Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-24
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.

The State Board of Equalization met Sat
urday. The Amador Branch, California Pa
eiic, Northern Railway. Sacramento and
Placsrville. San Pablo and Tulare, Southern
Pacific and Stockton and Copperopolis Com
panies made an appearances by their agent, E.
Black Ryan, relative to the assessment of
those lines. He asked that the Board would
assess to the Central Pacific Railroad each
division of the line separately. Taking the
assessment of the Board for last year as
basis, MIR. Ryan represented to the Board
that the roads had been assessed as laid with
steel rails, whereas in fact 800 miles Of the
Central Pacific is ia the same old iron as orig
inally laid. He pointed out that iren is worth
$50 per ton when new, and when old
but from so to $25 per ton. The assess
meHt Of the Board, however, values the rails
at Sc. 600 per mile. whereas steel rails, when
new, are worth but So 600 per mile, thus
showing an actual excessive assessment OF
s400 per mile in that single item, on the basis
Of all steel rails. The came is the fact rela-
tive to the Southern Pacific Railroad. He
pointed out that 60 per cent. of the line on the
northern division ia in old iron. and still it is
assessed at 1000 per mile for rails. The as
sessment of rolling stock is equally erroneous.
Fer instance, the Board valued locomotives
on the basis of $40, 500 each for the Central
Pacific Railroad. Now the fact is, that the
testimony before the Board established
clearly, and in the manner that facts are
demonstrated, and by the receipted bills of
cost from the makers of the locomotives. that
the new locomotives cost from 81, 800 to
50, 800 each. By like competent testimony it
ip1i bab -ohn hat tho
of the Central Pacific Railroad locomotive
exceeds 10 years. 1t is demonstrated that
the average life of a locomotive is 10 years !;
l. e., in that time it is literally worn out and
rebuilt, every part, save the frame, being
practically replaced. This is a fact long since
established, and is beyond the question Of
dispute. The same testimony was adduced
from the books of the auditor of the motive
department., and it was also shown
that 10 per cent. OF all the rolling
stock is 10 the repair shops all the tins i. e.,
given leo cars and 10 of them are constantly
in the shop. 1t was also shown that land
rates very much higher than like adjoining
lands. One member of the Board replied,
60 1t is worth more" Mr.. Ryan asked, "Do
you hold that if agricultural land side by
side with railroad land, and of like character,
is assessed at $50 per acre, that it is Just to
assess the railroad land at say $50, or any
higher figure ?" And the member replied
that he SO held, becaused it was used for a
more valuable purpose, and Mr.. Ryan re-
sponded that to such logic and reasoning it
was useless oreply. Mr.. Ryan added that hre e
out of five Of all the counties of the State, but
for the decision of the Supreme Court.
would have granted the reduction asked by
the railroads. Concerning the Sacramento
and Placerville Railroad, Mr. Ryan pointed
out that 26a miles of the 4Sa is now, and for
two years has been, dead property and wholly
out of use. On request Of the agent, and it
appearing that the Board was not in posses
sion of all the facts, until Tuesday was al
lowed to file supplemental statement show
ing the relative values and mileage in each
county of each of the branch lines to the
main lines
George Fletcher, representing the Nevada
County Narrow Gauge Railroad Company,
appeared and set forth the value Of that
road, and that it had, during year last past,
decreased largely in value owing to local
causes, chief among which is the unsettled
"slickens" question.