The L'Anse sentinel., 1916-03-04

Railroad Earnings Big.
| Michigan railroads broke all records
for operating revenues during the last
three months Of 1915.
The figures from the reports already
received by the railroad commission
show that the business OF the roads. In
passenger and freight revenues. but
particularly the latter, make up the
largest quarters business in the his
tory Of Michigan.
The total operating revenues for the
entire state will be close to $23,O00.-
900. With 13 roads yet to be heard
from. the totals amount to $21 ,280, ,619.
or the 13 roads missing four Of them
are important. The Chicago & North
western: the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul; the Michigan East & West,
and the Detroit Bay City & Western.
In the last quarter of 1913, the op-
Grating revenues amounted to $18,344,.
632; In 1914, $17,054,979. These are
from all the roads so that the increase
for 1915 will be much larger when all
the roads report. Those whose re-
ports are already in show increases
over the entire 1914 quarter figures of
$1,225.53S.
The last quarter of the year always
shows the biggest business, as crop
movements come in that time.
| Some of the roads show much bigger
increases In proportion to others. while
there are some decreases. The Lake
Shore Is recorded as decreasing, but
the figures are changed in such way
that for comparative purposes, the
Lake Shore has to be disregarded.
When the combination with the New
York Central was formed there was
an entire rearrangement Of figures and
sections
Individually, the Michigan Central
tops all the roads with its increase
over the corresponding quarter Of 1914.
Its increase is $1,759, ,5S5, and for the
last six months of 1915 1t is more than
$2,50O,000 ahead of the corresponding
half year OF 1914. The figures follow:
1914, $9,662,32S; 1915, $12,078.009.
The Pere Marquette shows a gain for
the last quarter of $861,421, while its
business the last six months of 1915
was $S,425,945 as compared with ST.
328,164 in 1914.
The Grand Trunk system shows a
gain of $553,113 for the last quarter,
| Of which the Detroit, Grand Haven &
| Milwaukee and the Grand Trunk and
| Western contributed the big share.
One Grand Trunk road, the Detroit &
Huron, shows loss of s1.595.
| For some other roads the increases
for the last quarter of the year are as
follows: Grand Rapids & Indiana,
$S9,763: South Shore, $170,009; Detroit
& Mackinaw. $37,64S; Mineral Range,
$94.261; Wabash, $1s2,99O.
January Mortality Report.
The births outnumbered the deaths
in Michigan during January by a
large margin, 4,463 deaths to GALS
births However the death rate.
ITO per 1000 estimated population. is
the highest death rate for a single
month Ia the last Is years.
The mortality report from which the
figures were taken, compiled by the
secretary Of state. says the unusually
high death rate Is undoubtedly due to
the large number of deaths Of elderly
persons, aged sixty.fve years and
more, OF which there we're 1852 or
nearly SO per cent of the total number
Of deaths. Six hundred and forty-one
infants under one year of age died
during January
tuberculosis. which usually claims
a higher proportion of the deaths than
any other disease, ranked third, pneu-
monia causing 532 deaths while in
fuenza ranked second with 425 and
tuberculosis third with 233.
The greatest mortality occurred In
Luce county, which showed during,
January death~rate of 51.5 per L.
600 estimated population. However.
the county also established the high
est birth rate for the month, 40.4.
Baraga county shows the lowest
death rate. IL.
Rules on Tax Titles.
Michigan circuit judges and one
state official figured in several orders
handed down by the supreme court.
John o. Plank of Fox Island, interest
ed in lot in Benzie county, obtained
an order to show cause against Audi
tor General Oramel B. Fuller which
raises a new question in regard to tax
titles. In 1908 Plank bought this lot
for delinquent taxes. Last July. under
notice from the Benzie county treas
urer, Fuller issued certificate cancel
ing the sale because 1t was originally
school property, hence exempt for
some OF the taxes on which 1t was
sold.
Counties Slow With Taxes.
Although the law requires county
treasurers to pay a portion Of the state
tax January 15 and to remit every 30
days thereafter. IL county treasurers
have failed to make single payment
according to State Treasurer Haarer.
The counties are Barry, Genesee.