Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-15
FACE DIFFICULT Task.
RAILROADS WILL SEEK 70 SHOW
CAUSE WHY ASSESSMENTS
SHOULD De REDUCED.
COMPANIES OWN FIGURES
ARGUE AGAINST CHANCES
Both Revenues and EXPENSE Show
Material Increases During Past
Three Years - Steam Roads and
Trolley Lines Doing Larger Volume
Of Business-statsmsn Of Accounts.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, June Is. Whc. the
state executive council meets month
hence to perform its duties as g. board
Of assessment and equalization ana
takes up the reports Of the railroads
It will find interesting information as
to the fuctuating and variable charac-
ter Of the railroad business. The rep
resentatives Of the railroads will ap-
pear, az customary, to show cause why
each and every one Of the roads should
have lower assessment; but they will
have an unusually difficult task from
the fact that, unfortunately for them,
their reports show continuing pros
porous business and increasing profits
on the business done in Iowa.
Contrary to what is sometimes as
serted there has been no decline In
mileage Of railroads. steam or electric,
in Iowa. This year the mileage of steam.
roads is 1913, on reports Of last year
it was 9,946, the year before 1855. The
last nota BILE increase was in the build
ing a cutoff for the Rock Island. The
electrics have 452 miles, against Alb
the wear before and 408 the previous
year.
Earnings For Three Years.
The central feature Of the tabulated
statements Of the railroads which Will
stand in the way Of any material re-
duction in assessment 10 the profits on
business done. For three successive
years the following il the showing OF
gross earnings Of the steam roads:
Per
mile
Gross earnings, 1911, $77,ss4.5ss 1912
Gross earnings, 1912, s1.697,791 1925
Gross earnings, 1913, s7,s15,sss s,s1s
The reported operating expenses for
same years aggregated:
Per
mile
Expenses, 1911 3so,977,sss $3.50
Expenses. 1912 ..... 64,414.s42 1854
Expenses, 1913 500. 67,151,S3S 6,74S
Net profits for same periods wero
reported:
Per
mile
Net earnings, 1911. SIC. sss,5s4 $l,72s
Net earnings, 1872. 17.2s2.s4s 1851
Net earnings, 1913... 2o,663,ss7 2075
The showing in the reports as to the
business done by the trolley lines is
equally illuminating as to prosperity
in Iowa. Gross receipts Cor the cleo
tries were reported:
Per
mile
eros. earnings. 1911. s1,ss1.ss1 ;5.427
Gross earnings 1912. 2,255,163 b,4ss
Gross earnings, 1913. 2,714,213 5,997
Costs of operation Of same lines:
Per
mile
Operating exp, 1911, .1,419.7s4 ss.s42
Operating exp, 1912, 1,As6,503 1851
Operating exp, 1913. 1.7Sos54 1887
Profits from operation Of the same
lines:
Per
mile
Net earnings, 1911. 1881, 567 1855
Net earnings, 1912..... 76s.659 1857
Net earnings, 1913..... 92s.25S 900
Increase in All Departments.
1t will be observed that while there
has been q steady upward tendency
In all the figures given. receipts and
expenditures both have increased right
along, both as to steam roads and troll
ley lines, the aggregate net earnings
have also increased and the average
net earnings per mile have increased
each year.
It is interesting to note that increase
in assessment has been keeping pace
with other things.
The assessment per mile Of the
steam roads Of the state for 1913, made
eleven months ago, was s7.S79. The
valuation per mile the previous year
was $s671. That was the biggest
biggest jump Of valuation per mile ever
made. But perhaps 1t was not notice.
able because the previous year the as
sessment had been $6,67s, and the then
executive council actually reduced it to
the figure given above.
The trolley line valuation was not
figured out on the mileage basis but
moved up from $40s,040 to $413,s6O and
then to $452,540 for the aggregate.
There are thirty three railroad sys-
TENS reporting and twelve electric sys-
TENS. They paid in taxes last year on
the assessment Of the previous year to
the various counties, $3,227,S73.91.