The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-03-01
REPORT OF PUBLIC
SERVICE COMM n

i q " !.
Bismarck, N. D., March 1.-The tenth
legislative assembly of the state of
North Dakota passed an act providing
for a public service commission, Wig
Chapter 1s4, Page 313, of the session
laws of 1907, this commission consist
Ing of the governor, lieutenant COVER
nor and Honorable TreadweIl Twichen
speaker Of the house of representatives
/ OF the Tenth legislative assembly. This
lay required the public service commits
| sion to ascertain the value Of the
4 property of all public service corpora
tions operating in the state of, North
DAKOTA, and report OF the same to
De hied with the secretary OF tire state
July, 1908, in order that any informa-
ton obtained BY such cemmission
should be available for he state board
OF equalization at it's next session
thereafter as well as for the next Iegis-
lative assembly. aR..3,-
| In accordance with said law the said
commission met at the Office OF the
governor in the city of Bismarck.
March is, 1905, duly ySorganized under
said law, electing Governor Burke
chairman, and Lieutenant Governor
Lewis. secretary, and for the purpose
or obtaining the required information
the comrnission prepared Questions for
each public service corporation to
answer. Upon receipt OF the answers
this commission prepared d very vol.
umnious report containing the infor-
nation and references to the valuation
OF railroads and other public service
corporations in the static, which renort
was duly He'd as required, By law, with
the secretary of state on the first day
OF July. 1908
I All the questions asked were not
answered by some OF the public service
corporations to which they were. SUBJ,
nnitted and this board, after the re-
oeipt OF the replies, went to the head
offices in st. Paul and Minneapolis
Of the Great Northern, Northern Pa
ciffc and the Minneapolis, st. Paul and
Sault ST. Marie railroad. to confer with
the officers of the company, and later
| the officers furnished some further in
formation which was not received In
| time to file with the report on the
first OF July, but was received In time
for use at the meeting of the board of
equalization in August, 1908.
According to the answers received
from the Great Northern railroad; that
company has 690.63 miles Of main line
of an estimated value of S37.01I.7I per
mile Branch lines, sb3.42 miles of the
value OF $24, ,405.0a per mike. This value
Is estimated on the cost of building the
railroad now, and from this, IT. is
claimed by the report that there should
tbe@ One-sixth deducted for wear and
tear, leaving the main lines valued at
$4,000 per mile. main and branch lines
at $4,000 per mile.
The supplemental report from the
| Northern Pacific railroad estimates the
cost per mile of reproducing entire sys-
tenn of main and branch lines, second
and side tracks, at not less than $61;1l4
per, mile, and the cost OF reproducing
Il .462.5s miles of main and branch lines
and sidings in the state Of North Da-
kota would not be less than $&0,7e4 per
| mile
The Chicago Northwestern railroad
| has 14.2S miles of an estimated value
of $17,946 per mile.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
railroad has 1891 miles in the state
and according to its report does not
| know it's value.
The Farmers Grain and Shipping
comany has So miles Of road that cost
$534,000 or $10.627.48 a mile.
The Devils Lake, Chautauuua rail-
road has S 1-3 miles, a capital OF
$4,000. Report does not give any
value or gross earnings.
| Minneapolis. ST. Paul & Eault st.
Marie railway has 1,OSS.4I miles in
this state. The answers to the ques-
tions asked do not show the value nor
the gross earnings within the state.
The Fargo & Moorhea@ street rail-
way has S.24 miles, a capital OF $500, j
600. Real property OF the value Of
81, 800 and personal property Of the
value Of ss7,1s1.S1.
The Grand Forks Transit company
has az miles with personal property
| In the state with a value Of $2O,850.
The value OF the roadbed ii $4,000 and
the gross earnings the last four years,
$14, 1856.
The American Express company of
New York operates over 14.2S miles
and has personal property In the state
OF value OF $500.
The Great Northern Express com
pany operates over 1.E62.59 miles
Personal property in the state or 81
value OF s15.o92. Earnings on local
business In North Dakota FOR 1907
seB.sOIss. with the claim that the
cost Of operating for 1907 was ss5, z
| 10a.6S.
| Northern Express company operates
over I,16A miles In the state and have
personal property ok the value OF
$1O,s1s.6o. No other values Or gross
earnings estimated,
The United States Express company
has personal property of the value of
! S4a6.s6. Mileage 2b62s. Gross earn-
ings FOR 1907 on local BUSINESS In North
Dakota 41,18e.05. Operating expenses
I'm North Daisota for the same year
| So, ,676.s6.
| Western Express company personal