Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-20
REPORTS FROM RAILROADS
Iowa Executive Council Will Require that
They Shall Be Uniform.
SOME OF THE RESULTS OF AN INQUIRY
Statistics Secured This Year that
Have Never Been Called For
BefOre-IncreRse in Net
Earnings shown.
From a stan Correspondent.)

under a new law Just placed on the statute
books, will meet to prepare rules and regu~
lations with respect to the keeping OF ac-
counts by railroad companies doing busi-
ness in Iowa, so that there will be uni
formity in the reports which are made an
nually to the executive council and that
the reports may show a complete division
of earnings as between state business, in
~terstate business and that which is entirely
outside Of Iowa.
The law was passed in the closing days Of
the general assembly and was suggested
directly by Governor Cummins to meet his
views in regard to the information which
the council should have before making the
assessments. Heretofore the companies
have reported their gross and net earnings
for the entire systems and for the state, but
the basis used in arriving at the division
is not the same in all cases, and the d.
vision OF figures Is therefore regarded by
the members Of the council as little else
than estimates. The representatives Of the
companies have been invited to appear be-
fore the council next Tuesday and discuss
the matter Of uniformity OF accounts with
the council before the rules are adopted.
A start was made by the council at the
January meeting in the direction OF secur-
ing this division Of accounts. A supple
AShNo hNduA was SGhI u " al IHll-
road companies containing questions to be
answered in relation to the proportion Of
the gross earnings on strictly Iowa busi-
ness, freight and passenger; on business
beginning or terminating In lows and
crossing the state line, and on business
crossing Iowa, but beginning and terminal
Ing elsewhere. All the companies reporting
were instructed to fill out these schedules
accurately and, in case 1t could not be done,
to explain briefly how certain similar
items were obtained in previous reports,
purporting to give in general the division
between state and outside business. The
companies were also instructed to state
whether or not the lines In Iowa are more
or less valuable per mile than in other
states. /
Two Make Good Reports.
Only two of the companies thus far re-
porting have made any attempt to state in
exact figures the division Of business in
the several classes suggested. The Omaha
company, which crosses the northwestern
corner Of the state, on the way from st.
Paul to Omaha, makes a very complete
report Of the division of gross earnings.
This company reports the division as fol-
lows: Business in Iowa, $30S, S4S.S4; BUSH
ness originating in Iowa and terminating
elsewhere. 1851. 549.54; business originating
outside and terminating in Iowa, 1852, 166.4S;
business originating and terminating out
side the state, $1,O74, O6s. 81. The basis used
In arriving at this division is stated to be
that Of train mileage as recommended by
the railroad commissioners.
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & North
ern, which is almost entirely an Iowa COM
pany, reports the division accurately and
states hat the information can always be
had from the books with only slight clerical
labor, but states also that the basis used
In arriving at the figures in the division
Is "as per instructions Of the Interstate
Commerce commission"
Cannot Give the Information.
Some Of the other companies reporting
have filled out only a few Of the blanks
and state that the rest cannot be furnished.
The Union Pacific reports only the item
of business originating in Iowa and ter
minating elsewhere. The Wabash reports
that to give the information asked for
would necessitate our getting out every
waybill made during the year 1901, cover
ing shipments to or from points in the state
of Iowa or passing over the state in whole
or in part and working up the information
from these waybills." The Burlington peo-
pie do not make the division asked for
and In explanation of previous m
state that they kept for some months the
| figures showing a division as accurately
as possible and estimated from these for
the whole year. The Milwaukee does not
report the figures, but states that II the
company had been advised earlier that this
information was desired the record could
have been made without great expense.
pA- MILE
In the matter OF giving the average value
per mile of the roads In Iowa and outside.
or a comparison OF Iowa values with the
system as a whole, only a few OF the com
panies make statements. Tn Union Pa
cihc declares that its Iowa mileage Is more
valuable than the average Of the system
because Of its valuable terminals. The
Burlington says the Iowa value per mile
Is less because Of the absence OF costly
terminals. The Minneapolis & st. Louis
admits that its Iowa lines are not as valua-
BILE as those in other states. The MIL
waukee and Rock Island refuse to make
any guesses on the subject. The Wabash
points out that. as measured by net earn
inEs, its Iowa line is not worth as much as
the system per mile, because 1t shows a
net loss per mile on business done. The
Omaha system regards the Iowa mileage as
the most valuable because 1t shows greater
earnings. The report of the Northwestern
is not yet in. The Great Western has not
reported on the supplemental schedule.
Accounts Are Not Uniform.
These informal reports received this
year from the railroad companies will go
before the executive council at the july
meeting when the assessment is made. and
whatever of information thew contain will
be made use Of by the members Of the
council. They indicate that II the council
is to secure the information which is con-
templated In the new law there must be a
radical change in the methods used by the
different railway companies in keeping
their accounts. No two companies not
allied appear TO use the same basis in ar
irving at any division OF the business be-
tween the states. The reports are full Of
explanations and suggestions. Some Of the
companies profess that II the information
Is secured year after year It will mean a
large expenditure for clerk hire in the main
ofhces. and after the is secured
II will be of no use to the council. How
ever. the effort is to be made to secure this