The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-11-15
OKLAHOMA BUSINESS
HIGHLY PROFITABLE
Quotes Figures Filed with Cor
pOTation Commission 10
Prove His ASseTilOa

Chairman j r. Love. of the cor
poration commission, gave out an in.
terview today in which he declares
The railroads fighting the 2-cent pas.
enger rate are perslstentis attempt
ing to mislead the oklahoma press by
stating that their operations are con
Quoted at loss. Chairman Love
says:
In view Of the fact that there
Is persistent attempt being made on
the part of the Katy and Santa Fe
TO mislead the Oklahoma press by
stating that their operations in Ok
lahoma are conducted at a loss, II lsI
time that the people be correctly IN
formed
In other states the railroads have
seriously mislead learned jurists by
using their formula IN ascribing the
operating expenses to such states, and
then making apportionment Of opera
|tion expenses for strictly intrasiate
traffic ON the revenue basis, that is,
on the ratio In per cent that the
strictly intrastate revenue is TO the
total intrastate and states proportion
Iof interstate pfeyenue. and doubling
The expense thus ascertained. AS an
Illlustration, take two carloads OF
wheat 10 Guthrie. Okla. one from Al.
KANSAS City 0nterstatel and one from
Newkirk, Okla, (intrastate1.
Revenues--Oklah car. $500, or
i5 per cent, interstate ear $4,000 or
55 per cent total 500, on 100 per cent
Seventy per cent OF gross revenues
IS said TO he an average for operating
expenses, seventy per cent Of rev.
enues from these two shipments would
be $40 Now the railroads want TO
ascrihe fortyfive per cent OF $40 az
I s3i so and then double il. making the
total expense against Oklahomas can
| BG3, showing a deficit on the Oklah0
ma car of SIS. on the other hand, the
expenses Of hauling the interstate car
is only ST. leaving profit OF SIS Cn
the interstate car II Is indeed pecu
! lar why learned men could not See
HIS absurdlty and this failacy
why did The Judges in Arkansas
and Missouri eases fail TO apply the
railroads formula on the other hand
% interstate business aud thus ex-
pose the resulting exorbilant or un
zeal profits on interstate traffic.
"ln order 10 let the press and the
people have at least some semblance
the truth, i will state that all the
gures thar follow have been taken
rom reports Of the Katy and San
Ia he 20 the corporation commission,
which reports have all been subscrb.
pd and sworn 70 by the principal Of
! ficers Of the railroads. The Santa
fe and Katy show they have paid
III operating expenses. rentals, taxes
interest on bonds together with div.
dends on stock on their entire bust
ness. and transferred substantial bal.
lnces 10 unappropriated surplus
I'm view of these undisputed facts
The following figures and comparisons
clearly illustrate to any sensible OK
ahoman that many prominent rail
road executive officials, great ma
iority of whom are woolies" who
have been chosen TO high offices. af
a rule. on account OF their financier
Hing ability than on account Of special
knowledge OF railroadlng. are gross
lly incompetent when It comes 10 iudg
Ing the true earning power OF the
properties under their Immediate
management a part Of such proper
ties being located IN Oklahoma
The year 1903. compared with tht
. banner year before statehood ! g.
1907. dlscloses this TACT
Number Of passengers carried ons
mile per mile Of road on The Katy"
1909. entire line ......... 1894
: 1909. state Of Oklahoma :. 1851.
} 1907. entire line .4...4a4 y0.ih'
"On the Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe.
1909. entire line ........ 9i.esl
"i909. state OF Oklahoma ls7.6sl
1907. entire line .....tss4s sl.5ul
Passenger earnings per mile O
road on the Katy
.l'l909. entre line ..... ISIS b
|. I.lap9, state Of Oklahoma = zy9lsl
"l907. entire line 4...... 2,fVe.5
"On the G. G 4 3. r.
: 1883. entire line .....sss 2.Zss0
. 1900. state OF Oklahoma 3,SGV3
a 1907. entire line ...... 2.2a40
4 Freight revenue per mile OF roal
! on the Katy"
4 1900 entire line ...s....S 5,4Ss9
: 1909, state Of Oklahoma 6.40l.5
/ 1907. entire line .......... 5,990.5
ION the G. g & s. -
~, 1Sva. 4..tiGl $4,000 80 7
+ 1863, state os oklahoma li,l5fs
4 1907. entire ....-..-. g.6tb.5
~Operatlbg "a. snses per train mil