Evening journal., 1914-03-09
VALUATION OF
.B.GO.PROPERTY
Work to Be Done by jerks
D jenkins, En-
eineer
DIFFICULT TASK
AHEAD OF EXPERT

BALTIMORE, Nd, March 9.-The
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad is one
of the first lines in the country to
take steps to cooperate with the gov
ernment officials in placing valua-
ton on its properties and facilities,
IN accordance with an order recently
handed down by the Interstate Com
merce Commission.
Committees to search in the early
history and records of the road have
been organized. and the report they
are to compile promises TO be. one OF
the most interesting railroad docu-
ments ever gotten together For In
stance. in compiling the figures re-
quired by the commission, the val
uation engineer will be required to
list the tonnage Of rail used on each
mile Of the system as originally laid
and heavier rails put in the tracks
since, as well as the number Of cross
ties laid and renewed. AS the Balti-
more and Ohio is the Oldest railroad
system in the country an idea may
be formed of the amount Of work that
VIII be necessary to furnish these
figures. The report will have to
describe the early station building e
and equipment, as well as the origi-
nal freight sheds, etc, and tell when
and how these various structures
were replaced in later years, and the
exact cost OF construction. etc. In
addition, each article now owned by
the railroad will have to be listed at
its value, including such articles as a
sledge hammer in the machine shop.
pick shovel, sign posts. umbrella
racks, whistle signs. lanterns. plan-
ing laths. etc. Il is practically impos-
sible TO estimate how many items
this will make. But each must be
listed. All Of the equipment of the
road must 1e listed, and the details
OF its cost and the charges for its de-
probation will be set forth.
Property owned by the company must
bo described in detail. and the history of
il. giving the figures Of the increase or
decrease in its value must he outlined
II is estimated that the report of the
Baltimore and Ohio system will consist
Of from 1000 TO 900 documents In.
Guiding maps profles. drawings. plans.
estimates and tabulations.
jerks y. Ietnins has been apDoinfed
'Nh fN-fA''if hNt lf INfN- one lI
the biggest tasks Of IT, kind that over
confronted railroad man. Mr.. Jenkins
work will probably consume several
years He will have under him a corps
oi engineers and expert accountants ms
wel as several clerks. stenoeraphers
etc
While Nh. Jenkins will shoulder the
heaviest burdens OF the work 4 win be
supervised by an advisory board. which
viii be divided into two committees -
am advisory committee and valuation
committee. The advisory committee con.
sists OF George NJ. Shriver. second vice.
president Of the Baltimore and Ohio;
Hugh L. Bond. general counsel. ana
Francis Lee Stuart. chief engineer. The
members Of the valuation committee are
Il. r. lalcott. engineer Of SURVEYS.
chairman; !. D. McCubbin. Jr.. real
estate agent; jerks D. Jenkins. valua.
ton engineer; r. Marsden Smith coun.
sci, and j. J. Ekin, general accountant
and secretary.
The work Of yaluing the properties of
the Baltimore and Ohio viii be made
more difficult because OF the fact that
many Of the old records were DESTROYED
in the fire Of 1904