THIRD NATIONAL CONVENTION OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS. The Third General Convention of the Railroad Commissioners of the several States, was called to order, at the Clarendon Hotel, Saratoga Springs, N. Y., on Tuesday, June 10th, by Commissioner Briggs, of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Executive Committee, who read the resolution passed at the Columbus Convention, in 1878, under which this meeting is held. On motion of Commissioner Adams, of Massachusetts, Commissioner Williams, of Michigan, was appointed Chairman; and, on motion of Commissioner Woodruff, of Connecticut, the Secretaries of the State Commissions present were appointed Secretaries of the Convention. The only Secretary present was George T. Utley, of the Connecticut Board. On motion of Mr. Adams, the Chair was requested to appoint a Committee of three, to ascertain and report at the afternoon session upon the order of new business, if any. The Chair appointed as such Committee, Messrs. Adams, of Massachusetts, Bonham, of South Carolina, and Turner, of Wisconsin. On motion of Commissioner Adams, adjourned until 4 P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. On re-assembling in the afternoon, the roll of States was called, and the following Commissioners were reported in attendance: Connecticut-George M. Woodruff, John W. Bacon. Massachusetts-C. F. Adams, Jr., A. D. Briggs, E. W. Kinsley. Missouri-James Harding. New Hampshire-Granville P. Conn, David E. Willard, William A. Price. South Carolina-M. L. Bonham. Wisconsin-A. J. Turner. In addition to the above Commissioners, the following gentlemen were present: George T. Utley, Secretary of the Connecticut Board; Joseph H. Goodspeed, Accountant of the Massachusetts Board; S. F. Cook, Deputy Commissioner of Michigan; George E. Towne, of Boston, Auditor of the Boston, Clinton, Fitchburg and New Bedford Railroad, of Massachusetts, and C. P. Leland, of Cleveland, Auditor of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. On motion of Mr. Woodruff, the reports of Committees appointed at the Columbus Convention were deferred until Wednesday's session, owing to the non-attendance of several Commissioners who were expected on later trains. The Special Committee on the order of new business, through Mr. Adams, made the following report: The Committee appointed to consider the order in which business shall be conducted by the Convention, and what new business, if any, should be brought before it, beg leave to report: "After due consideration, they see no benefit likely to ensue from the discussion by this Convention, or by Committees appointed by it, of abstract questions relating to railroads, or of matters connected with our duties as Commissioners, except where unity of action or legislation, or a similarity in policy among the several States is clearly desirable, and cannot otherwise be brought about. It seems, indeed, to your committee, very essential that the discussions and action of the Convention should be strictly confined to practical questions of this character. These questions are obviously few in number, and as far as your Committee are advised, they have been brought to the notice of the Convention at its previous sessions, and have been referred to Committees, which, it is understood, are now ready to report upon them. Under these circumstances your Committee have to report that they are aware of no new business requiring the appointment of additional Committees. We would, therefore, recommend that the Convention proceed at once to the consideration of the reports of the Committees appointed at its Columbus session, and after the same have been disposed of, unless other matters should be brought forward by individual Commissioners, upon which action is desired, that an adjournment be had, subject to the call of an Executive Committee, either upon its own motion, or at the request of any State Commissioner." A vote to that effect is accordingly submitted: Voted, That the present Executive Committee be continued with the same power for calling future Conventions which were conferred upon it by the vote of the Convention at its session of November 12th, 1878; and that the records of this and previous sessions, certified by the Chairman and Secretaries thereof, be placed in their hands for safe keeping. Voted, That said Executive Committee have authority to fill any vacancies which may occur in their number. The report of the Committee was accepted and adopted, and the resolutions passed. On motion of Commissioner Bonham, the Convention adjourned till 10 A. M. Wednesday. WEDNESDAY'S SESSION. The first business in order was the report on a uniform system of accounts and returns. Commissioner Woodruff, Chairman of the Committee on that subject, presented the following report: The undersigned, in behalf of the Committee on Book-Keeping and Accounts, appointed at the Convention held at Columbus, Ohio, on the 12th of November, 1878, and of the railroad accountants who were requested to act with said Committee, respectfully report: That in pursuance of their instructions to prepare a uniform system of accounts and returns, this Committee first issued a schedule for the consideration and criticism of those interested in the subject, and on the 24th of April last met in the city of New York, with Messrs. Leland, of Ohio, Shinn, of Pennsylvania, Wilbur and Towne, of Boston, railroad accountants, where a large number of communications from representative accountants were considered, and certain rules and a form of returns agreed upon, which, as finally amended and adopted at an adjourned meeting, held on the 10th instant, are herewith submitted, viz.: RULES, ETC. I. All liabilities (including interest accrued on funded debt) shall be entered upon the books in the month when they are incurred, without reference to date of payment. II. Expenses shall be charged each month with such supplies, materials, etc., as have been used during that month, without reference to the time when they were purchased or paid for. III. No expenditure shall be charged to property accounts, except it be for actual increase in construction, equipments, or other property, unless it is made on old work in such a way as to clearly increase the value of the property over and above the cost of renewing the original structures, etc. In such cases, only the amount of increased cost shall be charged, and the amount allowed on account of the old work shall be stated. IV. Mileage of passenger and freight trains shall include only the miles shown to be run by distances between stations; allowances made to passenger or freight trains for switching, and all mileage of switching engines computed on a basis of eight miles per hour for the time of actual service shall be stated separately. V. Season-ticket passengers shall be computed on the basis of twelve (12) passengers per week for the time of each ticket. VI. Local traffic shall include all passengers carried on local tickets, and all freight carried at local tariff or special local rates. All other traffic shall be considered through. GENERAL EXHIBIT. Total income... Total expense, including taxes...... Net income... Interest on funded debt....... Interest on unfunded debt... Rentals....... Balance applicable to dividends... Dividends declared (per cent).. Balance for the year..... Balance (profit and loss) last year.... Add or deduct various entries made during the year not included above (specifying same). Balance (profit and loss) carried forward to next year................ CHARGES AND CREDITS TO PROPERTY DURING THE YEAR. Construction and equipment (specifying same)... Other charges (specifying same)....... Total charges... Property sold or reduced in value (specifying same)......................... ANALYSIS OF EARNINGS AND EXPENSES. Earnings: From local passengers Through passengers........ Express and extra baggage. Mails.... Other sources, passenger department.. Through freight.................. Other sources, freight department.. Total earnings, freight department.. Total transportation, earnings...... Income from other sources (specifying same).. Total income from all sources.. Expenses: Salaries, general officers and clerks.. Law expenses.. Insurance Stationery and printing... Outside agencies and advertising. Contingencies Repairs, bridges (including culverts and cattle guards)..... Repairs, buildings.... Repairs, fences, road-crossings, and signs..... Renewal rails........ Renewal ties..... Repairs, roadway and track.. Repairs, locomotives...... Fuel for locomotives.. Water supply.................. Oil and waste..... Passenger train supplies.. Mileage, passenger cars (debit balance)... Repairs, freight cars....... Freight train service........ Freight train supplies...... |