The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-08
THE RAILROAD TAXES.
Attorneys Protest Before the
Board Of Equalization.
THE COUNTY OFFICERS REPLY.
Portland Contractor Commits Suicide
by Shooting. Himself.
THE COUNTY OFFICERS REPLY
Not Jack the Ripper. but the Equally
Notorious John Doe-The Kidnaper
Shows His Punishment.

OLYMPIA, Oct. Especial. l-Arguments
on railroad assessment questions occupied
the attention of the state board of equaliza-
tion during the entire session today. At
torney ]. M.Ashton and Tax Commissioner
Fernald presented the case OF the Northern
Pacific Company. They first presented
petition setting forth the claim of the
claim of the company that its main line is,
by the provision of the charter, exempt
from taxation, but stating its willingness
to pay reasonable tax rather than have
trouble on the subject with the people
who patronize it. The petition stated that
the compaay's roadbed had been assessed
from 81, 1000 to $4,000 per mile and held
that valuation in excess of $500 per
m lie is excessive. 1t asked that the assess
ment of 595 miles of branch lines be placed
at $4.500 per mile. ard the 535 miles of
main line from the Idaho line to Kalama,
by way of the Cascade division, at a less
figure. Mr.. Fernald stated that the COM
pany was willing to pay higher tax on
the branch lines, as they earned all their
receipts within the state. Messrs. Fernald
and Ashton assailed in strong terms the
meeting of eighteen county assessors at Sc
attic last spring, at which conference was
held relative to railroad assessments,
which caused the valuation of the road
bed in many counties at $4,000 per mile.
Mr.. Fernald characterized the action taken
as outrageous, and called the resolutions
dynamite" Mr.. Ashton said that each
assessor who took part in the meeting was
subject to indictment for malfeasance for
meeting in convention and openly combin-
ing to put uniform value upon railroad
property, and thus violate the law, which
prohibited them from agreeing upon a
fixed valuation for any class of railroad
property. He declared assessors to be
judicial officers, and that their action was
as unlawful as would be similar combi-
nation of judges. "They acted not only
Illegally" he said, ''but almost in a GRIM
inakway"
County Attorney Miller, of King, ad-
dressed the board with reference to his
county's railroad assessment. He said
that the King county commissioners were
not in favor of any reduction. The assess
ment of railroad property in King had
not been increased in proportion to other
property. Other real property had been
assessed at its full cash value, while the
railroad mileage had been mortgaged at
three times its assessed valuation 1t
ought to be worth. lie claimed, at least
one-third of its bonded Indebtedness.
Commissioner Smith, of Whatcom
county, replied to the railway representa-
tives, dwelling upon the profits of the
lines and the value of the mortgages on
the properties. He asked the board to re-
member that the railway men were attor-
neys. who made the best of bad case
Attorney Ashton charged Mr.. Smith
with desiring to run for congress on the
Farmers Alliance ticket, and intimated
that that was the cause of his opposition
10 the petition of the company.
Colonel ]. c. Haines addressed the board
in behalf of the Oregon Improvement
Company, whose lines, he said, had been
excessively assessed. He asked that the
roads of the state be divided into classes,
such as transcontinental, local, narrow
gauge and logging, so that the smaller and
less valuable roads might not be assessed
as high as the principal lines.
f. r. Rowell spoke for the Seattle, Lake
Shore & Eastern.
Commissioners Fay and Johns argued
in favor of the Pierce county assessment.
The consideration of the railroad subject
will be continued tomorrow, as the repre-
sentatives of other companies desire to be
heard
1t developed in today's deliberations
that the Seattle & Montana and Fairhaven
& Southern companies had not yet sent in
their reports. They are liable to fine of
1000 for not complying with the law.