The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-13
NOTE OF WARNING
IN REPLY TO AGE
Carping Criticism Not Conducive
to Harmony Railroad Authori-
ties Profess to Desire.
ATTACK ON COMMISSION
ATTACK ON COMMISSION.
Trade Journal Assails Virginia
Body, Which, Makes Prompt
and Vigorous Reply.

n r. Z =
Body, Which Makes Prompt
and Vigorous Reply.
According to the Hallway Age, first
In It's class OF railroad publications.
1.-THE annual report OF the Virginia Cor
operation Commission for the year ended
December 81, 1905, and Just issued,
tribution to the study OF the SUBJ
tcct OF transportation Fart L..
fresh from the printers, forms
a volume Of 53s pages. "one
can hardly fall to be impressed" says
the Age, with the great wnste OF time
and money involved in the printing of
so much unimportant information In
20 diffusc forms and with so much du-
plicatIon."
Figures Incorrect. !.
Continuing. the Age says:
The only Information given concerning
Tie result of the operations Of railways
curing the year Is the stntemeht that the
gross Transportation receipts OF all tho
| In the State amounted to sf5,03s.451 against
Ss.,se5,a9c In 1905. No aiIusion Is made 10
ep .aa.i expenses. net earnings, capitalt-
zation, debt. interest. dividends and other
fucta indicating how the railroads Jared
financially There Is no statement or tabl,
3
railways In Virginia or the amount OF es~s
tehsion In the year, but paragraph notes
that thai the total mileage Of al steam rsil
In. single track. second tracks yards and
n.dinrs. vas $3.50 miles m increase Of 10
miles. The total mileage q electric rail- !
from 1905 OF 81 miles. The apparent do
crease. howexer, L. explained by the state.
pany. operating .ii.i. miles of electric rail-.
WY. was absorbed by tho Norfolk and
Southern Railway Company. and, was re-
ported by tho latter company in its general
mileage as steam ruiIrond' II appears
| therefore. that the commissions figures of
both steam and electric railway mileage arc
| stated by ~ miles. while Instead OF &C.
| crease In electric mileage OF Il miles there
was an Increase OF 90 miles.
| state Revenue Increase.
"Thc report states that the extensive
| powers and authority conferred upon tha
cor,mIsslon have been invoked during this
fourth year OF it's existence by the citizens
of the state with increasing frequency. ard
| its work has become more eapandcd'--an
| Inevitable result of the possession OF pn-
! limited powers. The great work of assess-
| ing tn. properties and franchises of trans-
| portation and transmission companies hns
evidently been conducted with zeal, as tho
lnssessed against the steam railroads and
carnls I,he latter only s2.loel amounts TO
| sc5s.o0o an increase of s,e,3a0--or nearly
1? per cent over the already increased taxes
| or 1905. or the total the property tax rep.
regents Sss74ss. and the franchise tax. >
| recent addition. sisa5e4. TIte taxes Of
| the franchise tax producing S50.ssl. while
the tangible property yielded s.s,oi.. Cam
ais. railroads and electric railways tosethsr
paid sT35.l33 increase OF sie.:te OVER
| the previous year. All the property OF telc-
graph. Telephone. steamboat. express and
| slice ping car companies yielded the states
! from al valorcm, license and income tax.ss
! for 1906 only sie.iGs. against $4,000 OBJ
tained from the steam railroads atoHe.
Industrial Improvement.
virginia. the commission declares. has
! been making great strides In the direction
| ~ Improvement In manufacturing anu n
dustrial conditions, and Is ENJOYING 'sratlfy.
/ material growth but In touching upon tho
/ correction OF the railways with these dc-
yeIopments the commission records only
1 Complaints from tho cities and large manu-
4 featuring and shipping centres and IRON
| various points along the lines Of The roa1s
| liz tho agricultural communities. o. ta.ih y.
Transport shipments promptly. lack OF SUI
ftcint equipment. clerical force ana othss
/ operating and terminal facilities
The Commissions Side.
/ Relative to these extracts from the
Railway Age. the following statement
vas made at the office OF Inc sns , s.a's
ii. The statistics referred 10 as ps-
4 ing unimportant are such as are re-
CURED 70 be publtss,d by the h Sons'i nny
ular should be directed against the
! laws OF the State. and not against tie
ties are largely made up. according 70
the form prescribed by the Interstate
4 Commerce Commission.
| 40 The statement that the STATISTICS
/ contained In the report Of the commits
sion are incorrect either In whoie or
in part, is untrue. The only pretext Tor
such statement is tina. az ,;Ia aayp laf
s seom 1nsud d,screpancy Between the re-,
\ ported nlilea sc OF steam roans an, a.e
!! mileage OF electric roads was orougns
one road the line was partly operated
/ by steam and partly by electricity.
! Contention Combutcd.
F..s. AS to delay In publication OF the
4 report, some material Tor TINS report
was furnished to the Public Printer as
early Anril ast te ,sc ahfs Year and nd
\ additional material was furnished from
4 time to time more rapidly than II could
4 be printed. Part 1. was ready LOT ols-3
tribution July 9TH 1901; Ear H. M =
A November. 1867. This printing was ".
j done as promptly as statistics Of sim
liar character Issued BY the lhte eh
united States government PROVIDES
most liberal facilities.
"a Tho inspiration of the Halfway
i Age and the aninlus OF the Wrlter II, Y.
i their evident constituencies TO WHAT
they style the zeal Of the som qo taxa
y ton. and is further shown by the con-
!, ciuding sentence Of the article, Wh M, y
4 s11a.In August, t 1 sO7.s the raj roads.
after having taken the passenger Il
d hereinafter lnto{the Federal GO urts'
j, decided to comply with the order.
4 which they asserted to be illega
under force OF u threat that I. they
\. did not comply an extra session = p
] the Legislature would be called !, 70
pass stronger laws governing ra raj
!, M road operation. Y NJ II, 4
.C;arping criticism of state commits
n sions emunatlng from the RAJ Way age,
\ which S understood to be Tailr9Ia go
y ia rl1at state Of harmony between the
railroads and the, people WI lch ne
Ilrallroad authorities profess 50 much
Y to desire. NJ gu
BOYS FINED AND WARNED
y lEe4lf5F ---------- Ss6tt43S