The work turned out by the large roads was then checked by this force, the various points in which they were out of harmony were checked and unified, a number of hearings were held, certain portions of the work were checked over by the appraisers' men, sundry changes in quantity and price were made, and finally, when the work was compiled and put in shape for presentation, the appraiser had reason to believe that he had secured a result which was reasonably free from error, and one in which the railroads had co-operated to such an extent that no charge of prejudice or unfairness would lie.
It is noted that the average cost of reproduction and the present value per mile in Wisconsin are higher than in Michigan, which is probably as it should be, as Michigan has a less mileage of high-class main trunk line road than Wisconsin.
In general, the two appraisals were very similar. The determination of unit prices, the placing of depreciation, the apportionment of locomotives, freight, and passenger equipment, and other rolling stock, the use of the Interstate Commerce Commission's construction classification, the application of percentage values for engineering, interest during construction, administration, legal expenses, and contingencies (this latter fixed at 5.5%), all were along lines similar to those developed in Michigan.
The work of the Wisconsin appraisal was carried on at the same time as the second Michigan appraisal. The investigations made by Mr. Van Ranst Pond and the writer, as to the actual sale prices of right of way, fully discussed heretofore, were conducted at the same time as Professor Taylor's work in Wisconsin was being done, and neither party had any knowledge of the work of the other. The prior discussion relative to this phase of the Michigan valuation is practically a revision of a memorandum submitted by the writer to the Attorney-General in January, 1904. The tables are abstracted from much more extensive ones which, supported by the evidence of Registers of Deeds of some ten counties of Michigan, are part of the record of evidence in Michigan Central Railroad vs. Powers. It is, therefore, not only of great interest, but great value, as supporting Professor Cooley's right-of-way valuations, to note the following extract[[10]] from Professor Taylor's discussion of the paper by Mr. R. A. Thompson on the Texas railroad valuations:
"In the Wisconsin appraisal, the method followed for valuing the right of way and terminal lands was about as given below. Parts of the right of way of some of the larger systems are estimated at higher ratios than this, but in such cases the roads themselves fixed the right-of-way value.
"The market value for other purposes of the right of way and terminal lands was judged to be the same as that of contiguous property.
"In farming lands, small towns, and suburban and residence property, the right-of-way value was taken to be 250% of the market value for other purposes.
"In city property, the right-of-way value was taken to be 133% of the market value for other purposes, where the land was owned in strips of 100 ft. width or less, and 110% of the market value for other purposes, where the land was owned in blocks, or in widths greater than 100 ft."
No effort whatever was made in the Wisconsin valuation to determine any non-physical or intangible values, the report covering only cost of reproduction and present value of the physical properties.
The Wisconsin work is noteworthy as the first appraisal in which the hearty co-operation of the railroads was secured from the outset. In Michigan the roads at the inception viewed the work with distrust, but by the completion were in hearty sympathy with the efforts of the appraiser to use just and honorable methods, and the managements extended every courtesy in the way of access to records for verification purposes.