Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-07-03
VIII District U. s. TO Value Roads.


Atkinson Of the Missouri utilities com.
mission, upon returning from Wash.
ington, where he attended the confer.
ence Of western states representa-.
tiVes with President Wilson and the
Interstate commerce commission,
made the following statement relative
to the results accomplished by the
conferences:
I'm accordance with the rovisions OF
the act passed by congress, authoriz.
ing and empowering the interstate
commerce commission to ascertain
the physical value of all interstate
railroads, the commission has appoint
ed board of appraisers, composed of
five expert engineers, who are now
engaged in making the preliminary
plans for this stupendous task of ap.
praising the national railroe ds.
THE commission has divided the
United States into five districts, and
will have each district under the sup
ervision of one of said engineers. Com.
missioner 'Prouty of the interstate
commerce commission has been as.
signed the direct supervision of the
appraisal work
"All the railroads of the United
States already have perfected an or
ganization relative to the appraisal
work to be done by the interstate
commerce commission. The United
States has been divided into three dis.
tricts with three expert railroad en-.
gtneers selected from each district.
THE railroads have also selected
three of the ablest attorneys and
three experts on real estate values to
cooperate with the nine engineers to
look after the appraisal work from the
standpoint CT the railroads. The valu.
alton of the railroads of the United
States is estimated at $4,000, 100000
while the power is given the pub.
lie service commission to ascertain
the physical value of railroads in Mis-
souri, for the purpose of making state
rates, yet the expense of such a valu.
alton would cost the state of Missouri
anywhere from a quarter a half mil
lion dollars.
nesota, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma have
perfected an organization through the
chairmen of their respective commits.
sioss to see that the value OF the rail
roads In their respective states are
fairly ascertained from the standpoint
of the public
The chairman of the National As.
ISOLATION of Railway Commissioners,
representing all the state associations
appointed a committee to cooperate
with the interstate commerce commits.
sion in ascertaining the physical value
of the railroads.
"The members of the state commits
sion of the following states were ap
pointed on said special committee:
Martin of Kansas, Henshaw of Ok
lahoma. Thorne of Iowa, Burr of Flori.
da, Finn of Kentucky, Berry of Hi.
nois, Glasgow of Michigan, Staples of
Minnesota, Decker of New York,
Erickson of Wisconsin, Daniels of New
Jersey, Gothlin of Ohio, Maltbie of
New York, Richards of South Caro-
lima, Bishop of Massachusetts, Stats
man OF North Dakota and Atkinson of
Missouri.
This special committee will meet
and organize at an early date, and
will take an active part in co-operat.'
ing with the interstate commerce
commission in ascertaining railroad
values.
Just when the work will begin in
Missouri ! cannot say, but | should
think it Will begin in the course Of II
very few months.
1t was the unanimous opinion of all
the state commissioners present that
an advocate should be appointed by
the interstate commerce commission.
or the president, to appear at all hear
ings, both formal and informal and
lend all assistance possible in devel-
oping the real value OF the railroad
properties"