Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1888-10-04
SETTLED FOR THE PRESENT.

SETTLED FOR THE PRESENT.
IA Settlement of the Northern Pacific
Tax Question Effected--.The Legis'
lature to Decide the Land Tax
Question.
County Commissioner Eddy returned
Wednesday morning from Bismarck
where he attended the conference Of Gov
Church, Attorney McNaught, Of the
Northern Pacific, and the county com
! missioners Of the counties along the main
line Of the Northern Pacific within the
land grant, which are interested or affec'
ted by the tax on railroad lands owned
by the company. The following resolu.
ton which was adopted by the confer
ence effects settlement with the coun-
ties accepting the same:
Resolved, That we, as representatives
OF our respective counties hereby make
the following proposition to the Northern
Pacific Railroad company, IN adjustment
of the questions Of the assessment OF It's
lands and Of the payment OF tax upon
its gross earnings, VIZ:
That we will, on or before the 3lst day
of October, A. D. 1883, upon payment by
said company into the territorial treasury
OF all taxes now due or past due based
upon it's gross earnings, interstate COM
merce included, take such action as
boards of county commissioners OF our
respective counties as shall cause TO De
stricken from the tax lists OF such coun, un.
ties all taxes levied during the year 1851
and prior thereto, upon the lands OF sa!d
railroad company lying in whole OF N
part within the limits OF such counues.
4 The vote by counties thereon being as
follows, VIZ: Ayes Cass, Stutsman Bur
leigh, Morton, Stark. Noes. Barnes;
Counties not represented-hldder ana
Billings.
This action leaves the matter Of rail-
road taxation with the legislature and
the liyeliest kind Of fight on the subject
OF railroad taxation may be expected
when the legislature meets this winter.
The effect Of this settlement upon this
county is to secure the immediate pay
ment Of some $4,000 or $4,000 gross
earnings tax in lieu Of $500 land tax.
An attempt was made on the part OF
these counties, by order Of the territorial
board, to collect both taxes, but this was
resisted by the Northern Pacific, who re-
fused to pay either until the question OF
their liability was settled in the courts
They did, however, under the supreme
courts construction of the gross earnings
law. pay to this county about $4OO or
$500 Of the $500 for which they were IL
able under that construction. The con-
struction which this court gave the gross
earnings law, under the present inter
state commerce act, is that the territory
can only collect q percentage OF the gross
earnings of the local traffic Of the terri.
tory, which originated and terminated
within the boundaries Of the territory
snd this would only give the territory
$l5,O 900, Of which sum, Stutsman county's
share would be about $500.
Owing to the peculiar financial condl-
tion in which the county now finds Itself,
IL Is subject Of congratulation that this
matter has been so advantages eously set
tied in. manner that avoids an immense
amount Of expensive litigation and Sc
cnres the immediate payment OF SO large
q sum, thereby placing county warrants
at par again.
Nj. Eddy commented very fayorably
upon the "fair, impartial and earnest
efforts Of Gov. Church in this matter.