The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-27
AN INCREASE IN VALUE
TWO AND A HALE MILLION MORE
OF TAXES.
THREE THOUSAND MILES OF ROAD
Telegraph Companies Assessed at Halt a
Million Dollars and Steamboats, at a
Quarter Million Freight and
Passenger Rates.
Passenger Rates.

dSSClSCl HatOo'
The seventh annual report of ihe
Board of Railroad Commissioners OF
North Carolina, for the year ending TX
cember 81, 1897, was ISSUED yesterday
1t is a book of some 6uO pages, hhed
with accurate and interesting statistics
IN regard to the various railroads, steam
boat, telegraph and telephone eompa-
MES operating in this State, as wen as
the proceedings and decisions rendered.
In addition TO the usual statistics con-
tanned in the book the first eighty pages
are devoted to the proceedings of the
matter OF the suspension OF the VIII
sons and the appointment of PEARSON
and Caldwell in their places. Ouher than
in these legal documents, the Wilson's do
not appear in the report. The letter
70 the Governor is written by Mr.. Cald-
well. the present chairman. In il he
says:
1T is only just to the majority of the
Board of Commissioners 10 state that
none OF the reports contained in this
annual report came under the inspection
or were received by the present Board.
The chairman of the Board and Mr..
Pearson, having been appointed by your
Excellency to I'LL the vacancies caused
by the suspension of Niessrs. j. W.
Wilson and S. Ohio Wilson. on Septem-
Der %, 1897. and their right and title
TO the offices being questioned. it be-
came necessary to resort to legal pro-
ceedings to have an adjudication of the
same. and it was not until December D,
1897. determined who were entitled
thereto; the duties of the office i'm the
meantime being performed by the de-
posed Commissioners and Commissioner
Abbott: so that the correctness of this
report is based upon the efficient la
bors of the clerk to said Board
The Railroad Commissioners, in ac-
cordance with sections IL to 80 inclusive,
of chapter 100, Laws of 1897, constitut-
ing the Board of Railroad Commission
ers a Board of Appraisers and Asses
sors, for railroad, telegraph, steamboat
and canal companies, assess the value
of road-bed. right-of-way, depot build
ings and grounds. used for railroad pur-
poses thereon, both main and side-track,
rolling stock, and other property. and
franchises of the various roads in the
State, and also the different telegraph
and steamboat companies, as follows:
Atlantic Coast Line system, 6S6.06
miles, valued at 81, 503, S23. 43: Southern
Railway system, 1,00G.26 miles. valued
at 1882, 215; SeabOard Airline
system, 607.21 miles, valued at $685.
221.01: Miscellaneous roads. 1,122.92
miles, valued at $5,S71 ,21437; Pullman
Palace Car Company, valued at $780,,
91815. Total mileage 3,422.45 miles,
valued at S2S.462, 39196. The Tele-
graph companies of the State are as
sessed at $419.S90.2S: the steamboat
companies az S274,S17.00..
Total assessment for taxes in 1897,
500. 157 ,09924.
This is an increase, over 1896, of ST.
5S1. 002 %, and was. it will he Tenem-
bered, made on motion of DIR. Abbott
while the Commission was in session ri
Round Knob last summer.
The statement in regard to cost of
road, capital stock and funded debt gives
the following totals:
Atlantic Coast Line-Cost of road, Sill
33S, 424; capital stock, $4,450,991; fund
ed debt, $9,406053.
Southern Railway Company-cost of
road. S40.519,7 700: capital stock, $685.
5S4.356; funded debt. $12.980.382.
Seaboard Air Line System-Cost Of
TDd0. n1I,tlD,34Os capital STOCK. ST.
513.031; funded debt S9.301 100.
The other roads of the State cost
500. 936.64S; capital stock. So, 49G,S19;
funded debt, S11.0SS 926.
The gross earnings, operating expenses
and income from operations are as fol
lows taxes. interest on funded debt
and dividends are not deducted:
Atlantic Coast Line-Gross earnings
from operation. S2.56S.477; operating ex-
penses, $1,543. S62; income from opera
ton, $1,024,6 15.
Southern Railway Company-G
earnings from operation. 81, 3S2. Jos;
operating expenses, S2,928,171; income
from operation, $1.454, 1876.
Seaboard Airline System-Gros4s
earnings from operation, s. 1852; OPP
Grating expenses. Sf57S, 956; income
from operation, $620,595.
Miscellaneous r0ads-Gross earnings
from operation. So. 101. 421: operating ex-
penses. S1,606, 1876; income from opera
ton. $494.625.
Statement of passenger and freight
earnings shows:
Atlantic Coast Line System-Total
passenger earnings. $734,G95; freight
earnings, $1,737,247.
Southern Railway Compnny-Total
passenger earnings. S1,471 OH; freight
earnings, 1884 166.
Seaboard Airline Svstem-Total pas
senger earnings, $513, 732; freight earn
ings. S1.5S4, 800.
Miscellaneous roads-Total passenger
earnings, $500,970; freight earnings, ST.
5S6.S60
The Western Union Telegraph Com
pany has 1920 miles of line and 9.153
miles of excess wire in the State. valued
at S3S1,752. The Postal Company has
1868 miles of wire. which, with other
property, is valued ut $34,572 The
other lines Of the State are valued at
about S25.000
The number of men employed by the
railroads Of the State is S,94S.
At the end of the report are two tables
giving the report Of the Board of Equal
zation. The first table shows the real
estate and personal property returned to
the board by counties, while the second
table gives unenumerated property as
returned. The board increased the