Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-06
No JOINT RITE ORDER
Railway Commission Finds Gen
eral Order For State Would
( Be Ineffective
SPECIAL JOINT RATES UP
Commission Finds Problem tho Largest
Question 1t Ha. Been Confronted
With-Board to Start Soon on Tour
Of Inspection Of Railroad Property of
the State. X

the State. RI
Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, June Sit IS not gener-
ally known but 1t is true that some
OF the best features OF some of the
new legislation credited to the Thirty
first general assembly was written by
is stated that the clause of the new
joint rate law which permits Of the
making Of joint rates by the railroad
commission as special rates. or in
other words, making special joint rates
for particular community or COM
modify and over certain lines only.
was written into the Law by James c.
Davis, general attorney for the North
western. AS soon as the Importance
of such q clause was pointed out IL
was accepted by the legislators, and
now this clause is found to be the sal
walton Of the new law, for 1t permits
the railroad commission to make some
joint rates where they would be OF
advantage.
At the recent hearing 1t was de-
veloped that any effort TO make joint
rate order that would cover all the
state and be effective en- all commod-
tiles alike would be disastrous. As
soon as the shippers were got together
it was found this would not do at all,
for it would eliminate geographical
advantage in so many cases that the
protests would be more than acquies-
cence. So there will be no blanket or
der for joint rates.
All that is left for consideration,
and that was taken up today by the
commission at an adjourned hearing,
Is the, matter OF special joint rates.
The railroad commission has found
this question of joint rates the most
puzzling that has ever come before
them. At the outset the Des Moines
jobbers set out to fix it all up and to
relieve the commission Of all trouble
by agreeing with the railroads to an.
so per cent joint tariff. Long ago
it was discovered that this would not
suit very many persons and it was
dropped. The commission Is still look
ing for somebody who can tell them
just what they ought to do.
The state railroad hoard will within
ten days start out on an extended
tour of the state for inspection of the
railroad property. The three mem-
bers will travel together and cover
first the main lines and then as many
of the branches as possible stopping
especially at the small stations and in
speeding bridges, track and general
equipments. There has never been
any such general inspection OF the
railroad properties In Iowa by the
state authorities. The members Of
the present commission have travelled
much over the state in performance
OF their duties but have not become
familiar with the technical work OF
the roads. They now propose to make
an investigation that will enable them
to understand every detail Under q
new law the board secures information
as to every accident involving loss OF
life or injury to persons. The inspec-
ton will enable the board to better
understand the Significance OF these
reports It is also intended to look
somewhat into the sanitary conditions
on and along the lines Of railroads.
An Increase OF LIS per cent IN the
sross and net earnings of the railroads
of Iowa il shown by the reports made
to the executive council of the state as
a basis for the 1907 assessment to be
made August i.
Abstracts Of the reports will4g TO
the state printer today, and the>execu-.
tive council some time this month Will
fix the date for hearing the pleas OF
the railroads against increased as
sessment this year. These dates will
be some time In July. ..E
Not only did the gross earnings OF
the Iowa railroads increase about So
O00, 900 during 1906 as compared with
1906, but the net earnings increased
$3.50, 900. The operating expenses In
creased on account Of the high prices
for labor and materials.
But while there was an increase for
all of the roads Of about IA per cent In
met earnings, the net earnings per mile
showed a larger per cent OF gain. In
1906 the net earnings were $1,933 a
mile and last year they were $2,23O.
The gross eatnings increased from So
4o2 per mile to $7,113 per mile. The
operating expenses increased from
$4,438 to 1882 per mile.
This year the mile and two-thirds
of the Ames and College railway will
not be reported as steam road, but
as an electric line. 1t is not included
in these figures. Were 1t to be includ-
ed, the gross earnings would be In
creased only about $4,000 and the 9th
5er entries proportionately. M
The Iowa railroads are now assessed
at s62,337,19 That is at the rate of
about 5000 mile. Their total value
is fixed by the state. at about $3.50, 000,-
900 and their total assessed value is
fixed at approximately $44,S00 a mile.
This, however, is regarded as about so
per cent of their value and assessment
it being estimated that the other
property of the state is assessed at
about four-fifths of its actual value.
So that the average assessed value Of
the roads as fixed by the state would be
approximately $4,000 mile, on the
average.
Some Of the lines, Of course, are as
sessed dit much more and others at