The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-05-30
RAILROAD ASSESSMENTS.
The Railroad Assessors Have Lively
Time-Their Figures.

Saturday, Commonwealth says
the board of railroad asserssors
closed their session in Topeka last
Friday. They fixed the valuation
of each railroad in the State. We
extract the interesting part of their
proceedings:
The board having the day previ-
GUS assessed the NJ. X. & Il. road at
$4,700 per mile, and the l.. l.. & e.,
at $500 per mile, took under con-
sideration the value of Col. X.
Coates Missouri River, Fort Scott &
Gulf railroad. Mr.. Bent moved to
assess the road at $1,000 per mile.
Mr.. Steavens moved an amendment
and that the road be assessed at ST.
222, per mile. Mr.. Smith moved
that the road be assessed at 81 800,
and took occasion to comment
upon the statement made by the
company and among other things
called the attention of the board to
the valuation put upon the grounds
occupied for depots, etc, etc. The
company reported that they were
the owners of eighteen acres of land
at Fort Scott which was used for
depot purposes, and under oath
said that the land was worth butS2.-
30 per acre. The statement submit
ted by this company shows that they
are the owners of 1922 acres of land
along the line of their road, eXclu-
sive of right of way, and which is
used for depot grounds and fix
the value of the same to be but ST.
800, or $3.50 per acre. Mr.. Smith
said that there was hardly an acre of
land in either of the six counties
through which the road runs that
was not assessed higher than $3.50
per acre, and that when any man
under looked to say that eighteen
acres of land in the heart of the city
of Fort Scott was only worth $3.50
per acre, he either was & fool or
swore to that which he knew to be
untrue and entirely false. That
such q statement was an insult to the
intelligence of any body of thinking
men, and that the aft of
this railroad showed q capacity in
that line of business perfectly as
founding. Mr.. Wright took up the
argument in defense of the Mo. Il.
Fit. S. s. G.. II. r., and in his usual
manner defended the statement
made by the road against the char
ges made by Smith. Boil gentle
men became very personal in their
remarks and were frequently called
to order by the chairman pro tenn,
Mr.. johnson. Major Williams OPP
portunely appeared, and with few
well chosen remarks in his usal sans
ible manner, succeeded in allying all
fears of riot, and the board pro-
ceeded to vote npon the motion to
assess this road at $500 per mile,
which motion was lost. The vote
was then taking upon the motion to
assess il at 81 ,222 per mile, and was
carried.
The consideration of the Union
Pacific Central Branch railroad thed
came up. MIR. johnson moved that
this road be assessed at S4,500 per
mile. Mr.. Ballard moved to amend,
and assess it at So 800 per mile. Mr..
Wood moved to amend the amend
ment and assess it at s., $50 per mile.
Mr.. Gleason moved as substitute,
that the u. p. G.. =. railroad be as
sessed $4,000 per mile. Messers.
Ballard and Johnson entered Into a
spirited discussion of the merits of
the question, and also became per-
sonaI, and during the melee Smith
went around and shook hands with
Wright and declared peace. A gen.
eral discussion ensued, and the
board assessed the road at $1,000
per mile.
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe railroad came in for a share of
the same dose so literally applied to
other patients. Mr.. Heller moved
that the road be assessed at $1,000
per mile.
Mr.. Bent moved to amend the
motion and assess the road at So, 600
per mile. Mr.. Steele moved to
amend the amendment and assess
the road at 50, 600 per mile. Mr.. Ste
vens offered as q substitute that the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe
road be assessed at $1,000 per mile.
A general discussion ensued, par
ticipated in by Messers. Heizier,
Wood, Ballard, Cooper, Stevens and
Steel. The motion TO assess at &c.
600 per mile was lost; the motion
to assess at $500 per mile was lost.
Mr.. Bent moved to assess the road
at So 1900 per mile, which did not
prevail. The motion to assess the
road at 81, 900 per mile was taken up
and carried.
The Kansas Pacific next came up
on the scale and was duly weighed.
Mr.. Wright offered the following
resolution, to-wit:
ResoEred, That the board now
proceed to assess the Kansas Pacific
railway, and that the same be as
sessed at $500 per mile.
Mr.. Medill moved to amend, and
that the road be assessed at $1,000
per mile. Mr.Swenson moved that
| the Kansas Pacific be assessed at
5000. The vote was taken upon
Mr.. LWenson's motion, and that the
motion did not prevail. Mr.. Smith
moved that the road be assessed At
81 500 per mile. Mr.. Bent moved
| to amend the latter motion and insert
81 800 per mile. Motion rs amend
ed adopted and the Kansas Pacific
assessed at 1900 per mile.
The Missouri river railroad was
next duly cared for. Mr.. Wright
| moved that this road be assessed al
81 M v.a1 rnf1a GnPPfa6 NJ