Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-06
RAILWAY ASSESSMENT MORE
Executive Board Adds Over Four Millions
to Taxable Value of Roads.
MEANS $l5o,0Oo MORE IN TAXES
Milwaukee Heads List with Increase
of Over Million, with the
Northwestern and Burlington
Following Closely.
MEANS si5o,oOo MORE IN TAI
tFrom a stan Correspondent

DIES MONIES, Aug. 5.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-An increase of over 100000 In
the taxable property of the railroads of
the state has been made by the executive
council, which increases by $4,000 the
amount of taxes to be secured this year
from the railroads of Iowa. The work of
making the assessment YVES completed by
the council Friday and not until tonight
was the work of adding up the figures COM
pleted. OF the increase the Burlington,
Milwaukee and Northwestern are raised
about 100000 each and the Great Western
and Rock Island $4,000 each. This makes
a total OF about $15,OOOOOO that has been
added to the railroad assessment during
the Cummins administration in taxable
value, and over S6O,OOO.0O0 to the actual
value. The actual increase made by the
executive council this year is %.O9s,5s6. The
increase of the principal roads is as fol-
lows: Burlington, 1885,, 81; Northwestern,
$685., ssS: Milwaukee, S1,OOo,147; Rock Island,
$50 O2O; Great Western, S499, 9st.
According to requirements of the law,
the figures had to be completed today.
Cure for Insurance Evils.
Auditor B. F. CAROLS annual report on
life insurance filed yesterday with the gov
ernor is causing no end to discussion
among insurance men of the state. The
recommendations in the report are so
thorough. taking up every one Of the in
surance evils OF the day that the report
will undoubtedly become one OF the most
important documents filed with the legis-
lature the coming winter when insurance
legislation will be one of the main fea-
lures for consideration. Ordinarily the
growth in the insurance business Of the
state Is the important feature in the show
ings Of the report. This year though the
increases have been large, the recon-
mendations of the auditor take first place
in Importance. Only a very brief sum
mary of the auditors report could be
given yesterday. The report gives per
haps more space to the evils OF fraternal
insurance than to any one other feature
of the insurance business and in addition
to those pointed out yesterday 1t shows
the startling fact that in the last ten years
there have been thirty-five fraternals or
ganized in Iowa and today only thirteen
of them are alive; 1t declared that insur-
ance companies should not be organized
for day and that the methods Of organ
ization and the rates charged by frater-
nal should be so safeguarded that the in
surance issued would have as much
promise of fulflment as that of legal re-
! serve company AuuilOI OdIIOll uoNldIc0
that he Is a firm believer in fraternal in
surance but the showing as to companies
going out OF business is argument enough
| for legislation, though he believes the fra
! ternal is always to remain because aside
| from the lodge benefits the fraternal will
/ always be able to furnish insurance
cheaper than any of the other kinds Of
| insurance companies.
The report goes exclusively into the
matter OF deferred dividends and gives the
salaries paid the officers OF the Iowa com
| panies. 1t urges that the expenses OF
| insurance companies should be published.
especially the salaries paid the officers
| when about 5000 and that companies be
required 10 take vouchers for all sums
expended Of 800 or over, or that the limit
might be even lower
| According 10 the report Of Auditor Car
/ roll there are three joint stock and four
mutual Iowa companies under % joint
/ stock and Is mutual non-1owa companies.
I There are eight Iowa assessment COM
| panies and Il non-Iowa companies doing
business In the state there are u Iowa