New-York tribune., 1884-12-16
RAILROAD INTERESTS.
RESISTING ASSESSMENTS.
COMPLAINTS FILED FOR NrNE-TESrHs or TIE RAIL
ROAD PROPERTY or NEw-JERsYY.
fly TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUygl


TRENTON, Dec 15.- Under the new railroad
tax appeals against the valuation placed by the state
Board OF Assessors for tho purposes OF taxation upon
railroad property were fled to-day. The board sat /,
the Supreme Court Chamber court Of appeals Law.
yers around the counsel tables by the Dozen Amon1
them Ex-Governor Bedle for the Delaware Lacka
wanna and Western system; Cortlandt Parker for thu
New York Lake Erie and Western system; George NJ
Roboson for the Reading system and Attorney General
Stockton and Barker GUNNER for the State. Ex-Chan
celor Williamson started from his home Ia Elizabeth
intending be present for the Central New jersey Rail-
road. but at Trenton Junction he overcome bv
thoughts of the associations connected with Trenton
where his son, the Rev. Henry g. Williamson, recently
committed suicide and compelled to return homa
seriously ILL., b. ". Forest OF New York. acted for him
general appeal from the assessment made in he
half OF The Reading, the Erie and the Lackawanna sys
tens, the causes alleged being substantially alike
The act OF last winter pronounced unconstitu
ona and void being In violation Of the requirements OF
the Constitution that property should be taxed under
uniform rcs. and asOin violation OF the United States
Constitution which guaranteed equal rights TO every
class Of property and citizens That If the law was
constitutional the statutes fixed by the vera
excessive and that more than the adjacent property OF
individuals was assessed, aud that the assessments OF
the franchises Illegal because those franchises had
value and could not be taken II they had Each road
als0 had special grievances 10 minor matters Tho
Reading system flied appeal covering several hundred
ooscap pages in which the valuation OF each piece Of
property made by the assessors was compared with
that which the railroad people considered just Tho d
ference frequently startling The Central Railroad,
Toy instance valued by the assessors ut $50 G720)0
The company thought that S9,G3s,00 would be a fair
figure.
No appeal was fled for the Pennsylvania system unl
late this u. when upon tecgraphic adyiccs their
sci. James Nredenhurgh, prepared final protest against
the ssncnt without dies -nating particulars The other
railroads that appealed are the Delaware River, Ferre
Monte, Jersey City and Bergen, New-lork, West shore
and Buffalo, West shore and ontario terminal New.
Jersey and New-lOrk, TuckeroD, Freehold and New
York. Monmouth Park Camden Gloucester aud Mount
EphTaim, Ichilh and Hudson, LastOn and Amboy,
Lehigh Valley and Morris Canal md Banking Company
This covers nnotcnths more of the railroad property
IN each December %. being the latest dais
begun at once. Ex-Governor Bcde demanded that tho
board should inform counsel what principal
they hal used la getting at the value OF
franchises Assessor McDeunOt made replies which
Mr. B~lc considered cyasive. and couched IN opinion
that occt. The Attorney General came 10 the rescue
Of the Board. and told by NT. Bedle that he had
bcttor mind hls business. C0randt Parker and Mr.
Robcson sustained Mr. Bcdlc In his demand. The board
ruled that II the question was submitted IN writing
would DE considered. II submitted and before tho
adourius and theD Oard formally refused 20 give tho
desired Information. This give, the lawyer, an oppor
tnity 10 ccrterOrari the proceedings 10 the supreme
Court, and thence the eases may be carried through
tedious litigation to the United states Courts.