Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-06-14
Commuters Stir Commis-
sion for Far-Reach-
ing Investigation.
GOVERNOR FORT STILL
DEFERRING ACTION
Board Calls Upon State and
Roads to Produce Facts
and Figures.
TFrom a STAFF Correspondent. !


TRENTON, June 1.-THE State Rail-
road Commission voted unanimously to-
day to proceed at once to ascertain the
actual value of all the property of the
Pennsylvania. Central, Erie and Lack
awanna railroads in the State, so the
reasonableness or rather the unreason-
ableness Of increases in passenger fares
that have been increased to take effect
with the end of this month may be de-
termined in cold figures.
To do this a series of resolutions and
motions were adopted in the presence of
a score of high-up officials of the inter-
ested railroad companies calling upon
the State Board of Assessors for all in
formation in its possession as to the
value of such property. both main stem
and second-class.
The company's statements filed with
the State assessors all municipal tax
records of third class railroad property.
the report of the three revaluation COM
missioners Who worked part of last year
all data, maps and statements of any
kind that would be of use in securing
physical valuation of property were
called for In the resolution and motions
introduced by Commissioners Thomas
y. Silley and Robert Williams.
Demands n. II. Data.
The railroad companies were called
upon to furnish sworn statements of ali
taxes paid for five years, records of
ya1 1Y,ao nd 10 fttrr1 al,
other information showing what the
state had considered to be the physicai
value of railroad property and What
values the railroads have admitted.
The railroads were called upon, also to
furnish complete information as to op-
Grating and all other expenses for five
years which are contained in the an
nual reports of the several roads
presented to their directors.
It was a New a-Democratic prin-
ciple that specific power should be CON-
ferred on the Railroad Commission to
ascertain physical valuation when the
legislation was pending. Carefully the
lobbyists kept that authority out OF
the law of 1907 and out of the 1910 pub
lie utilities act.
Lest the autht, 'ty vested in the COM
mission to investigate should lead to
an attempt to ascertain the actual rail-
road investment in the State, the law
hints, the annual anpr priation Is a
mere nothing. NN
II remained for President Sommer
and his assistants to see way out of
the difficulty and get at the railroad
records of the companies and State to
ascertain the values and operating ex-
Ienses upon which reasonable profit
should be allowed
If the state Board of Assessors and
the companie.; refuse to accede to po-
lite requests the railroad commission
can have recourse to the courts and
apply for writs of mandamus to force
PRODUCTION of the records wanted. 4.
Probe Interstate Rates.
First of all the railroad commission
today voted to refer the whole ques-
ton of communication rates between
New Jersey points and New York to
tho Interstate Commerce Commission,
announcing that the investigation
would deal with increases between
points in this State.
Representing the railroads in re-
sponse to subpoenas issued last week
appeared George w. Boyd, general pas
sengcr Agent r. M. Pile and d. M Bell,
assistant general passenger agents;
Carroll M. Bunting. controller. and
Frank F. Shepard. general superinten-
dent of the Pennsylvania. George A.
Cullen, general passenger agent; w.
S. Jenney, president; M M. tall
man, general attorney of the Lacka
wanna; II. H. Wallace, general passen-
ger agent, and H. A. Taylor. assistant
nf fha Eria