Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-07-30

that the City Assessor had Inquired
the aggregate of personal property
of the Southern Pacific Railroad,
etc., from $4,000, as previously
rated, to $50, 0,000" 1t also stated:
1--WE are inform ed that this same
property stands upon the county
assessment roll ratel at 81. 5OO;"
and that, "thus the work was well
done and justice secured from this
gigantic tax shirker."
In the HERALD of the 18th L
branded the foregoing statements
as o "tissue of misstai, ments and
Misrepresentation" After this all
was quiet at Camp Bellyache for a
period of ten days. But it contin-
ued to squirm and on the Goth was
again delivered of a more extended
editorial on the tax question, but
in this latter article all of its many
previous charges and insinuations
were abandoned except that the
city Assessor had Figured the ag-
gregate of personal property of the
Southern Pacific Railroad Compa.
ny and its collateral companies
from $4,000, as previously rated, up
to $3l,500." Here please notice
that it has raised me $l,500 in ten
days, which by the same rule of
progression would soon amount to
something. if not more. This l de-
MED in the HERALD Of the eth,
and challenged relutation. Last
evenings Express contains a note
from Mr.. Bilderain partially cor
roborating the ErpresS' position in
this regard. Hence a little ques-
ton of veracity is imposed upon
Mr.. Bilderain and myself to settle.
Now to the facts. The personal
property of the Southern Pacific
Railroad and its collateral COM
panies" stands on the city assess
ment books as follows: Southern
Pacific Railroad Company, So, 900;
Central Pacific Railroad Company,
$11, 700; Pacific Improvement Com
pany, $13. 500. Total, $27,700. This
aggregate being less than the fig
ure named by the EIpress in the
trifiing sum of $500. But that Is
an Insignificant error considering
the source and not worth comment
ing upon. Referring to the above
schedule, there is no ques-
ton about the first item.
About the second item there is
no credit due to any Assessor
but it is proper to state that County
Assessor A. w. Ryan was the first
to confer with me about the ma
chinery in the shops (nearly all of
which has been placed here since
assessment made by him in March,
1879. l told Mr.. Ryan 1 would
furnish him with the list as soon as
1 could obtain the invoices. Sub.
sequently the city Assessor, accom-
panied by the Council Committee
came around and fully and fairly
Investigated everything in sight
and inquired about things out of
sight. After necessary delay l
made out the machinery list and
sent it to the County Assessor, with
the request that he furnish a copy
to the City Assessor, which he did.
Now allow me to ask of all persons
interested: Did the Railroad Com
pany do, or attempt to do, any
"shirking" IN this matter? and did
the City Assessor make any new
discoveries? 1 say No; and Mr..
Ryan will bear me out in so saying.
II Mr.. Bilderrain is entitled to
credit for anything it is for arbi-
trarily assessing and collecting
taxes on lot of lumber in tr0nsitu,
destined for railroad construction
purposes in Arizona and New
Mexico. The city's right to collect
taxes on that properly is a matter
about which good lawyers on both
sides disagree; but it was decided
by the 2. |. Co. as better to pay the
tax than have legal controversy
with the city.
I know nothing about "personal
property in conjunction with real
estate" nor does anybody else in
my opinion.
A word of advice to my young
friend the City Assessor, Mr.. Bill
derrain, whom L recognize as a Wig
liant and efficient officer: If you
desire to keep out of the nawspa-
pers don't go around among the
managers of smut machines fall
newspapers, thank God, are not
1t,