Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1879-02-20
SOMETHING OF THE EARLY HISTORY
OF THE Y. And I. r. r.
THE INDUCEMENTS HELD OUT BY
ITS PROJECTORS.
BOW THEIR PROMISES HAVE BEEN
RFADED.

we present our readers with some of the facts
aad figures having reference to the earlier
movements relating to the projecting, sub
sidising and construction of the railroad which
connects Carson with Virginia. By refer
snce to our files we come upon an editorial
dated Dec 49, 1869, which reads as follows:
As is known by majority of our readers,
a project has lately been put on foot which
will, if accomplished, supersede that other
enterprise known as the Virginia City and
Truckee Railroad AS laid before us by Mr.
Sharon, of the Bank of California, (the prin-
cipal mover in this new enterprise), the pur
pose now is in substance follows To
build a first-class railroad of the same gauge
as the Central Pacific, with it's termini in
Virginia City and Carson, with way stations
and lateral branches at Empire and other
points near the mill privileges of the Carson;
to construct the machine shops, round houses
etc, in this county, and to establish the prin-
cpal business Office of the company here.
The projectors of this enterprise ask III aid
thereof that Ornsby County issue bonds in
the sum of 5000, 900 and donate the same,
outright to the Company, and they state, as
Inducements to that end, that the building of
the road and the incidental appreciation and
the additional location here of mill and other
property will give us an increase of taxable
property amounting IN round numbers to not
less than million dollars in valuation.
Here are some of the figures upon which this
estimate is based:
Ten miles of railroad in Ormsby County,
at All assessed valuation of $40, 900 per mile
would amount to $500, 900
Machine shops, foundries etc, not less
than $50, 900.
ENGINES and cars say 800, 900.
General increase If and addition to mill
property, say s2OO,OOO.
Increase in the wood and timber interest
by the base of supplies and storage being
here, s1500NO.
Total, 81 600 900.
These figures, be it borne in mind-as-
sessed valuation of the track of 900 per
mile and all-were from the positive and I'M
eIuivocal statements of the projectors of the
road They came direct from Mr. Sharon
and his associates to the editor of the APPEAL.
The Legislature of 1867 passed what was
known the supplementary tax law-since
repealed, we believe. Under this Act the
Virginia and Carson, or the Virginia City
and Truckee Railroad was assessed, in Jan
uary, 1870, or thereabout, at $40, 900 per
.uile Of track Qt is to be remembered that
the spokesman for the company in 1868 had
authorized the statement that their property
might be assessed at $4,000 per mile) The
apents and directors of the road protested
against this assessment of $50, 600; and the
APPEAL, having led the people to believe that
twice that sum might he levied with the CON
sent of the company protested in the most
earnest terms against the attempt of the rail
road people to cut down the assessment be-
low the aforesaid $50 900 per mile
In the issue of the APPEAL for Jan. %,
1870, touching this question said:
Now as to the assessment: We believe it
10 be, under the circumstances, nothing more
than fair and equitable. We have given the
r. r. Co. two hundred Thousand dollars in
seven per cent. bearing bonds; and did it
on promise that the company would add
one million of taxable property to this county.
We did 1t also upon the statements, often re-
peated, of the agents and principal men of
the company that the company would submit
to an assessed valuation upon their road of
$4,000 to the mile. The matter is now in
the hands of the County Commissioners, and
We trust they may see the justice of holding
the aSSeSSeu fhludblOu VI IuC v. ~ l. ~. ~
Co.'S road to be equal at least with the
amount donated by the people of this county.
We gave two hundred thousand dollars out
right There are ten miles of railroad in this
county. 1t certainly ought to be considered
worth twenty thousand dollars mile, and we
are astonished that the company demurs to
being assessed upon that sum, all circum-
stances being considered.
The Board of County Commissioners for
this county was then composed of the late
e. F. Rice, A. B. Driesbach and S. K. Jones.
They took the matter into consideration, and
finally, each man marking upon piece of
paper the amount he thought should be as
sessed, they came to an average of S11 800
per mile-or thereabout; and that is still the
rate of the assessment of the main track in
this county, although the Assessor, last year,
put it at $40 900, which was changed back to
the old figures by the Board of Equalization.
7" show how persistent the company have
been III their attempts to cut down the rate
OF their assessment we reproduce from the
APPEAL of August 20, 1870, the following in
teresting statement:
Railroad property in this county is esti |
mated in value by a statement signed and |
sworn to by Thomas Sunderland, Vice Presi- |
dent and Managing Agent of the Virginia
and Truckee Railroad Company, as follows
Eleven miles of railroad or main track, and |