The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-07-31
RAILROAD VALUES IN SAN DIEGO.
The Southern California Company
Wants Its Tax Reduced.
a Deficiency of $4,000 in Its Earn
ings Last Year-PetItion Under
Amusement.

g. Holterhoff, Jr., appeared before the
State Board of Equalization yesterday IN
the interest of the Southern California
Railway Company, whose road runs
through the counties of Los Angeles,
Orange, Riverside, San Bernardlno anu
San Diego The road Is assessed al o.
95O. 900. and Mr.. Holterhof wants the as
sessment reduced to s.. OO,0OO. lie gave
as his reason for the request thai the roao
has not been making much on account OF
hard times with the farmers IN the SOUTH
ern part of the State. He said there was
adeficiency of S72, 466 50 in the earnings
of the company in 1894
Mr.. Beamer remarked that it had been
the general experience of the board that
new Assessors discovered more property
than their predecessors.
Mr.. Holterhoff said wherever there
was any business or revenue on the line
of his road for anybody they came into
competition with the Southern Pacific
Company. At San Diego there was no
competition, but there was no business
or revenue there.
Mr.. Arnold Of the board said the as
sessment rolls Of that part OF the State
had been increased 81 per cent de said
to let the assessment stand would be
fair proportion to the Southern California
Railway Company, because the board
might increase the whole county roll 10
per cent.
He further said he had been informed
that the trainmen on the road were COM
PEELED to work twenty-five hours out OF
the twenty-four, and that for that reason
trainmen were reluctant IN applying Tor
positions on that road.
Mr. HO1forbOff said Ia was unaware of
such condition of affairs. The net earn
ings Of his road for the year were S4o9 per
mile, after operating expenses were paid,
outside of the interest charged.
Chairman Morehouse asked him if the
increase of 100000 valuation in Los
Angeles County did not indicate that the
road had improved.
The railroads representative replied
that he would not so regard it. The basis
of net earnings per mile. be said, in re-
spouse to a query by Mr.. Beamer, would
not necessarily be fair one for assessing
the road.
Replying to a question by Chairman
Morehouse, Mr.. Holterhoff said the So
000,000 incl ease in Los Angeles County
was caused by the Assessor OF that county
being Of the opinion that if he did not
raise the assessment the State Board
would. Pasadena's assessment last year
increased 81, 200, 900.
Mr.. COlgan SAID his attention mad been
called in one case TO a difference OF $3.50
between the valuation OF the City AS
SCISSOR and that of the County Assessor on
the same piece of property. One reason
for that was because ali of the money col
lected as city taxes remained in the city
treasury, while only part of the money
collected as county taxes was turned into
the State treasury. The County Assessor
made the assessment low IN order to beat
the State.
MIR. Colgan added that the board only
has power over the assessment on the
roadway, roadbed, rails and rolling stock
Of q railroad corporation. All the other
property is under the jurisdiction of the
County Assessors. The State Board has
no power TO interfere in any way with
those assessments.
The matter was taken under advise
ment.