The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-12
MORE SHORT-LINE ROADS
Three Members of the Tax Commission
= Listen TO Their Plaintive Appeals.
All Tell the Same Story About Worthless
Road-Beds and Rolling StOck-Penn-
sylvania Company's bay.

A quorum of the State Board of Tax
Commissioners. consisting OF Colonel
Walker, Mr. Henderson and Mr.. Gwin, lis
tened, yesterday. to the plaintive appeals
of railroads, in the absence of Governor
Chase and Secretary of State Matthews.
who were off vociferating among the rural
districts.
The Indiana g. Illinois Southern Rail-
road Company, which owns thirty-two
miles of track and little personal prop
erty in the southern part of
the State. was represented by
John L. Hays, of Sullivan county.
In presenting the appeal Mr.. Hays said the
road owned no property at either terminal,
not even q depot. 1t had been several times
in the hands of receiver, and was consti-
tntionally broke" 1t was built by con-
structiou party Is q narrow-guage road
and which In pay ment got all the stocks
and bonds of the company. The rails were
secondhand old iron. and 70 per cent. of
the rails were worn out. There was not
one foot of ballast on the road. except one
half mile near Sullivan. The entire road in
Indiana and Illinois was eighty.eight miles
long it's total earnings last year were $751;
POI, and its net earnings only $1,000 There
were but four engines. bought second hand
from the Vandalia for $4,000 apiece in 1887.
The shops were an ordinary blacksmith
shop. etc. Mr. Hays submitted that last
years assessment of Sl0,564 per mile was
more than the road was worth.
A.. p. Morehonse, tax agent for the Illi-
nois Central, appeared on behalf of the
Rantoul ROAD, extending from West Leb.
anon westward eight miles to the State
line. and sixty-six miles into Illinois. 1t
standard gauge. The road, he said, was
minus valuable terminals. runs through no
good towns and was in bad condition.
The gross earnings Of the road last year
were $1.O61 per mile The property could
not be sold for more Shan Ono-thlrd Of last
years assessment which was S11.014 per
mile. Mr. Morehouss not only desired q
reduction of the assessment this year, but
o deduction from it, the over assessment of
last.
John M. Shaw, of Klngan & Co., presi-
dent of the White River Railroad Com
pany, was next at the bat The returns of
the company last year had been raised
from 90. so to Ss1 500 by the board. The road
ply q private switch for transaction of pri-
vate business, and if the assessment were
not raised over $4,000 all told he would be
satisfied.
In the afternoon there were no roads rep
resented that desired to present their cases
at that time. Mr. y. o. Pickens. of the
Pennsylvania Company, was there to know
when the Pennsylvania Company could
best be heard before the full board. This
company WAS booked for to-day. but the
hearing was postponed. The board ad-
journed until 10 o'clock to-day.
From each township in Fulton and Allen
counties the Western olJnion Telegraph
Company has appealed from the county
boards. HGte
From Clinton county comes an appeal
from the Farmers Bank, which asks . re-
ductlOn of $50 000
The Indiana Pipe line Com pany, of Whit
ing, appeals from the Fulton county board.