The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-20
POVERTY STRICKEN ROADS
Remarkable Amount of Worthless
Property the Big Companies Own.
Monon, Vandalia and Branches of the Penn
sylyania Given Hearings Before the
State Tax Commissioner

The Louisville, New Albany e. Chicago
railroad first occupied the attention yes
terday Of the State Tax Commission,
through Judge Field. attorney. The as
sessment upon this line. Judge Field said.
is ST., COO per mile. which makes it second
in point of value only to the Pennsylvania
lines. In the attorneys opinion this was
far out Of proportion to other properties.
The road, which is known as the Monon,
was one of the first built in the State. and
was built chcaply, with light steel rail.
1t was also built when it was thought good
policy to 60 around q hill rather than
through it, and one stretch of twenty
miles only carries the trains longitudinally
five miles. The road, 1t was said, had no
terminal facilities, and pays high rents in
Louisville, Indianapolis and Chicago and
eG5, 900 year bridge tolls at Louisville.
The board was informed that the road-bed
was so poor that accidents have been very
unfortunate. The last one 1t Cr8wfords-
vile cost $4,000. Judge Field said If the
road were worth what it was Appraised at.
1t would have heavy rail and the accident
would not have happened.
w. i. Capen. superintendent of the pos
tai telegraph. was next heard in protest
against the assessment in ST. Joseph coun-
ty, where, he said. the lines cost less new
than they are now assessed for, old.
The Terre Haute 81 Indianapolis Van
DALAI. the Terre Haute 81 Logansport and
the Indiana 81 Lake Michigan road had
champion in John u. Williams, vice presl-
dent and general manager. He said he did
not complain of the assessment upon the
Vandalia. but the Terre Hante q Logane-
port and the Indiana 81 Lake Michigan's
taxes are entirely too high. Tho reason
advanced in the case of the r.. H. & L.
was that this road, under the terms
wasoperated at q loss Of from So 600 to $50, 900
year. The road, it was also stated, is as
sessed at 100000 moro than it cost The
Indiana IL Lake Michigan road IS also
taxed, the advocate said. for more than il
Is more than 1t cost. On the twenty-six
miles in Michigan the road paid $500 on q 2
per cent. on gross earnings tax, while the
fourteen miles In Indiana paid $500 tax.
that the tax commission could Justly be
accused of favoritism toward the Vandalia,
as was intlmated in the speech of Mr.. Dye,
attorney for the Big Four road. He saId he
believed the commissioners are fair.minded
charge. he set forth the following: The
Cincinnati, Wabash g. Michigan, q Big
Four line purchased for $4,000, 600. and
which parallels the Vandalia's Terre Haute
& Logansport line. is assessed at s., 600. COO.
poorer country and losing business, Is
assessed ct S12. 200 mile.
Hon. r. e. Bell, attorney for the Nickel
plate, appeared for his road, and argued
of real estate, he said, In the
counties traversed by the line had
only been increased 30 per cent, while
the roads assessment was increased liz per
cent The operating expenses last year
were $780,, 900 higher. by reason of increase
of wages. and salaries. The net earnings
Judge Bell said. are comparatively small.
The Pennsylvania system was given
hearing in the afternoon. in the person of
its solicitor, S. o. Pickens. He desired, he
said. exemption from taxation on the roll
ing-stock of tho State Line Il Indiana City
branch because the Same property 10 already
assessed as part of the Fort Wayne branch.
This line. Mr.. Pickens said, Is assessed at
SIS. 900 more than it cost. Its earnings for
two years have been 00.0OO less than it's
expenses. The assessment OF $4,000, be
said. is twice it's real value. Mr.. Pickens
frequently referred TO Poor's Manual in
proof of his statements. He asked that the
board be lenient with the Anderson Belt
road. three miles in length, which was de-
scribed as q pitiful waif of o road which
does no business and costs pile OF money
in lawsuits with Harry Crawford. Mr..
Pick ems called the attention of the COM
missioners that in appraising his clients
lines they should remember that while In
six years time the appralsement of land
in Indiana had been increased only AL per
cent, railroad values had been appraised
191 por cent higher. In reply to the charge
that railroads had not bOrno their just
share of taxation, Mr.. Pickens said this
was an unjust reflection upOn the intelli-
gence, fairness and honesty of former
boards of equalization. The appraisement
of the j.. NJ. & I. lines. he said, was last
year S2S, 500 per mile. He then submitted
figures showing that upon the basis of the
Vandalia appraisement of S2l 800 per
mile, and the Evansville e. Terre
Haute appraisement of $1,000 per
mile, the Panhandle appraIsement
should not exceed $24, 500 per mile. Mr..
Plckens notified tie commissioners that he
desired to be heard again with reference to
the Louisville bridge belonRipg to the Penn:
sylvanIa system. Judge collars was heard
for the Fort Wayne branch of this sy stem.
He said the appraisementfo for road be0 lsS72,-
600, which is almost twice the appraisement
of any other hne. Much of the speakers
argument went to show that under tho
new tax law the taxes of railroads should
not BIO unjustly increased for political effect.
He presented tgures showing that the rail-
roads. as he believes. pay much too large
a part of the taxes in the counties through
which the For tWayne branch runs.
The commissioners are crowded with
business, and are already talking of night
sessions. Advocates have been urged not
to load them mp with unnecessary docu-
ments or figures. There are yet q large
number of railroads to hear from.