The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-21
SORRY FOR HUDSON
Erie's Counsel Admits the
Injustice of the Present
System of Taxation.
MAYOR WAHSER'S TELLING FIGURES
Continuation Of the Hearing on
MIR. Queens Bill Before
Railroads and Canals
Committee.
DR.. QuWBY sTIRs THINGS UP
Railroad Lawyers Resort to Their
Old Time Tactics of Delay
With Success.

saccsal 10 TIC Jcrscy Citv Ne,rs.


TRENTON, Feb. 81. fssS.-The railroads
were given an opportunity yesterday by
the House Committee on Railroads and
Canals to show any good reason why
Mr. Queens bill for equal taxation should
not pass. Only one representative of the
roads appeared, and that was James S.
Allen, of the Erie Railroad, who said
that he appeared for all the roads. When
he had finished his argument. however,
and the hearing was concluded, it ap-
peared that there were other lawyers in
the case and that they were resorting to
order to keep the bill as long as possible
from coming before the House. A large
delegation Of Jersey City citizens was
present including Mayor Wanser, Dr.
Isaac N Quimby. Louis V. Booraem,
Henry v. Condict. George McEwan. As
selnblyman Hoes and Joseph A. Dear.
Assembymen Roll, Wildes. Lower, Har-
yey, Alpaugh, Tice and Hopkins also lis
tened to the arguments. When Chairman
Lower called the committee to order Mr..
Queen said that Mr.. Condict Of Jersey
City wished 10 submit a brief summing
up for the advocates of the measure. The
committee consented and then Mr.. Con-
dict said:-
That there is no good reason why the
real estate of railroads Should pay less
t4x Than the real estate of individuals.
If it is lawful to tax the railroad prop
eriy at all, it is lawful and fair to tax
il the same as the property of the work
ing man.
real estate of the individual is taxed
at the rate of s51.39 on each 81, 600 of
value, while part Of the property of rail-
road companies IS taxed al the rate of
s5=letss each $l,Q90 Of value
THE argument OF the railroad COM
p&nies IS that their real estate is as,
sesseG at its true value while the real
estate Of Individuals is in some parts of
New jersey assessed at less than its
true vaiue
New Jersey provide that all property,
both OF individuals and railroad com
panies, shall be assessed al its true
and that bill No. 1, now before the com
mittes, does not seek to change this
just law.
ment to present here, that because some
assessors in New Jersey violate their
duty by assessing real estate CO indi-
therefore the law should De unjust to
individuals and favor railroads, and the
tax rate placed on railroad real estate
shall be less than that placed on indi-
vidgaIs real estate.
1T is the province of the Legislature
TO make just laws, and it is the duty of
the officials to see that they are enforced
AT the last hearing before your com
mittee, Mr.. Allen representing some Of
the railroads, made the admission that
he believed in equal taxation and believed
that $1,000 worth of real estate of rail-
roads should pay :, eSaetlg aSa the e. same anne
estate of individuals lying in the same
taxing district.
ssInasmuch as the railroads recognize
eaaa taxaon 1l Gnf IN ts stae
ask that law be passed by our Legis-
lature that will bring about this much
desired result .
dr. Allen followed Mr.. Condict.
That this was the most important Dues
would admit. But equal taxation was 4
,ninomer, for if Mr. Queens bin should
pass ii would be unjust taxation. It would
impose upon the railroads an additional
burden of S1.000000 annually. Last year
the railroads paid to the State 81, ,4G0.o
He said If he came from Hudson county
he would advocate the Bill. because Hud-
son really suffered from the present sys-
tenn Of taxation. There. was no doubt
but that was not the fault of the rail-
roads, they didn't ask for the law.
Mr.. Allen then traced the history of
from the railroads. and showed how
the present railroad law had paid the
States debt and wiped out the States
tax.
The railroads fought the law Of course
in the Leg. stature and the courts. centin-
TO 9i them m % He had heard the law dssignata9 haas
as the railroads law. He denied that and
said it was the most cruel piece of rail-
There was nc State in the Union where
railroads were taxed SO high as they were
in New Jersey, IN Illinois. the, railroads
are valued at $50, 600 per mile; in New York
at $4,000 per mile: while in New Jersey
they are. valued at $l05,Q0o per mile.
to have equal taxation. that is. to let the
LEGAL boards Of assessors tax the railroad
property Just the same as any other.
I'VE would consent to that sad Mr..
Allen, but 50 long as this act stands, do
not change ii. ii y bad enough now. If
you do. it VIII practically amount to con-
little earnings we now make. The rail-
roads at the present time do not earn oyer
two per CENT and a., II you, you impose the tax
ref earnings.
He then outlined the. provisions of the
act of "a. WHICH divided the property into
was the right Of way, 100 feet wide. sec
ond. the franchise; third. se.ondrclass
that used for railroad purposes: fourth;
personal property. which consisted of
equipment. cars locomotives. etc.
Mr.. Allen. s.the assessors take the value
multiply It By three That +. where a
s1,5e0 in the same neighborhood .
Mr. Tice asked why the assessors in
creased the value three times. and Mr.
Mr.. Queen replied that after a railroad
had filled in and cut away land where It
was necessary tae road bed was much
Increased in value. and they thought
three times was enough
Mr.. Deer arose. and wanted to explain
his idea of how the treble vafue was ar
rived at, but Mr. Allen objected. saying
that he wished Il the time allotted to him
for his argument.
Continuing Mr. Allen next took up the
franchise which he said was something
q railroad owned which was not TANGIBLE.
IN leternl ming the value of the franchise,
fre assessors took the bonded value Of d
railroad ard added the market value OF
fhe capital st0rlz, and from the total
thew deducfed the value Of the tangible
property and the difference was the
franchise s.
he said that some roads in the State