Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-01-14

dClOu Is produced DIS certainly Dy III
equality in assessment as by ine-
quality in the rate of the tax.
I'm view of the difficulties, both IN
the taxation upon value and upon the
gross earnings, it would seem that the
most just and fair method of taxa
ton is upon the net earnings upon the
mileage basis. Under such a form Of
taxation the railway company would
pay according to it's ability from its
income after paying operating ex,
penses; that is, the income available
for dividends, interest, or surplus.
There should in addition to tho net
earnings tax be imposed mileage tax
to cover logging railways and other
small roads not connected with the in
terstate railways
The railroad tax paid to the state
during the past five years has been:
1895 $1,175,752.52
1896 .... :. 1,172,793.62
1897 1850. 1905 ,094.54
1898 -. 1860 1882
1899 -. 1,549 ,434.87
In his recommendation that the rail-
road department be reorganized, Mr..
Rice asks that the force of the office
include the following positions at the
salaries named:
Commissioner, salary. 1865. $4,000
Deputy commissioner, salary -. 5000
/ consulting engineer, salary. 1900.
RI actuarv salary .... ...... 1,50O
i statistician, salary ....... 1900
II chief clerk, salary ......... 1000
/ clerk, salary .......-.. 900
1 'stenographer, salary .......... 72O
Messenger 100
Continuing Mr. Rice says: There
has been no change in the number of
the clerical force in this department
since 1888. The law in effect then,
and still in force, restricts the clerical
force to the deputy railroad commits
sioner A stenographer, one-half time
in this Office and one-half time in the
the office of the superintendent Of
public property, was added four years
|ago.
In 1883 the railway mileage of this
state amounted to 3,475.73; and the IL
cense or tax paid was 1886, In
1900 we had upwards of 1000 miles of
operated railway in the state, and the
tax amounted to $1,549, 434.87. Thus
has the railway mileage increased and
the revenue to the state expended
while the department has stood still.
Not only that, but the duties of the
|
creased from time to time.
Of the custom of issuing railroad
maps at the expense of the state, Mr.
Rice says: 1.-THE law provides that
the railroad commissioner shall pub
lish biennially $4,000 railroad maps,
22 900 of which are mounted; 5000 of
the latter are turned over to the state
, superintendent of public instruction
to be distributed among the school dis.
tricts of the state Now the life of a
map is longer than two years, and the
changes in railway lines is not suf-
ficient in two years to warrant the is
suance of a new map SO often. The
$4,000 The issue could be reduced
to 5000 for the superintendent, except
every fourth year, and a much cheaper
map could be provided, saving an aver
age of $4,000 per annum.'
Thirty-five railway companies doing
business in this state, including all
the interstate roads, report capital
stock outstanding of $109,986, 016.03.
Upon which dividends amounting to
$3,785,1O were paid for the year
ending June 80, 1900. The logging
railways are not included in the above.
Eleven railways out of forty-nine paid
dividends on capital stock, during the
past year. For twenty-six railroads,
including the interstate roads, esti-
mated upon the mileage basis, there is
outstanding funded bonds or obliga-
tions to the amount of STAT ,443 ,084.57,
equipment trust. obligation $9,393,118.-
80, deferred interest on the latter Of
$2,93819, making total of $156,839,-
1415S.