Omaha daily bee., 1892-02-29


Millard, Fran Murphy, and the Cudahy
Packing company interests In this city.
I'VE fir ,eisn6de a list OF. fifty names and
out of that nufhoer we failed to find the four
above inenusu6d. Now IL this average
would hold eebtit would mean that 8 per
cent Of the ttoperty owners were not on the
list This, however, we are not prepared TO
state Is fairaverage. but while making its
investigationif the county treasuror's Office
several parttes9 came Ia to pay their taxes
but their natfics were not on the books.
Tho old reliable First National bank,
which for a number of years has been giving
the Omaha National a close race for first
place, modestIyfaccepts seventh place on the
assessment rolls.
"rho Burlington railroad is assessed at
less than thcosnalting works.
THE gas company Is assessed at low
value, but by comparison with the street car
company, the water works and other corpor-
ations, IL is assessed too high. The gas com.
pauy is assessed ut per cent OF its value
while the other companies are assessed ut
but per cent on their bonded value.
the assessment OF the smelter's property
Is low, but compared with the other corpora
tons 1t is bearing an unjust share of the
burden.
"The smelter is In no way drain on the
community, but furnishes employment TO
hundreds of the citizens, without Expressing
any. On the other hand such corporations
as the railroads, water WORKS, gas works.
etc, are daily levyiEg a tax on this
community anu tncn eVaue nlne-UenJnS Oh
their share Of the burden.
Railroads Assessed Too Low.
"rhe railroads are assessed too low; for
instance, the Union Pacific pays on per
cent of its valuation, the B. & M. 81 per
cent, the Belt Line l per cent, the street
railway IL per cent, and the water works
~ per cent while the merchants pay on at
least per cent.
"The coal depa rtment of the Union Pacific
is assessed at S35. but we have been too busy
to figure out what rate of assessment this
may be- This will suffice to show that
the corporations are the great tax
shrkers. But we have individual
instances which are surprisingly amusing.
The firm of Boggs & Hill, which carries
mortgages aggregating tens of thousands of
dollars, are assessed at $3.50. II. Il. Clark aud
Sam Brown, who are reputed to be two of
the largest Individual depositors atour banks,
are assessed, respectively ut 500 and
$780,
"As your committee understands the law,
all foreign corporations doing business or
loaning money are sub bject to assessment on
the interest represented by their agents. If
these interests were assessed they would
help to swell our assessment in the aggre-
gate.
'rhe law is clear on this point, that all
property, real and personal, shall be assessed
on the same basis. Now we find that the as
sessment may vary from per cent to over 30
per cent. This must work an injustice to
some. Now we suggest that all properties
be assessed at about 10 per cent of the actual
value. THIS would in many cases re-
duce the assessed value nearly one
half. While 1t brings those assessed
below this figure to an equal share
and In thus equalizing the present assess
ment it would increase the aggregate above
S5,0Oo,000, and If the tax shlrkers and those
missed by the assessors were added IL would
increase the aggregate another S5,OO0,0OO
With these additions the rate could be low
hnh hov, 49,
great share of this present burden. We be-
leve that the speculative and business prop
erty owned by charitable and religious socie-
ties should be taxed the same as other prop
erty."
Handled Them without Gloves.
Then the members of the club han died the
members OF the Board OF Education and the
handling was notswith soft gloves. They
stated that there was something dead wrong
Some time agofthe board appointed an archi-
tect, who wanted to prepare the plans for
to be erected.l Although that arohi-
tect was the highest bidder for
doing the work he got the contract. 1t was
intmated that some person was getting
rake off and that at least S20,00D of Doodle
had become mixed up in the deal. The
architect had no property; be was not a tax
payer in the city of Omaha aud if he had not
secured the CONTRACT he would have packed
his grip and emigrated. s.
Mr. ocuhoCha suggested tuat tnere was
grand jury in session and that some good
and wholesome results might be secured by
laying the Board of Education matter before
that body.
For the purpose of investigating the mat
ter j. Fl. Kyner ana Joe Redman were ap-
pointed committee to take such action as to
them might seem fit and proper.
Just before adjournment President Kyne
administered a parting kick by stating tha
it cost more to run the corrupt aud weak
kneed city Of Omaha than to run the balance
of the state.