, 407, of rolling stock $685.
281, of other property $163, 525, total
1851, pa.
Valuations Of other property are:
Pullman cars $96,918, Western Union
= SOol, IOL, ToSldI IcltSTdpH
$34, 572, miscellaneous telegraphs 1855,
steamboat companies s274,S17. The total
vaiue of these and the railways is
$29, ISL, 099, an increase of 81, 5S1, 003 over
1896.
There are the usual complete reports
from every road and branch line and
the complete reports and decisions of
the commission. =
The statement of earnings, etc, of
the various systems, etc, is as fol-
lows:
Atlantic Coast Line-Gross earnings
from operating $2,568,477, operating eX-
penses 81, 543, 1852, income from operat-
ing 81, 024, 615, and from other sources
$48, 511.
Southern-GrOss earnings from OPP
Grating $4,3S2, 9O8, operating expenses
81, 1923, III, income from operations
81 ,454, 1876.
Seaboard Air Line-Gross earnings
from operating 81, 199, 552, operating ex-
penses $1,578, $50, income from opera
ton $500, $50, and from other sources
1872, 796.
Miscellaneous roads-Gross earnings
from operating 81, 101 ,421, operating ex-
penses 81, sos, 1876, income from opera
ton $494, 625.
1t is of interest to know wha the
ANo1I Il Oil oS t'oItoo l
C~harlotte) did. Its gross earnings
were 1882 17, operating expenses
81, 14S, TIP, income from operation $443,-
AS. The gross earnings from opera
tons of the Atlantic and North Caro-
line railway were $149,435, operating
expenses 8 5,345, income from opera
ton $64, 0S9.
The North Carolina received from
passengers $3.50, 991, mail $112,7 22, eX-
press, $36, SIG, miscellaneous $3.50. Its
passenger earnings were $2,S4S per
mile, it's total freight earnings We're
$94S, 9S9, or 4,245 per mile. The At
lantic and North Cardinals passenger
earnings per mile were STA and freight
earnings per mile $798.
The cost of the Atlantic Coast Line
system is $14, 33S, 424, capital stock
81, 45O, 991, funded debt 49, O6, O53. The
cost of the Southern is $40, SO, 700, capt.
tai stock $2S, 5S4, 1856, funded debt $12,-
$50, 3S2. The cost of the SeabOard Air
Line is 81, 476, 943, capital stock 81, 513,-
O31, funded debt 49, 01 100. The cost of
the miscellaneous roads is $25, 1886, GAS,
capital stock SIS, 496 ,S49, funded debt
81, 0SS, 926. The North Carolina railway
cost "a, 975, 627, and the capital stock is
81 1000, 900. The Atlantic and North
Carolina cost $2,177, 027, the capital stock
10 l. III uOol pc-o,OOO
The new part of the volume is in re-
gard to the equalization of taxes. The
board of commissioners was by the act
of 1897 made also the state board of tax
equalization. It's reports of work done
are elaborate. Here are the figures in
gross:
Acres land 1903. S53, value $11O, 1884,
OF or 1897 an acre; town lots 1898,
value $44, SS5. $50, average valu $40;
horses, 172, 7OS, value $5,947, 925, average
s34.41; mules 1851 52 value 81, 7S6, $40,
average $3S.27; jacks 92O, value $4,O OF,
average $47.S5; goats A, 1897, value $29,-
772, average sc cents; cattle 594, 1872,
value 81, IT'S, 556, average $7.02; hogs
1,2SO,14O, value 81, So, S76, average s1.23;
sheep 334,2SO, value s317, 1898, average "a
cents; bicycles 1922, value $128, 566,
average $22.0S; dogs Isl, value $3,1SS.
The enumerated property is set down
at sos, 755, 100; banks So, 739, S46; building
and loa associations SAG, 001 for for
eign and $134, sos state. The total val
| uations of all property are given as
1924, 142, 591. Gross income on property
| not taxed $105, $40; salaries and fees
| 5000, O53: timber lands 1854, 1873; mineral
lands Sis, $50. Such were the valua-
tons as reported to h board of equali-
cation. The latter increased them
| 1853 III. +. A. OLDS.