RAILROADS: Dehydration and Taxes

The ICC's long-term plans to dehydrate the capital structures of bankrupt railroads last week ran afoul of the Treasury's plans to wring more taxes from industry. Chairman John Samuel Pyeatt of the Missouri Pacific Railroad—in receivership since 1933—sent a letter to 40,000 bondholders, urged them to reject the ICC-sponsored reorganization plan.

The plan, which would replace the 5% bonds with income bonds, cuts capitalization from $671,206,000 to $560,479,000. This smaller capitalization would reduce the excess-profits tax exemption and increase Federal taxes sixfold. Chairman Pyeatt figured that before first and refunding bondholders...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!