The record-union., 1895-07-19
THAT ARBITRARY ASSESSMENT.

B6Fkey TO raise the CenLraI racine CoH-
pany assessment to an unconsciouable
figure largely on the property made by
the company out of q swamp, the records
of years show that the property Of the
company in this county has been fully
valued for taxation, and probably
higher than other property Of taxpayers
The company very truthfully said to the
Board of Equalization that it had no de-
sire to escape by so much as one cent
from its obligation to contribute justly
to the support OF the Government, but it
did object to generalization for the pur-
poses of taxation.
Its property, as has well been said, con-
sists for most part in machinery in large.
open buildings. and in land made at
enormous expense by filling in, the
value of which does not appreciate, but
on the contrary the machinery value de-
preciates as years roll by. Such additions
as are made and repairs scarcely main
tain values at the old figures, for it is a
fact that machinery costs now very much
less than when the shops of the company
were stocked many years ago.
The assessable value of the property of
the company is placed by it at S466, 600,
but the Assessor arbitrarily raised this
valuation to 1922, 900. 1t has not appeared
that he arrived at this figure by any ra-
tional process of reasoning. or that he en-
ployed expert knowledge in ascertaining
values The Assessor placed g higher
valuation upon the ground area Of the
company in this city because of improve
ments made upon it. But, as was well
replied, the Improvements actually de-
creased the area. Besides the work of the
company IN filling in ground was an ab-
solute gain to the county. while it in
volved heavy expense to the company.
It does not stand to reason In the mind
of any impartial man that if one expends
ten thousand dollars in reclaiming value
less property, therefore he should be SO
assessed for taxation upon the improve
ment as to discourage such work.
Whoever has any knowledge of the
facts knows that the railroad property in
this city and county is not so valuable
this year as it was last, nor SO valuable as
it WAS the year before. Under the ad-
verse influences that depressed values all
around. railroad property really suffered
more than did other property. 1t does
not need detail to convince any one of
fair mind that raise of nearly half
million dollars was arbitrary and un-
just, when all along the line of all the
counties there is shown heavy falling
OF in assessment totals.
If railroad property in this county is
worth nearly double what it was year
ago, as the Assessors figures read, it
would be very interesting to know in
what respect and under what influences
the values have increased. The Assessor
replied to some such suggestion that the
previous assessment was too low. But
that is simply a dogmatic statement, and
ID AOk suppOIte0 DS SNlQ6HC6. 1A0 an
SCISSOR attempted TO justify himself by
asking that the company produce its in
yentory OF purchases of machinery and
goods, but obviously that would have
amounted to nothing if it had done so,
for inventory values of machinery, most
Of it purchased years ago under condi-
tions wholly different from those of the
present, would not constitute any just
basis for ascertaining what is the value
now if the property were to be put up at
sale to satisfy creditor demand.
The railroad property should be fairly
assessed. and we believe that it now is,
the arbitrary raise of the Assessor was
without reason and could not possibly be
maintained on detailed test of values. The
Board OF Equalization also so held, and
unanimously rejected the arbitrary as
sessment, which appeared to have been
prompted simply by Jumping Jump of
n half-million dollars. The sentiment
that the railroad company should be
fairly treated because it conducts here
large industry and pays out large sums
of money to wage-earners, and therefore
IL an influence that tends 30 keep up