Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-01-21

pressed and diminished by unfavorabe
| legislation. As bearing upon this phase OF
the subject comparison Is instituted be-
tween the railroad mileage of Iowa anu
Greater Gain in Iowa.
Comparisons are givea in this table shew-
| ing the relative number or mills of rail-
| roads In Wisconsin and Iowa Ia 1878. 1880
and 1900.
Mileage; 1878 1880. 1900
Wisconsin. .,.......... 100 100 100
Iowa.. ......,,....,. 14s 154 us
Comparing tire figures for Wisconsin and
Iowa II appears that the actual In
crease in miles of road was the greater
! In Iowa. The largest actual gain in
gross earnings was made In iowa but the
net earnings and tons of freight carried
are less than for the roads in Wisconsin,.
In the tons carried one mile however.
elements In railroad traffic, and since these
show an increase over Wisconsin, where
rates are not regulated. IL would appear
, Nat the railroad business in Iowa Is thirty
rug under commission,
Table NJ strengthens this belief Il
shows that Iowa compared with WiscoB-
sin has fully held it's own in point Of mile
In earnings. when considered on a rela.
tive basis, Iowa shows some falling Off.
This was to be expected. Indeed, II the
earnings had not been deemed excessive
and unreasonably large, there would have
been no demand In Iowa for regulation of
~
daily large earnings that the commission
was created. lowa's ton per mile or
density Of traffic is still heavier than Wis
consin, but relatively shows a downward
tendency, although this can hardly be said
to be true of the last ten years. On the
whole, the railroads in Iowa compare quite
favorably with those of Wisconsin, re-
CARELESS of the lower rates. This Is
rather telling argument In favor Of conf
mission.
In 1878 the roads In Wisconsin earned
not n Df
per mile; in 1900 they earned net g PEI
cent on a valuation Of al 300 per mile,
| In 1878 the net earnings in Iowa equaled
6 per cent. ON $50. 600 per mile. while in
| 1900 they earned o per cent. on a yalua.
| ton Of $50 GOO per mile
! This is reasonable rate of profit on
fair valuation. The computations are made
! on the company's own figures 90 earnings
and no one familiar with their methods of
reporting viii believe that they have placed
| their earnings higher than the actual zig
| ures.
A Fair Question.
! II is fair question to ask whether there
! Is anything IN the conditions of this state
| that "aIrants the roads charging higher
rates than In Iowa. Did II cost more to
! bui d the roads In Wisconsin,. or does il
! cost more to operate them here than in
Iowa? Tables XII and XIII are submitted
as hearing upon those questions. These
| two tables deal with the capitalization,
| nings and expenses per mile as re-
| ported for Wisconsin and Iowa respective
| ~ by the Northwestern and st, Paul roads
| Table NII-Showing for the Chicago &
! North Western railway, In biennial periods,
| the number OF miles. the average gross
| earnings, expenses and net earnings per
mile In wisconsin and Iowa;
! Table NIII.-ShoWing for the Chicago.
/ Milwaukee & st. Paul railway, for two
t-ennial periods in Wisconsin and Iowa.
I the average gross earnings, expenses and
| Table XII presents the figures for the
Chicago e North Western railroad. This
road according to It's own statement is
/ capitalized nj $4,000 per mile ia Niscon-
sin ana $4,000 per mile In Iowa The
cause Of this difference in capitalization In
| the two states does not appear The figures
] Indicate, however, that the cost of ron-
strnction WAS not much lower in Iowa than
/ In Wisconsin. This statement is also borne
! out by the expenses of operation In the
! two states In Wisconsin the average an
/ nual expense per mile for 1SS9-s0 was $500
| For 1893 1900 the yearly average was $5lsT.
These figures ATE high They include more
than the actual cost Of doing the business.
| This company Is annually charging new
| improvements to the cost Of operation.
| This has been the practice for years. and
/ its effect is to keep the apparent net earn
| ings lower than the actual figures
Earnings Covered Up.
| For the Chicago, Milwaukee x St PAM
railway the corresponding figures aIe shown
above IN table NH. This company - cap
italized at u.lowcr figure than the Chicago
| l. North Western. Its earnings IN both
states are also lower, but the expense of
operation is about the same for both raads
| This company also follows the practice OF
covering up earnings In operating expenses
Juit how much Is conGaled in this way
en- not be said without a closer ANALYSIS nf
the ir figures than 1t has been possible 90
make but II often amounts Of several hun
dred dollars per mile.
From the conditions generally and from
the expenses Of other roads IL Is not likely
that the actual cost Of maintenance In the
two states exceeds $50 per mile for Way.
500 per mile fof equipments, while $500
per mile VIII undoubtedi" cover the cost
Of conducting transpor alton. Upon this
basis the net earnings would be represented
by much higher figure than that reported
By the companies. For the St Paul ron1
also the operating expenses ia the two
states seems to be about the same.
As whole II s. possible that the cost Of
construction in Wisconsin would be slight
" greater than in Iowa. This difference,
however. N any. would not be large enough
To appear 10 the capitalization AS for the
actual cost Of constructing these roads,
H0thing can be said. There ia no reliable
should be exhibited 10 the public. II fl
safe assertion. however, thar Il could not
data 10 be had concerning It. II would
seem that care has been taken that none
have amounted 10 much more than half Of
whenever the subject OF Increasing the
taxes OF the railroad companies IL up for
consideration. or any proposition Is pending
TO regulate transportation charges, as =
final argument the companies declare that
they viii be compelled 10 reduce the nun
Der Of employees and the pay Of those con
tinupd in the service. II has. however. not
been found necessary 10 the state Of iowa
TO cut down either the number Of employees
or the wages Of those in the service al
though both were threatened prior 20 the
passage Of the rate idll on the contrary.
tbe Impetus which railroad traffic received
under the operation 81 he eomml ssigueF
achedule required more trainmen and rail-
road operatives throughout the whole sys
ten 81 THAT state.
The Question Of Wages
The number u men employed aud the
wages paid are not reported for 1870 bnt I
an able 20 furnish them f4r lssy5 and 800
for both Iowa aud Wisconsin They are
quite conclusive upon this subject, and |
show that the wages were in no wise affect
"a By the reduction ~ the freight rates 60
refsOnabir basis. and that fhc Increase in /
tHp Humbe. gf men emplgyeH continued Teia
lively greater thau In Wisconsin,. where /
transportation charges were 50 much high
or No portion ~ the many millions col. I
lerted by the railroads IN Wisconsin In ex
ressive fright charges ever found It's way |
into the pockets Of the Wisconsin empi0gcs |
Their wages have stood ON the same level |
az the wngrs Of fhe men employed Oh the |
railroads In Iowa. This Is proven By the |
statistics submitted, az shown ia table four
teen.
vshich Is nov placed before yoD VIII be