The morning call., 1894-09-01
PLEAS FOR A REDUCTION
Superintendent Meehan Argued
in Vain.
RATES WERE NEVER CUT DOWN.
The State EqualiZers Grew Weary
of Explanations and adjourned
Until Monday.

| man Gar GOm pa1Y maQ6 HSHI UeiOio VIC
Board of Equalization to-day to have It's
assessment reduced. j. Z. MeehaD, the
handsome superintendent at San FRAN
cisco, was the cham pion of the oppressed
company, but the unfeeling questions oil the
EuualiZers gave him cold comfort. and the
probabilities are almost certainty that
the plea of the Marquis representative
will not be needed.
The assessment on The cars operated as
a quarter interest by the company 10 this
State amounts to $141140. This Meehan
asked to have reduced on the broad ground
of The deterioration in values throughout
the country.
alt won't be long" said Meehan, with
refreshing candor, "before we will have
TO condemn them. Besides there has been
great falling off in business the past year.
The earnings are not nearly up to the ex-
pectations, owing TO the loss of business
through the great strike. There was
50, 500, 600 put into cars. IN anticipation OF
great business during The Worlds Fair,
and at the time of the strike there were
400 cars tied up in Chicago"
Did you reduce rates on Pullman cars
during the great rush Of business at the
Worlds Fair?" asked Controller COlgan
demurely.
well. no." said Meehan. hesitatingly,
mot exactly. We have fixed schedule.
you know"
Has there ever been any reduction of
rates to meet the times?" persisted the
Controller.
''No. l don't remember" was the some
what feeble response of the repre- sentative
Of
cept when in competition with other lines,
you know. Then it is different"
Colgan was merciless. You talk of
cars deterioratlng and running down." be
said, but your rates are just the same.
They don't change bit. do they?"
mo. sir. they DON'T" replied Meshan,
helplessly, and then bright thought sud
denly struck him. "but we have those
tourist cars; just think of those tourist
cars. They represent certain reduction,
virtually two rates. of first and second
class. Those tourist cars are very reason
able"
The hard times and general depression
don't seem to affect your rates at all, Mr..
Meehan," put in Beamer.
Meehan looked Mortified at the sugges-
ton and glanced reproachfully at Jabez
Swan, when the latter remarked: tits a
de ad cold case, Beamer, of take it or
leave H."
But we give you the choice of those
tourist cars" cried Meehan, as If nothing
could exceed the love of the company for
the public.
Yes. but to come to another Question :;
we asked you to give us statement OF
your earnings per mile. Have you got i? '
asked Beamer. cold bloodedly.
This Meehan declared to be perfectly
impossible. They would have to 60 10
Chicago Tor that, he declared. He pro-
duced long letter from the head uffice in
Chicago reciting that the cars should not
be assessed at over $4,000 each. The total
value Of all The cars operated In California
should not exceed S66 DO %, and the rate
of S141.140 was declared Every unreason-
able"
Then Meehan tried to show that there
were not as many cars in the State as
claimed. He tried to persuade the board
that car going out of the State was not
10 the State when over the border. The
Controller suggested that a car came
back on the next train to replace the one
that had gone out. Meenan had not looked
the board. but he got very little comfort
from his reception, and there will be no
reduction.
Mr.. Clayton, representing the San FraE-
cisco and San Mateo Electric Railway.
appeared with plea for reduction. The
property is assessed this year at $50. 600
and last year S125,000. Clayton thought
this was very high. He said the power
house only cost $4,000 and was assessed
for 100000 1t was impossible, Clayton
claimed, 10 borrow $4,000 on the road.
even on a first lien and by order of the
court. The board listened to the tale of
woe and then excused Clayton.
In the afternoon Tulare County had its
inning. 1t was represented by Assessor
Gillen. Supervisor Twaddle and Philip
Balls. 1t was claimed that property in
the county was over-assessed.
Chairman Morehouse called attention to
the fact that Kings County had Increased
its assessment 100000 year. After con-
siderable discussion that lasted until s
o'clock in the evening, the board limited
that it bad enough and adjourned until
Monday next.