LELAND STANFORD JUMOR LIBRARY UNIVERSITY H4647 STATE OF MINNESOTA. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE COMMISSION. ST. PAUL, DEC. 1, 1891. To the Honorable William R. Merriam, Governor of Minnesota : SIR-We have the honor to submit herewith the report of this Commission for the year ending December 1, 1891. Very respectfully, your obedient servants, GEO. L. BECKER, JOHN P. WILLIAMS, WM. M. LIGGETT. Commissioners ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Railroad and Warehouse Commission. OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. The fiscal year of the railway companies in this state ends June 30th, and the statistical reports and tables herein contained are for the year ending June 30th, 1891. The annual reports made by the companies are made in the form prescribed by the inter-state commerce commission, with such additions as were suggested by the meeting of the railroad commissioners of the different states, held at Washington in May, 1890, for the purpose of adapting the same to state purposes. This form is now in use in twenty-two states. It secures greater uniformity in statistics and diminishes greatly the labor required to compile the same. These reports are required to be filed on or before September 15th in each year, but this requirement is not promptly met, and by reason of the failure of the railway companies to furnish the same as requested, the annual report of the commission to the governor is unavoidably delayed. For the most part the information asked for, in the printed forms, is fairly furnished; but the report of the roads making up the Great Northern system is lacking in some essential particulars, as follows: 1st. The cost of the road and of the equipment in Minnesota is not given. 2d. The number of tons of freight moved in Minnesota is not stated. The commission is of opinion that the statute with reference to making annual reports, should be so amended as to require them to be made on or before Sept. 15th in each year, under a proper penalty for failure to do so, and that the companies should also be required to furnish all the information called for, and be subjected to a penalty for failure so to do. |