The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-12-23

The remains were laid to. rest in
Woodmyre cemetery, in Detroit.
RAIL GLARS WOULD RECALL
ATTORNEY GENERAL LEMKE
It is being widely rumored that,
angered at his persistent fight to
compel them to grant North Dakota
equitable freight rates and to render
something like efficient service to
shippers, the railroad magnates r
seriously considering a move to e
call Attorney General Lemke. AS the
report has it, a special election for
this purpose will be pulled off around
April LIST, tho if their nerve is equal
to their desire they will try to pull it
in the dead of winter when they know
the farmers will not be able to get to
the polls. All Of which tells what the
idea of Tolerance" and being "fair"
means.
Figures brought out by the state at
the hearing before the railroad COM
mission during the week ending De-
cember 18th, give a very clear Illus
tration of how North Dakota is being
Disseminated against by the railroads
and also tell why the transportation
Cars are out gumshoeing to get Mr..
Lemke. The figures were compiled by
Mr.. v. E. Smart, rate expert for the
state railroad commission, and were
never contested or controverted by the
attorneys for the roads. The follow
ing extracts are enough to show the
robbery perpetrated on North Dako-
ia:
Earn More Than 6 Percent
"That maintenance of way and
structures in North Dakota per mile
of road is only 56.8 per cent of the
average cost in western classification
territory; that maintenance Of equip
ment expense in North Dakota per
revenue ton mile is only 1879 per lent
of the average; that transportation ex
penses of carriers is only II per cent
of the average.
That total operating expenses for
all roads in western classification ter
ritory are $1,648, 050,543, an average
of $12,645 per mile; while total oper-
ating expenses in North Dakota are
$36,8O2,8 1881, or $7,145.49 per mile, or.
only 56.5 per cent of the average OPP
Grating expenses per mile in western
territory. -,
That estimated revenues Of North
Dakota railroads at present, taking
into account increases granted, are
SIS, O56, BIS, while all expenses (al-
lowing an increase in wages of 11.2
per cent? including corporate expens-
es, not accounted in railroad admin
~istration account, taxes and uncolloct-
er freight revenue, are $44, 300, 1863
Earn More Than 6 Per Cent !.
That the 6 per cent return allowed
by the Esch-C ummins law on the pro-
perty investment, of $193,853,822
would be $11 ,631,205.32, which, added
to expenses, would make a total of
$56,434,312.30, leaving an amount Of
$2,622,15O.s5 estimated income, in ex-
cess of the guaranteed six per cent,
without the increase in intrastate rate
for which the roads ask. i.
That this $2,622 ,160.85 is a sum
sufficient to permit an increase of 20.6
per cent in the cost Of all materials,
without mpairing the average return
of six per cent upon the investment
in North Dakota.
MI. Smart's exhibits include color
ed graphics, showing pictorially the
rate situation in the states Of Iowa,
Oklahoma, Minnesota, Illinois, Nebras-
ka. South Dakota, Wisconsin, Mis-
souri,. North Dakota and Kansas, the
states included in the western district.
Rates Highest Here