The Valuation of Public Service Corporation Property: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers,; vol. LXXII, June, 1911, ASCE 1190Riggs, Henry Earle
General
The Valuation of Public Service Corporation Property: Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers,; vol. LXXII, June, 1911, ASCE 1190
This Non-Physical Value may be: positive, or a value in excess of the
physical property, or negative, or less than the physical value. In the
case of a property having a negative intangible value, a deduction
should be made from the physical value.
It is further contended that, in making the physical appraisal, the
purpose of the appraisal should not be permitted to modify the figures.
The resultant figure should be the same, whether it is to be used as a
basis for assessment, rate-making, or limitation of capitalization. It
should be an engineering estimate of the amount of _bona fide_ capital
still remaining in the property, or of the complete cost of reproduction
under existing conditions, less depreciation. This figure is definite,
within reasonable limits, and it cannot be conceded that it is
permissible to vary it, submitting one result as a physical value for
taxation, and another and different result as a present physical
valuation for rate-making.
There may be some question as to the propriety of using non-physical
values for certain ultimate ends; in fact, the Supreme Court, in the
Omaha and Knoxville water cases, clearly indicates that they must not be
used for certain purposes; but, in any case, to furnish information,
this element of value should be determined, and, as in the case of
physical values, it should be an unchangeable figure[18] and should
represent the difference between the worth of the actual physical
property and the final business value of the property considered as an
earning proposition.
It is not necessary to go minutely into detail as to the various steps
to be taken in making the appraisal of physical property. Each appraisal
will offer some problems peculiar to itself, and no general set of rules
can be laid down which will be applicable to all cases. It is deemed
sufficient to call attention to general matters of major importance and
to refer to some points which have not been mentioned in the preceding
narrative, omitting argument in the case of such as have there been
fully discussed.
The distinction should be kept in mind that any element of value which
belongs to the property by reason of its physical existence is classed
as an element of physical value. The property is considered as an
operating property in the sense that it is reproduced complete, ready to
operate; and any expense, or any element of value needed to complete it,
is an element of the physical value, but any value arising as a result
of surplus earning power, any good-will value, going-concern value, or
value due to established business, strategic location, favorable traffic
arrangements, etc., should be considered as intangible values.
The valuation of physical property is naturally divided into four parts:
I. —The preliminary study,
II. —The field inspection,
III. —The computation,
IV. —The preparation of the final figure.
I.—The Preliminary Study.
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