Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-21
Shipbuilders and Owners Be-
fore the State Assessors.
They Unanimously Favor Legislation
for a Change in Taxation.
Some Of the Heaviest Builders and Owners NJ
the State Present.

Of the State had to say regarding thu
taxation Of vessel property. The Nmer
who appeared before the board were
Hon. Arthur Sewall of Bath, A. j. Yorh
Of Portland, H. W. Swanton. Bath; H
NJ. Sargent, Falmouth; r. E. Goodwin
Augusta; j. H. Mcclellan, Bath; j. p
Bass, Bangor; Alonzo P. = Nickerson,
Boothbay Harbor; Charles: Guptill, Port.
land; P. J. Carleton, Rockport H. M.
Bean, Camden; G.. G. Deering, Bath
Amos Haggett, Bath; J.. S.. Winslow,
Portland; J. H. Kimball, Bath; E. F.
Knowlton, Camden; George Russell,
Deering; Capt. A. j. York, Portland,
C. A. Washburn, Thomaston, and W. w.
Merrill, Camden. The bill that the own
ers of vessel property were in favor Of
reads as follows:
For the purpose of taxation it shall be
the duty Of fthe board Of State assessors,
as often as once in two years, commenc-
ing with the first day of April, 1898, to
establish uniform standard of valuation
of all enrolled and registered sailing vess-
sells owned wholly or in part BY residents
Of this State upon the following basis:
On or before the first day of April in
every other year succeeding the year 1893
and in the year 1893, it shall be the duty
of said board of State assessors to INQUIRE
and determine the per cent. of net income,
not charging cost of insurance and depre-
citation, earned by the average of such YES
sells during the two years preceding such
valuation, and wherever such net income
shall be determined by said board to be
not less than 20 per cent. on a valuation
of new vessels at $50 per ton and of YES
sells of greater age at $2 per ton less for
each additional year of age, the valuation
of said vessels shall be fixed at $50 per
ton for new vessels and SO less per ton for
each additional year of age until the limit
of 10 years of age for such vessels shall be
reached, below which limit no vessel shall
be subject to taxation.
Whenever such net income shall be de-
termined by said board to be not less than
Is per cent. and not more than 90 per cent.
on the valuation aforesaid, the valuation
shall be fixed at 25 per cent. less than the
above valuation for vessels within the
limits of age aforesaid, but the reduc-
ton of said valuation shall be $3.50 per
ton for each year of additional age of such
vessels in place of SO as above specified.
Whenever such net income shall be de-
termined by said board to be not less than
10 per cent. nor more than Is per cent.
on the valuation aforesaid, that valuation
shall be fixed at so per cent. less than the
valuation first above mentioned for vessels
within the limit of age aforesaid, but in
that case the reduction of valuation of
said vessels shall be 81 per ton for each
year of additional age of such vessels in
place of 81 as first above specified.
Whenever such net income shall be de-
termined by said board to be less than 10
per cent. in said valuation, the valuation
shall be fixed at Sc 2-3 per cent less than
the valuation first above mentioned, for
vessels within the limit of age aforesaid,
but In that case the reduction in valua-
tiOn of said vessels shall be SO cents per
ton for each year of additional age of such
vessels in place of SO as first above speci-
fed.
1t shall be the duty Of the board OF
State assessors to notify the assessors OF all
towns, cities and plantations within the
such vessel property within one week af-
ter the same is made by them from time
to time, and the valuation so fixed by the
board shall thereafter be the basis OF taxa
tion of such vessels for State, county and
municipal purposes until the same snail
be altered by said board as aforesaid.
The first to speak was Hon. Arthur
Sewall of Bath, who strongly presented
reasons why he believed that vessels
should be exempt from taxation. he
gave figures showing the enormous
amount paid by vessel owners for taxa
tion. He said that there was no steam
navigation interests being sought in the
matter, as there was none of foreign
nature in Maine, and what there are can
take care of themselves. One point he
made was, that the taxation on vessei
property in this State is nearly equal to
the value of the same amount OF properly
in Germany The 18 vessels which ne
owns were cited as an illustration OF tax
ing vessel property. He said that Y he
could find anybody who will pay the IN
surance, say nothing of the depreciation
the net earnings will be turned over
freely, which point shows that the account
would not any more than balance.
Mr.. H. W. Swanton made an able ap-
peal for the recommendation OF the Dill
to the Legislature. and cited some imam
cial matters relative to vessels. In some
cases they would pay for themselves IN a
few years, while other times come when
not a cent would be realized. He beiieved
that this property should be treated difler-
emily from any other class, as its nature
varied from any other. He said peopae
have no idea Of the vessel property owned
in Maine and registered in states where
no tax was imposed, and if the propoeu
bill was passed this property would %
registered in Maine, as the owners nave
said that they would rather have 1t IN TINS
State. About one-third of this properly
owned in Maine is registered outside the
State, under other names, and Mr.. SWan-
ton says three-fourths will be outside 'ile
State ;f ~, ,,-oro,,t biOh tax is continued