Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-02-28
REPORT OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION TO THE Legislature

oe2 Earnings on local business for North Dakota 1907
$685. with the claim that the cost of operating for 1907
$95 16168. s
Northern Express Co. operates 164 miles in the
state and have personal property of the value OF
No other values or gross earnings estimated
The United States Express Co. has personal property
of the value of $48585 Mileage 25622 Gross earnings
for 1907 local business in North Dakota 1865 Op-
$685.
Western Express Go. personal property valued at ST.
1904 Mileage in this state 117182 No earnings in the
state given in report.
If the railroads include every item Of cost that enters
into the business actually done in North Dakota they should
credit the business done within the state all interstate
business within the state as we'll as local business
The information obtained, though meagre in
spects of great value to the last board of equalization
and wa shown by the report OF such board OF equal
zaton the for the ncrease IN the assessed vaua
ton Of railroads Of thousand dollars per mile The
statements filed the value of their different properties
preclude the possibility Of their claiming one value Tor
rate making and another for assessment and taxation
The reports of the express companies doing business in
this very unsatisfactory and indicate little or no
disposition to give the state the information that the egs
lature desires.
The state will never be able to acquire accurate nforma
ton until such time with special fitness and
training acting for and by the authority OF the STATE sha
make exhaustive physical examination OF the properties
of the different public utilities corporations
In Judgment the rates charged by the express COM
panes doing business within the state are ana u
reasonable and the value of the property owned by the e
press company, reported by hem not just basis Tor
assessment taxation considering the excessive business
and profits of these companies.
The questions asked if answered accurately would have
furnished definite knowledge of the approximate physical
value of the property of the different public service
atoms and fair basis for intelligent action in the regua
ton of and the evyng of taxes We would have OBJ
tanned information Of the value Of the different properties
in North Dakota and their proporhonae value considered
as part of system extending through several states
On account the system Of bookkeeping of the several
poratons, the claim made by OF the corporations
that is impossible to estimate the value OF the property
and the many of the reports Indicate that the
corporations do not know the value of their property
or that they adverse to giving this information and it
is impossible to estimate from the reports the actual
ngs of the railroads in this state for the that the
entire Of maintenance and operation charged against
business in North Dakota, and when credit is given
only covers the business originating and terminating in
the state @.##
The Northern Pacific Railway Co.. the Great Northern
Railway Co. and the Northwestern Railway Co. furnished
to this commissions the most accurate and reliable reports
and there general disposition the part Of the Of
fcials of such roads to be fair.
The law does not require this commission to make re-
port to the legislature directly and this communication
only intended notice that the report file in the Office
of the secretary of state for your inspection.
The report filed with the secretary of state contains the
report of all companies refrigerator companies tee
phone and telegraph companies and steamboat companies
doing business within this state and with this report so
filed are the original reports furnished by each of these
public service corporations doing business In this state
#@ Very respectfully, u
JOHN BURKE,
r. S. LEWIS,
# TREADWELL TWICHELI.
81 Original Plat - 500 % Original 49,. 10000