Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-08-21
The State Board of Equalization
Disposes of a Large Grist
of Business.
The Railroad Taxation Question Dis
posed of Gracefully and Quickly
Other Matteas.
messing of the Board of University
and School Lands-Busi-
ness Transacted.
"A List of the Observation Stations
Established by the North d.
kota Weather Bureau,
Board of Equalization.
From ThurcGovso Do;lv1

Board of Equalization.
from Thursdays DAILY
The state board of equalization buckled
down to it's labors in dead earnest yes
terday and rushed through a large
amount of business. Immediately on
opening the session the matter of the as
sessment of the Northern Pacific rail
roadwas taken up and disposed of in short
order, the different members evidently
having considered the question before.
The assessment was made the same as
last year and the resolution recites the
same conditions that were in existence
then-grave doubt whether the state has
any power to assess the main line at all.
$4,000 per mile for the main line and
$4,000 for the branches was the unani-
nous valuation placed upon the property
by the board. The mileage this year is
just the same as last, not a new foot of
road having been costructed. Tax Com
missioner Fernald was present and filed
a written acceptance of the rate as levied
and the different counties will receive
on this road the same tax as last year.
The action Of the board in placing this
valuation was largely induced by the
fact that the Montana state board last
week adopted the same schedule of as
ssessment, under the same conditions as
here and with the further doubt in that
state that the supreme court of Montana
has decided that the main line was ex-
~empt from all taxation.
1t was shown to the board, too, that
last year on this assessment, the North
err Pacific paid in taxes $88 per mile on
the branch lines and $3.50 on the main
line, an average of $71.40. The Great
Northern pays under the gross earnings
system and their taxes amount to $74.4
per mile. The Milwaukee pays S16.59,
the Northwestern $13.87 and the $780,
:$7.79, all under the gross earnings sys-
tenn.
At the afternoon session a resolution
was adopted confirming the real estate
returned this year, as equalized by the
county boards, and there will be no
bothersome charges in this to vex the
different auditors.
When personal property was reached
the f%irst-class. "horses under three
years DID," was disposed of as follows:
All the organized counties to be equal
lied at $25, except as follows: Billings
"$l6; Stark, $3.50; Oliver, 500; Morton,
$22; Mercer, $17.50; Pierce, 500; Ward
500. The unorganized counties were
ordered changed to be the same as last
year, $17.42.
Much the same action was taken in
the "three years and over class" It was
agreed that the organized counties
should be raised or lowered so as to
make them average $58, and the unor-
gained to be $3.50. Exceptions were
made in the counties of Billings, $37;
Stark, $40; Oliver, $43.5O; Morton,
:$48.43: Pierce. $40; McHenry, $40;
Ward, $40.
O"Cattle under two years" was placed
at $6.l6 in the organized counties and
1888 in the unorganized, these figures
being the state averages as returned this
year. "Cows two years old and over''
were ordered raised or reduced to COM
pare with the state averages, which is as
follows: Organized counties, $12.47; un-
organized, $15.02.
The board will undoubtedly complete
their labors today and return home, most
of the members being anxious to see the
harvest progress.
Considerable discussion was provoked
over the valuation of stocks of national
banks. Mr.. Hyde appeared from Trail
county and protested at the way the
banks were treated there, stating that
they were assessed at 80 per cent Of the
capital and surplus and that it was the
highest in the state. He stated that the
assessors in some Of the other counties
had returned this class of property
lower, not ably in Richland county, so
per cent Of it's value; Cass and Grand
Forks, IS per cent; Ransom, SO per cent;
Ramsey, 60 per cent. The board, how
ever, did not see any way to afford the
gentleman relief, as the returns do not
show any rate per share, but simply a
gross amount of money value. 1t was
thought the courts was the only place
for relief.
@I4EE,-. Es-.,. - F-
Board of University and School Lands.
At a meeting of the board of UNIVERSE
ty and school lands, held Tuesday, a res
olution was passed requesting the sur.
veyor-general to extend the surveys in
Rolette, Bottineau, McHenry and Will
Jams counties for the purpose of ena