The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-04
:. Railroads
MAN CHOSEN TO
VALUE RAILROADS
DWIGHT g. MORGAN OF THE OMA-
HA WILL WORK FOR STATE.
Railroad Commission Finds Man Who
Has Large Experience in the Same
Line Of Work, Who Will Take Charge
of the Task Of Estimating the Value
of Lines in Minnesota.

= Dwight o. Morran.. assistant to the
general superintendentisof the Omaha
road, has been retrained by the rail
road. has been retained by the rail-
the appraisal Of railroad property in the
state, which is to be used in q revision
of railway rates.
Mr.. Morgan is qualified engineer,
and has had experience in this special
line Of work. He graduated at the Uni
versity of Michigan, and in 1887 en-
tered the service Of the United States
senate committee, charged with exam
lining and reporting on the value and
cost Of reproduction Of the bond-aided
lines Of the Union Pacific and Central
Pacific. After that he was engaged in
with the Northern Pacific in the con-
struction Of the Occur d 'Alene Branch,
and assistant engineer Of maintenance
for the Southern Pacifis. He left that
position to assist his father, Richard
P. Morgan, in an examination of the
railroads Of California for the state
commission. He served next as consult,
! ing engineer fer the Illinois railroad
| commission, and then as commissioners
named by the supreme court Of the
United States to determine the bound
ary line between Iowa and Missouri.
After service In the engineering de-
partments Of the Chicago & Alton and
the Great Western, he Joined the Omaha
in 1902.
The railroad commissioners have had
a hard time making a selection of the
under consideration. N. D. Miller. q
former Great Northern engineer, had
been selected, but was released to per-
nit his acceptance Of a better offer
from that company. Negotiations were
conducted with several others, among
i them John F. Wallace, the former chief
engineer Of the Panama canal. It is
understood that the deal with Wallace
was practically closed at one time, and
j Mr.. Morgan will have assistants In
his work, which will take probably two
/ years. It is the first time valuation
of railroads has been made for the pur-
pose Of determining reasonable rates,
and the task is a tremendous one. The
4 legislature last May passed q resolu.
ton directing the commission to revise
freight rates in the state. The reso.
luton did not require the valuation
to be made, but the commission de.
) cided that before making the final ad
justment it would be necessary to. ar
rive at the value. of the railroad proper
). ties, figure from that what would be s
reasonable return on such value, anl
compare the present earnings, In order
to see how far reduction can justly
be made.
The revision will be partly made with
out waiting for the valuation to be fin
] ished. The commission has made up {
table Of rates on all classes Of freight
comparing the Minnesota rates Will
3 rates charged for similar distances II
!. Iowa and Illinois, where the state com
missions have made revisions. TIL
|: problem will be taken up on this basi
: first. The conference called on Jan. l!
}. probably be followed after some week
9 by an order of the commission, max
!, ing more or less general reductions o.
q this class Of freight. Other subject
/ will be taken up as time will permit