The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-15

Cost of Earth Per Yard-Stnte-
ment Showing the Local Passen-
ger Earnings in North Dakota at
the FOur-Cent Rate.
All the auditors of the Northern Pa
clf1c and the Great Northern RAILWAYS
were examined yesterday In the North
Dakota rate case hearing, which was
continued at the Northern Pacific~office
yesterday. Their testimony was intro
duced by the railway companies TO
prove the accuracy Of estimates of cost
Oh construction, operating expenses and
receipts previously submitted by the
companies We're correct.
M. + Martin, auditor of the Northern
racine Railway company, was called
by MI. Bum, and in reply to questions
said he had been auditor of the com
pany practically since 1879.
Mr.. Martin identified a number of ia
pies as having been prepared in his Of
nee ana SAID he believed them correct
IN every respect. Several were COM
piled by himself. One of these tables
SHOWS the average yearly increase and
decrease per cent of the railway. He
ADMITTED that the table was an esti-
mate pased upon several years bust
ness and not upon the entire period of
the railroads. existence.
A ). Morton, auditor of disburse-
ments Of the Northern Pacific railway.
resumed that he had supervision of all
expenditures of the company. He also
identified tables Of expenditures nre-
pared by himself or under his direction.
he believed the tables to be accurate.
though 1t was possible that they might
contain errors. He knew that errors of
fact could creep into accounts, but
while it was possible he did not think
1t probable in the case of the Northern
Pacific.
H. c. Taylor, auditor of freight re-
ce1pts of the Northern Pacific, was
next called and was shown number of
exhibits previously introduced, being
transcripts from office accounts. He
said he believed they were accurate, as
they were prepared in his Office under
his direction. The figures showing the
local business in North Dakota, he said,
were obtained from the records. These
showed that the decrease of revenue
consequent upon the application of the
reduced rates fixed by the railway COM
mission was 2212 per cent.
George Sheriff, auditor of passenger
receipts of the Northern Pacific, identi-
fed tables showing receipts from his
department, and said that they were
accurate to the best of his knowledge.
The loss on receipts, if the commission
er's rates were applied, would be 1894
per cent. The rate in North Da-
kota was cents per mile, and the
beard rate was cents per mile The
Minnesota rate is 8 cents per mile and
the Montana rate is cents. The round
trip rate in Dakota was cents until
last October, 1895, when it was reduced
to cents per mile
Mr.. Sheriff said the local passenger
business on the branches was less than
on the main line. On the branches, as
a rule. mixed freight and passenger
trains are operated.
r. M. De Lambert, general store
keeper and auditor of motive power ac-
counts, said he had charge of all the
books and papers of the motive power
department.
j. l.. Cramer, auditor of disburse-
ments of the Great Northern Railway
company, testified regarding tables of
operating expenses previously submit
ted. He said the statements were pre-
pared under his direction; that they
were accurate, in his belief, as a mis-
take in such accounts was not posi-
BILE under the system of bookkeeping in
the Great Northern office. The witness
said that, while supplies were pur-
chased by the purchasing agent, he
frequently questioned vouchers sent to
him, when the prices for supplies were
greater than the market value He
checked accounts for labor. A separate
rate of pay is shown on the pay roll
for each lahOrer There was no doubt
that the money issued for the payment
of laborers was actually expended for
that purpose.
"Of course" he said, at don't go out
on the line and see every tie and rail
laid. That would be impossible"
F. E. Draper, auditor of freight ac-
counts of the Great Northern railway.
detailed the method of keeping account
Of freight. The tonnage carried, he
sald is ascertained from the way bills
which are received from the agents.
An exhibit showing tonnage and rev.
enue of business between stations in
North Dakota under actual tariffs and
proposed commissioners tariffs.
The months selected were January,
February, April, July, October and
November, 1895. These tables showed
that during those months the freight
traffic of the Great Northern amounted
to 2O,82S,150 pounds, from which a rev.
enue of $41, 961.67 was received. Under
the commissioners rate the revenue
would have been only $36,212.4S, a loss
of So, 1913, or 1871 per cent.
Il. H. Parker, auditor of passengre
H.. l.
hed that the reports of passenger re-
ceipts came from 1900 to 1000 men and
that the tables showing such REGENTS
submitted several months ago, were
prepared from such reports. He was
certain they were correct, for he check
ed them up himself.
Chlet Engineer Miller, Of the Great
Northern, was recalled and submitted
tables of earth work and bridges on the
various branches of the Great Northern
IN North Dakota, as well as the main
line in that state. On the ChIrch's
Ferry to st. Johns the mileage is So q
miles, average paid to the contractor "a
cubic yards added by the company.
The amount Of earth work removed by
contractor on Langdon branch was
1900 yards per mile at fourteen to
sixty cents per yard, and $35,45O for
bridges. The road bed on the branch
lines is fourteen feet. From Grand
Forks to Mitchell $4,000 yards per mile
of earth work was done by contractors.
and on the CastletOn to Mayville line
the company put 10000 yards per mile.
1920 yards of earth per mile was re-
moved on the Anita branch by con-
tractors, the price being from ten to
twenty cents. On the st. Johns branch
the price paid was thirteen to twenty
cents. AS originally graded by the
contractors the work probably cost
$4,000 a mile. More grading was done
by the company after the contractors
completed their work. The Bottineau
branch cost about the same, but the
Langdon branch was heavier work and
cost nearly $4,000 a mile.
On the Hope branch 1920 yards of
earth work was done per mile by con-
tractors The line Is 2S.07 miles In
length The company has since done
a good deal of work on that branch az
well as others. On the main line be-
tween Grand Forks and Minot $4,000