Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-11
SHOW
BIG NET PROFITS
Lines In Oregon Make Nearly
Seven Million Dollars Above
Expenses In 1914

/ BOh ldlll lOluo LlOhl purely SldNt DUST
ness increased in 1914 as compared
with 1913, the net operating return,
after considering Oregon 5 dwipdlng
proportion Of interstate business and
deducting the taxes paid in this state,
is $l,73l, 1899. These are the figures
shown by the annual report of the
railroad commission Of Oregon, which
became available today.
Railroad revenue flom Oregon state
business is shown to have been $l5,-
632,743 for the year ending June 30,
1914, and Oregon's proportion of in
terstate for the same period was ST.
9S2,2S4 Operating. expense assigned
to Oregon was $l9,3l6,794, leaving
net revenue of $9,053,9lO. Deducting
taxes Of $2,l52,206, the final net re-
turn stood at $G,90l ,704, against $S,-
632,734 for the year ending June 30,
1913. While Oregon state business in
creased about 100000, the Oregon pro-
portion Of interstate fell off $2,60O,OOO
and the railroads paid $5S3,4l7 more in
taxes last year than they did the year
before.
] OptIuNluB ltNNuutH Nuu tAltUStS W
the public utilities of the state are also
given in the report. The summary
shows the net operating revenue, after
deduction Of taxes, to have been $2,.
,346 for electric companies, $500 300
for gas utilities, $SSO,240 for telephone
companies and $l29,979 for water com
panies. The telegraph companies show
Va net operating deficit Of $265lj for
the year, but the Western Union is not
included in the calculation, as it was
found impossible to segregate its state
and interstate business in the report
that was rendered.
The railroad commission s report this
year shows steady growth Of bus.
ness, in spite Of the great number of
complaints filed the year previous in
the first years work under the public
utility act. Formal complaints during
the year were Ill, compared with l20
the year before. Ninety.four of the
new complaints dealt with railroad
matters, and A Of them related to util-
tiles. Ninety-siS formal hearings were
J held in the railroad division during the
year. and Al in the utility division,
, these hearings being called in all parts
of the state, at the places where the
complaints originated.
Comnloints egninst r,ilroods % +ho
nrmhcr of 26s ycro bondIoJ informni-
Ilv and tboro yorc 1s1 rtiii+,, con,nInin+s
Of informal character. The commission
, reports adjustment made of 2i3 of the
railroad informal matters and lis Of
tbc utilitv informal fins oyoiding IN
LARGO numhor of coses tbe necossit,,
for formal comploirt
The commission mol,os +Ir,o rc,om.
mendations as "a lerisIotior First Il
sncposts that os tbeTe is corfl;o+ ho,
tween laws nossed o+ tLo lo1g sossio,
with regard IN thn cortroI nf tho no,,,
interstate bridpc between portlond and
3, Vancouver. that nm met be nosscd IN
u rcIieve tbr roiIrood commissidn ~ or,
; authority in tbr matter and ynst noycr
D of central So far nc tbc stoto is con.
corncd in the boord bnrctoforo nomnd
: IA take charge of tbc bnilding oS u,o
bridge. this boord CONSISTING ~ tbo
s county commissioners Of Nultnomob
i comfy. with tbc goy.rnor nc nm cv,
officio member " "
The second recommendation 10 bot
cornorations nov rcorirod 70 nolo co.
= cident reports N tbr Iohor cn,omis.
sioner. the state industrial oce;Jon,
commission and the railroad commis,
rop should he allowed to moLc rc.
mort Ia nnv ono of these offices 20
I avoid dpnlication. nnd tbnt tbo ronorty d
required 10 the tax and railrood com.
i, missions be standardized 40 TINT am
y report will suffieo for botb
Tho third Recommendation is TINT
r the lcpislaturo provide for tbo nov.
q ment Of about Al 200 In costs ro,ltirc
!. from judgments rondored ocainst thc
s attornSv.genoral district ottprnoys and
membcI, of tbc rniiyond somHission
!; because Of tbe defeat Of tbese officc,s
n in efforts 70 enforce tbo so.eallcd Ncd.
ford rnto bin. which wns nnssed hv tbc
r poople and declared upconstitni;onnl
n by the courts
II ia ostimoted tbat tbo volro of
properties annrnised bv tbo commis.
. sion a engineers during Tho vonr In MI
. coses for rntc making nnrnoses 10 M,
. lcss tbon sGO OOOooo Tbis c.timntr
I does NOT include valuations not yct
!. Ieompletc.
Tbo commission handled q7G irror.
. mnl cnsos dnoling witb bayordors ',si,