Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-16
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
Applications for Reduction OF Railroad
Assessmeuts-Action Taken.

APPLICATIONS 10r heuuctlou "a AAoe,A
decentralization Taken
The Board of Supervisors met yesterday
as a Board of Equalization, all the members
being present except Mr.. Bailey. The
minutes of the last meeting were read and
approved.
E. B. Ryan, agent for the Central Pacific
Railroad Company, appeared before the
Board in relation to the assessed value of
main and leased lines of the company, as
fixed by the State Board of Equalization,
and submitted statements and evidence with
a view to procuring reductions from the
amounts SO fixed. He asked first consider
alton of the assessment made upon the Sac
ramento and Placerville Railroad, which has
been placed by the State Board at total
value of S297, 529.
+. 3. Houston. Deputy Assessor, at the
request Of MIR. Ryan, was sworn. and testi-
| fed that the value of the lands included in
the roadway of this line. compared with the
| lands adjacent, was not to exceed SO per
| acre upon an average. Ihis he regarded
would be a full cash value.
| g. Cadwaiader was sworn and testified
that he was familiar with the value Of rail-
road beds and tracks; that he had been
civil engineer in the employ Of the Central
| Pacific Railroad Company Tor the past Is
years, and had charge of construction of the
greater part Of the line between Sacramento
and Rocklin: that the cash value of the
! Sacramento and Placerville line is not over
! S., 600 per mile also that the rails of this
road are all iron, and their value is not to ex-
coed So, 500 per mile This he was satisfied
would be their full cash value.
Z. B. Ryan was sworn, and testified that
the value of the rolling stock as apportioned
for the county did not exceed the sum of
value of the franchise of the road
stating that the company has not and
| never had any exclusive franchise or privi-
lege. That it is now, and for more than ten
years has been corporation, duly organized
and existing under the laws of the land, for
the purpose of constructing and operating
railroads. That by such laws no exclusive
privileges are granted, nor is any legislative
consent necessary to the formation of cor
poration Hereunder, with the same rights,
privileges, powers and duties as are possessed
by petitioner that said franchise has been
assessed at more than its actual value; that
on the first Monday in March. 1881, the
actual value of said franchise did not exceed
S25 : nor has it at any time been of greater
actual value that the actual cost of said
franchise did not exceed $25, and that at all
times since the petitioner has had the same,
franchise equal in value, and comforting all
the rights, privileges, powers and benefits pc
titioner has, under said franchise, could be
obtained in this State for a sum less ihan
$50
j. W. Houston, County Assessor. was
called, and testified that h had assessed the
franchise to one railroad in this county. plac-
ing the value OF me same at S25. He be-
heyed that to oe all the franchise was worth
and Its tuIt cash value. He based his esti-
mate r.aoE the cost of procuring such fran
chi.e, and as any one could procure the same
sof the cost of drawing 1t up, which would
not be. to exceed S25, he regarded that as its
value.
Creed Raymond appeared before the Board
and addressed it upon the subject OF its juris
diction to change the rate fixed upon rail-
roads by the State Board of Equalization,
and claimed that the County Board had full
Jurisdiction and power over every Individual
assessment contained in the assessment roll of
their county; that under the decision of the
Supreme Court, in case of the Wells, Fargo 4
Co. against the State Board Of Equalization,
the Court had determined that the State
Board had 10 jurisdiction over the individual
assessment, but could only equaiize assess
ments as between counties that 1t was
within the province of the County Board to
eGluatlL5 D6LRG61 1uuiNlQQdl dcstsSlnELbS etp-
pearins upon the assessment roll of the coun-
ty, and when the county roll was thus COM
pleted, then it was the duty of the State
Board to edualize as between the various
counties of the State.
The Board then proceeded to consider the
subject of reduction, and finally, upon q
unanimous vote, reduced the assessment Of
the Sacramento and Placerville Railroad
from 1927, 800 to 1913, S75.
Mr.. Ryan then made application for re-
duction upon the Amador Branch Railroad,
which was length of nineteen miles in Sac
ramento and was assessed by the State
Board of Equalization at 1913, 800. The
same witnesses were sworn and gave testi-
meny to the same effect as in relation to the
previous road, making the actual value of
the road about 81, $50 per mile, or total of
about SS3, 600. After consideration by the
Board reduction was finally, upon motion,
made from 1898, 800 to 100000
Application was then made by Mr.. Ryan
for reduction upon the main line Of the Cen
trial Pacific, IL miles being within the county
of Sacramento. The same witnesses were
examined that were in regard to the pre-
viously considered roads. The value Of the
land covered by the roadway was stated not
to exceed $50 per acre, as compared with the
assessed value of lands adjacent The rate
was approved by Assessor j. w. Houston,
who also testified upon the subject.
Charles Cadwaisder testified that the road
bed of this line in Sacramento county was
worth about 81, 500 per mile, and the rails,
which were steel, have a cash value of about
s., 200 per mile. In this estimate he made
little or no allowance for the wear and tear
from the several years use to which they
have been subjected, from the fact that the
road was still in good condition.
G. A. Grow, Auditor of motive power and
machinery department of the Central Pacific
Railroad Company and its leased lines,
was sworn : He stated that he had held said
position thirteen years, and was familiar with
the value of the rolling stock of the road;
that he had made an estimate OF the true
value Of all the rolling stock OF the company
in this State, based upon the value OF new
stock, together with knowledge of the pres
ent condition Of the stock Of the company,
and that the pro rata value per mile on the
whole Central Pacific Railroad in the State,
at a fair cash valuation, would not exceed the
sum OF 81, 1888 per mile. This made a total
valuation for roadway. road bed, rails and
rolling stock OF $l0,973 per mile. MIR. Ryan
submitted statement showing that the
| Union Pacific Railroad, which was portion
of this same overland route, was assessed In
the State of Nebraska at S11, 552
The Board after discussion Of the subject
| finally reduced the rate from the amount
| fixed By the State Board to $l3, 500 per mile,
making total of 1858, 500 for the forty-one
miles of the main line.
No further business being before the Board,
it then adjourned to 10 a. If. to-day.
KILLED BY CARS Manuel Memor, Por-
tuguese, who has been for some time en-
ployed as section foreman at Newcastle, was
killed by cars near the Railroad Hospital in
this city, yesterday morning. Having been
! NJ L L 70 IL