The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-10-10
Special Employees Doing Work for
Railway Commission
FAIRcH|LD VIEWS PREL|M|NARIEs
RIGHT OF WAY AND
COST OF ROADS Is ARDU-
Gus WORK.

The state railroad commission, at
tempting to compute the cost of initial
railroad construction in Washington,
has put three men into the field to ap-
proximate the present value of railroad
rights Of way, terminals, trackage and
permanent improvements, says the Sc
attic Times.
Chairman H. A. Fairchild and Engi-
neer Gillette have been in Seattle going
over terminal grounds here to see that
the inquiry is inaugurated properly.
incidentally the two made trip to Ia
coma to get everything properly start
ed.
The railroad commission, unable to
secure accurate figures on the initial
cost. proposes to make an appraise-
ment Of present valuations of railroad
property. The state has been divided
into three sections for the purposes
of this valuation and the commissions
experts will attempt to place valua-
lions on all the railroad properties.
Difficulties that may be met through
out the state in carrying out this
scheme are illustrated in Seattle. Pres
ident James ]. Hill has stated in a
speech at Seattle that the ground
which his terminals south of King
street Occupy cost $2,5OO,OOO and the re-
mainder of the Hill holdings here
were acquired at proportionate costs.
The Union Pacific has declared it paid
100000 for it's Seattle property.
While the Hartman interests have
greater real estate holdings in Seat
tie than the Hill lines, it is probable
the Hill lines did not pay more than
one-third the price Hartman paid.
The ST. Paul investments made ear
lier than Harriman's were cheaper
than the Union Pacific buys but the
total runs up into the millions for
beginning at terminal purchases. The
railroad commission intends, however,
to make a present-day appraisement
to fix the initial cost of the roads.
1t is possible that the figures on the
cost Of the north bank road Of the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
will be available when that line Is
completed. President Hill has stated
that cost of this road has run in spots
as high as 100000 mile. This prob
ably represents tunnel work at SUCH
points as Cape Horn and is probably
greater than any mile of cost on the
Northern Pacific Or Great Northern
mountain line. But the operating
costs on the north bank will be far
less than those over the mountain d.
visions of the roads.
c. H. Reynolds of Spokane has been
sent out to appraise the value of roads
in the eastern division and Walter
Lysons of Vancouver has charge of the
southwest district. The commission
attempted to appoint newcomer
named Johnson at Seattle, but subse-
quently decided not to do so. No
appointment has been made here.
The railway commission act calls
for the collection Of figures showing the
actual cost of construction, to be OBJ
tanned at the earliest practicable mo-
ment, a provision that enables the
commission to take its own time about
the work. But the commissioners in
sist that the work be done to give
the next legislative session some kind
of an estimate of costs. incidentally
it is declared the findings will be
made available for the tax commission.
A present-day valuation of facilities
would have greater value to the tax
commission than to the railroad board.