Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-13
N[N RULES FOR ROADS
Executive Council Adopts Some
Rules for Uniform Railroad
Bookkeeping.
Instructions Given as to What
Can Be Charged to main.
tenance" in Reporting.
Monthly Reports OF Gross Earn
ings Bequired and Appor.
tionments Made.
Special to Times-Republican.

W
Des Moines, May 13.-The rules
adopted by the state executive council
to conform to the new law in regard to
reports of railroad companies for as
sessment purposes are as follows:
First-Every railway company sub
Ject to taxation in this state shall keep
Il permanent account or record showing
the earnings of its property in this
state as distinguished from it's earn
which it may carry on business.
Second-Where the shipments, car
rage or other business is carried or
done by the reporting company wholly
within this state the said account or
record shall contain the full earnings of
the company thereon.
Third-Where the shipment, carriage
CT other business is carried or done by
the reporting company partly within
this state and partly without the state
the said account or record shall contain
that proportion of the full earnings up
en- such shipment, carriage or other
this state bears to the entire haul or
carriage.
Fourth-The division provided for in
rule three shall be made by actual COM
putation, not by estimate.
Fifth-On or before the first of July,
1902, every such railway company shall
make under oath and file with the eX-
ecutive council a report showing its
gross earnings in this state for the
month of April, 1902, ascertained as
hereinbefore provided, and monthly re-
ports of such gross earnings shall here
after be made. The blanks for the re-
ports will be furnished by the executive
council.
Remark-The above reports are adj
ditional to those required to be annual
ly made and additional TO those show
ing the earnings of main lines and
branches.
First-The general rule to be here
after observed is that whatever expense
is incurred to preserve the property in
the physical condition existing when
the material, building, structure or
equipment replaced, renewed or re-
paired was originally put in use and TO
operate it, is to be deducted from the
gross earnings in order to ascertain the
net earnings, and all matters not spe-
officially provided for shall be so deter
mined. For convenience the terms
maintenance" and operation" are
used in these rules to describe the items
which may be so deducted, and the
term "betterment" the items which can
not be deducted.
Second-The cost of reducing grades
and curves, of original ballast, of side
tracks, shortening the line and the like,
is not maintenance" but "betterment."
Provided that the superstructure in the
case of reducing grades and curves
shall be treated as tho renewed upon
the old line to the extent of the length
of the old line.
Third-In the renewal of rails the
added weight at cost price shall be
charged to "betterment," the remainder
to maintenance"
Fourth-In renewal or permanent
such as bridges, culverts,
crossings, station houses, offices, eleva-
tors and the like, the cost of duplicating
Tie Oiu SlIuCluIe SIidll Ue SlldlSSu "
maintenance" the remainder to bet
terment."
Fifth-The entire cost of additional
track or right-of-way shall be charged
to "betterment."
SiXth-In renewals of rolling stock it
shall be ascertained what the engine or
car renewed or one of like efficiency
would cost and such amount shall be
charged to maintenance" and any ex-
cess to "better1nent.'
Seventh-The value Of all materials.
rails. ties, structures, equipment and
the like displaced by new materials,
rails, ties, structures, equipment and
the like shall be applied to reduce the
cost of maintenance.
Eighth-The cost of maintenance and
operation of the entire system, as we'll
as in the state of Iowa, shall be ascer-
tanned as herein provided and shall be
reported.
Ninth = Expenditures for mainte-
nance and operation relating solely to
ines In Iowa shall be charged to cost
IF maintenance and operation in this
state; all other expenditures for such
shall be equitably divided and
The bases of the division shall be stated
n the report.
Tenth--Neither interest nor taxes
shall be charged to maintenance" or
Operation"