Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-19
RAILROAD EARNINGS
Results Of Inquiry as to Division
Of Same on Iowa and Out.
side Business.
Few Companies Make Complete
Reports and Basis Appears
to Be Different.
Statements Of Some Companies
in Regard TO Earnings and
Value of Iowa Mileage.

In Regard TO Earnings and
Value of Iowa Mileage.
Special to Times Republican,.
Des Moines, April l9.-When the eX-
ecutive council takesNup the work of
making the annual assessment of rail-
road companies in Iowa this year 1t
will have before it a great deal of in
formation which has never before been
before any council. This is the re-
suit of the inquiries sent out by the
secretary on order of the council at
the suggestion of Governor Cummins
list winter. The supplemental re-
ports are being filed slowly. Some
of them appear to be quite full. but
others are sadly deficient. 1t is the
purpose of the bill which passed the
legislature, known as the English bill,
to secure such uniformity in the ac-
counts in the head offices in Chicago,
st. Paul, New York and elsewhere, as
will make this information more valu-
able and more reliable in the future.
But by reason of having these sched-
ules sent out and the replies before
the council at the next meeting 1t Will
be possible for the council to better
undertake the task OF directing how
the bookkeeping shall be done in the
head Offices. The reports received
e. mir
not follow any uniform method of
keeping accounts. that some OF the
companies seem to have very little OF
the information desired for assessing
purposes and that in only few in
stances can exact figures be quoted.
The companies appear also to nave
different ideas as to how the tnforma-
ton may be obtained. The hints and
suggestions are widely at variance.
The questions sent out relate to the
proportion OF gross earnings on Iowa
business on business partly In Iowa,
and on business which crosses Iowa.
In addition this the companies We're
asked to state how they arrived at por-
tions of this information in prior re-
ports, and also to make an estimate
on the relative value of their property
per rrfife in Iowa and elsewhere.
The most complete report, or that
which appears to be most nearly COM
plete, is from the Chicago, st. Paul
Minneapolis & Omaha, and it's COM
pleteness foreshadows a nearly COM
plete and satisfactory report from the
Chicago g. Northwestern when that
n,.t no
reports as follows on gross earnings:
Originating and terminating
IN Iowa.. @oVo'o1o'o1
Originating in Iowa and ter
minating outside. 8s7b49.5i
Originating outside and ter
minating in Iowa. 7b2,166.4S
Computing on the basis of the length
of the haul in Iowa as compared with
the haul elsewhere the report shows
gross earnings:
Originating In Iowa and ter
minating elsewhere. ...$ 163,204.4s
Originating outside and ter
minating in Iowa.. 49,. 1S9,269.65
Passing over Iowa line, or
part of it...... 1,074.069.9l
Entirely outside of Iowa. 235,202.S2
The Omaha reports construction ex-
penditures in Iowa in 1901 to be $45,-
226.62. and the expenditure Of the COM
pany for all betterments $4SS,092S2.
In reply to the question as to the
basis used in arriving at the several
amounts stated in the report for last
wear covering this ground that Omaha
merely says: "All divided on basis of
train mileage as recommended by rail-
road commissioners"
The Milwaukee system makes re-
port which the schedules left blank
and a brief explanation of the system
of arriving at the proportionate ex-
penses in and out of the state, also
supplemental statement closing as fol-
lows:
Had the company possessed earlier
information that the subdivision OF
the earnings into the classes as speci-
fled would be required, the information
could have been made matter OF rec
ord during the progress of the years
business without great cost. To now
sub divide the earnings would require
an examination of the traffic reports
for the year in detail and would entail
much labor and expense"
Under the head of betterments the
Milwaukee presents some figures which
go to show that the matter of keeping
UP railroad is of some Importance.
"The company has no account on Its
books of betterments." says the re-
port, and is not informed as to what
would be classed under
that head by the executive council.
The expenditure for additional equip
ment and other property chargeable to
cost of road and equipment, during
the year as follows:
Additional equipment. 81, 542,65S.Sh
Proportion for an basis of
mileage. o9V'oso.l5
Other additions to prop
erty. z,l4S,uuo.lo
for Iowa actual l,30O,65l.70
The report states that these expend-
itures aggregating s4.691,666.s5 have
been or will be provided for by the
issue of stocks or bonds of the COM
pany.
The Burlington company gives no
statistics in the report except the total
Of gross earnings passing over Iowa
which is reported at $6,000,5O709. The
explanation of the figures given in the
last report follows:
For some months of the year we