Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-31

the state are given that the house may com-
prehend the character OF the work performed
effort made to effectuate equality in taxable
valuations In order to arrive at the most
equitable valuations possible, the board first
divided the counties into five groups. In group
1t placed those counties whose valuation ex-
ceeded 30 per acre: in group Is, those counties
valued between Sc and 50: in group D, coun-
ties valued between "a and Sc; in group E,
counties valued under "A. Every EFFORT was
made to place each county in its proper group
and to run the graduations along just and
equitable scale. While. in doing this the val
uationS in several counties were lowered, the
ultimate effect was total increase of about
81, 100000
am entirely confident that the work of the
board in this behalf when thoroughly under
stood, will receive the approval of all intelll-
gent, fair-minded and right-thinking people
No doubt some mistakes have been made, but
these the board will correct as speedily as pos
sible after they are made to appear. do not
believe that the good people of any county OF
just proportion of the public burden upon their
neighbors in other counties. If any SET OF men
course they ought not in all fairness to 9TH
erS. to be permitted to have their way. Mis-
Sourians are a gallant and high-minded peo-
pie. They have right to insist upon equality.
to demand what is fair. and should be satisfied
with nothing less. There may be some, but
seek to escape just obligations by imposing
it upon their neighbors through subterfuge or
deception.
During the last two years very little has
been added to the aSSeSSa BILE railroad mileage
of the state. In 1884 only about So miles Of
road, subject to assessment under the law,
were added. In the year 1893 the railroad prop
critics of the state were assessed at S64, 43 600,
which was a large increase over the assess
ment for the previous year. In 1894 railroad
properties assessed by the state board were
valued at 800. 1865 900. which was an increase Of
81. 1872 Coz over the assessment of 1893 1t should
be borne in mind that there Is also a vast
amount Of railroad property, both real and
personal, particularly at terminal points,
which, under the law. is assessed by local au-
thority. This property, however, is always in
cluded as part of the assets OF the corpora
lions in the reports made to the railroad COM
missioners by the corporate officials.
l refer to this fact so that it may be seen that
the railroad corporations pay taxes upon q
large amount Of property used in connection
with their business other than that assessed
by the state board of equalization In assess
ing railroad property the state board endeav-
ored to ascertain as nearly as possible the ac-
tual value of the property OF each corporation.
docket was prepared and certain corpora
lions were assigned and set down for hearing
on given days: The various county and rail-
road officials interested were notified of the
signmentS made, both by letters mailed to
them and by advertisements printed in the
Interested. OF capable Of imparting informa-
ton of value we're urgently invited to appear
to give such information, as they might deem
important to be considered.
The board has had no wish to make war upon
railroads, nor to show them any favOrS. Under
| the law, for the purposes of taxation, railroads
are simply properties owned by American citi-
zens: and every consideration of right. justice
and law demands that they be treated exactly
as other property is treated. II they are as
sessed too low in comparison with other prop
erty. the valuations should be increased: and
for like reason. if they are assessed relatively
too nigh. the valuations should be lowered. N
property should be either increased or de
creased arbitrarily or without good reason.
The courts would not. and ought not to- permit
such thing to be done, even if attempted,
particularly if it should result in gross and
manifest inequality of assessment The only
proper thing to do is to do right. and to treat
all interests with the utmost fairness.
The state board has labored assiduously to
ascertain nearly practicable the actual
value of the different railroad properties. and
! to assess them substantially as othar property
| is assessed. During the last two years the
valuation of the railroad properties of Mis-
souri,, without any material aadltlons TO the
assessable mileage. have been increased about
! sc, 100000. The increases made in 1894 many
| of the lines traversing the state were very
| large in the aggregate, and in some Instances
| it was strongly protested that the increases
were exorbitant and excessive. The super
| structure of the Chicago Santa Fee g. Califor-
| mia was increased 5000 per mile for more than
| 200 miles: the superStructure of the Frisco was
| Increased 81 300 per mile; that OF the Iron
vision of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Mem
| phis 81 900 per mile. and SO
| Like increases were made in 1898. For ex-
| ample. the main line OF the Wabash was in
| creased S1.5 0, and the Santa Fe 81 900 per
| mile. These increases were made as the out
growth OF u patient and careful inquiry, with
at least two principal objects in view, viz.
! First, to eQualize the assessments of railroad
| property as between the roads themselves:
and secondly. to equalize the valuation of rail-
| road property with that of other properties
| The work necessary to accomplish these re-
suits involves the consideration of a vast
| amount of intricate details. 1t is accompanied
by many difficulties. and its intelligent prose
| cution requires the most thoughtful attention
| and the greatest possible care.
| COMPARATIVE VALUATIONS.
| The board does not believe that railroads are
| assessed at their full value According to the
| proof submitted to the board, however, it was
| made reasonably clear that most of their equip.
ment or rolling-Stock is assessed at sums close.
| ly approximating it's full value. But the super.
| structures, buildings, etc., belonging to these
| corporations are not assessed at full value
! Neither are the lands of the farmer store.
houses of the merchants assessed at full value
| A literal compliance with the assessment law
would require the assessment OF all property
at its actual money value; but before that car
be safely done there should be some materia
| alterations or amendments to the revenue laws
The board has sought to place the valuation
of railroad porperty fully as high, relatively
as that placed upon other property; and in the
light of all the facts gathered from all sources
| by the board. it has every reason to believe
| that the result has been attained. Many citi
ZenS and county officials from the different sec
tions of the state came before the board, ant
from their statements it was made to appear
that lands taken as whole are assessed a
about one-third their actual value After care
full inquiry into the value OF each separate
| road the board assessed the property thereof
at what it considered even higher per cent o.
the true value than that imposed upon real eS
tate. AS example call attention to the
Chicago &: Alton assessed at Si7,59O, and to the
Missouri & Pacific, assessed at S18,S11 PEI
mile; and submit that those valuations rep
resent as great per cent. Of the full value o.
those roads as the per cent. assessed upon the
value of other property.
| The Missouri, kansas & Eastern is a new
road just constructed along the north bank o
of the Missouri river from Franklin. in Howard
county, to St Louis. 1t Will be assessed thl:
year for the first time. 1t is in proof before
the board that the construction of this roat
cost less than 520' 90 per mile. If that be true
then it will furnish some basis for determining
| the value of the Missouri Pacific, which is
parallel and competing line. OF course it is alto
gether possible that the board he's in some in
| stances fixed the values OF railroads below
what they ought to be in comparison will
| the assessments made upon other descrip
tionS of property. The duty with which thu
board is changed in making auis eQualiZing as
as have said with deliberation, discretion
and care. The interests at stake are too i'm
portant to be dealt with upon any other basis
| The board is of the opinion that the assess
tereSt, but If any mistakes have been mad
the board will be quick to correct them
as they may be discovered.
OTHER STATES
| In connection it will be of interest to not,
the valuations OF railroad property in othe
states, made in 1894, compared with Mis-
souri,. The average valuation per mile il
Iowa is s. 293: in Kansas, $685. i'll Illinois
s. SIP; while in Missouri the assessabe mile
age is fixed at S1l Isl. The assessment in low:
is only 80 Per cent. Of that in Missouri; il
| Kansas it is So per cent. and in Illinois IS pc
cent of that in Missouri. Take Illinois the mex
highest to Missouri. and make q specific com
| riS Tn Missouri Chicago 4