, 1892-10-01
RAILROAD VALUES.
Arguments Before the State
Board Of Equalization.

The Northern Pacific Asks That
the Values This Year be Reduced
in Proportion to other Property.
Returns OF the Present Year.
The time of the state board of equaliza-
ton was devoted entirely yesterday to lis
tening to the presentation of railroad mat
ters by the representatives of the different
roads. All of the railroads in the state
were represented, except the Spokane &
Northern, in behalf of which President
Corbin, of that road, appeared several
days since. Mr.. AS. w att, tax agent of
the Union Pacific railroad, presented the
matter in behalf of the Union Pacific lines;
Mr.. w. D. Tyler in behalf of the Oregon &
Washington Territory railroad; Colonel
S. w. Scott, general land and tax agent Of
the Oregon Improvement company's lines;
). w, George and II. w. Thompson in be-
half of the Great Northern; Mr.. Dorr for
the Bellingham Bay and British Columbia
and G. s. Fernald, tax commissioner of the
Northern Pacific, and Mr. Jay sedgwick,
tax agent, in behalf ofthat company.
Mr.. Fernald, in behalf of the Northern
Pacific, presented to the board a petition
setting forth that there were legal ques-
tiOns as to the taxability of the main line,
located on right of way granted by con-
gress, and claiming that the exemption ex-
tended by congress, in the charter, through
the territories of the United States, had
never ceased to be operative, but that said
company, being willing to bear portion
Otthe burden of taxation, through a state,
the interests and development OF which
4 H. IL
the practice of paying tax, notwithstand-
ing the exemption, where the assessment
was reasonable. The petition also set forth
that in the assessment for 1892 a discrimi-
nation had been made against railroad
property, and asked that such equalization
be placed upon that class of property
generally in the state as should place it on
an equal footing with the lower valuation
returned this year upon the other classes
of property.
In his argument to the board, Mr. Fern
aid presented the following figures to sub
stantiate the claim that a discrimination
had been made, namely: In 1891 the ag-
gregate valuation of all property in the
state, except railroad track, was S3l9 Ol6,-
341.OO. This year the same property is re-
turned at $266, ,956, ,212.00, which is sixteen
and twO-thirds per cent less than in 1891
Real property is reported at a valuation
lO.7-lO per cent less than in 1891; personal
property, ZO.0 ~ per cent less, nOrSeS,
mules and asses, 12.2-1O per cent, and cattle,
1910 per cent less than in 1891. Lands,
exclusive of town and city lots, 26.7-10 per
cent less; town and city lots, 10 per cent
less; improvements on lands, 9.4-10 per
cent less; agricultural implements and
machinery, 67-10 per cent higher, and rail-
road track and right-of-way, 35.4-10 higher
than in 1891.
The result of this, Mr. Fernald claimed
was not only an unjust burden upon the
railroads, but would also operate against
the interests of the state, by tending to dis
turb the confidence of capitalists in the
railroad securities, and prevent the pro-
motors of proposed roads from securing
from the money centeIs, capital wherewith
to build railroads in much needed local
tiles. Healso claimed that none of the
railroads running into Washington, which
entered other states, paid on 50 high val
uation elsewhere, as in Washington.
Mr.. Johns, of the Pierce county board of
equalization. and Mr.. l.. M. Smith, chair
man of the Whitman county board, also
addressed the board regarding the assess
ment in their respective counties, and with
reference to the railroad assessment.
Quite number of county boards in the
state have equalized the assessments of
railroads in their counties at the valuation
established by the state board in 1891,
apparently being satisfied that that valua-
ton was fair one, and indicated that it
was the wish of their counties to follow the
same this year.