Rock Island Argus., 1896-01-17
THAT MEXICO TRIP.
M. N. Sturgeon of the Board Of
Equalization Talks Of 1t.
SAYS IT Is A PERSONAL AFFAIR.

Denies With Emphasis That Transporta
tion Has Been Sought or Is to be
Given to the Members by the Santa Fe
for the Contemplated Journey
You may s'ate in THE ARGCs, if
you will take it just as give it to
you. that the statement published in
THE ARGUS and also in the Chicago
Chronicle that the state. board Of
has made requisition
on the Santa Fe' road for special
train to be placed at the disposition
of the board for a jauut to the City
of Mexico or anywhere else is an un-
mitigated, unqualified falsehood.
Thus spoke NJ. NJ. Sturgeon, men,
Der Of the state board of equalization
from the old Eleventh congressional
district, but which as far as the state
board is concerned will continue to
be represented by Mr.. Sturgeon in
its old form until another state cleo
tion is held. Mr.. Sturgeon was
speaking of the proposed trip of some
Of the members of the board to Mexi-
co, and who will start from Chicago
tomorrow night, and his remarks
were directed in refutation of the
allegations heretofore published that
the board had asked the Santa Fe
road to place train at its
disposal and that the request had
been complied with, the further
charge having been made that the
Santa Fe had received from the
board certain abatements in its as
sessments. 1.-The truth of the mat
ter" Mr.. Sturgeon continued, lis
that the Santa Fe has had a standing
invitation before the board for two
or three years to take such trip,
but the statement that anv member
of the board or number of members
have asked for a special train or car
or anything in the way of transpor:a-
tion over its road to Mexico, so far
as know, is made out of whole
cloth. The standing invitation to
the board to take trip to Mexico or
to California has never been ac-
cepted. Last fall, however, four or
five members of the board concluded
that they wanted to take trip south
this winter, but no particular desti-
nation was fixed. and the officers of
the Santa Fe volunteered to furnish
a car. The day before the Chicago
Chronicle article appeared it was
definitely ascertained that the new
management of the road could only
make arrangements to carry such
persons as wanted to go for $25 each
for the round trip, and only six
members are going, and that is all
who ever contemplated going out OF
20 on the board. Further than this,
there are one or two ex-members and
railroad men to be in the party.
We who are going will pay our way
like other American citizens and we
do not regard it as any of the news
pers' business.
Now if you will come up to my
office will show you just what the
Santa Fe is assessed at" said Mr..
Sturgeon in conclusion of his re-
marks. and The ARGUS representa-
tive, to whom he had addressed his
remarks. accompanied him to his
office, where he produced the bound
records of the sessions of the state
board Of equalization. Then he said
The santa Fe Assessment
"If the statement / have referred
to intended to be fair as to the in
ducement part Of the Santa Fe peo
pie to furnish transportation il
would not have taken as basis fol
such inducement the amount O
taxes paid the state of Illinois il
1S94-95, because any school boy
knows that the amount of taxes paid
by the road was dependent upon the
several rates fixed by state. county,
school and municipal authorities
and has no special reference to tn,
assessment Of the state board. tt
show how farfetched and ridiculous
the statement on this score is, l Civ,
you the statement of the assessmen
of the Santa Fe by the state board il
the year 1S94-95. The Santa Fe roa,
in Illinois is known as the Chicago
Santa Fe & California, and the tota
assessment by the state board o.
equalization in 1894 was So, 239. .221
In 1895 it was So, 3,23O,334, making
difference in assessment for the entir
state of $S,SS7. The average rate
less than per cent. which makes al
august sum of reduction in taxes Q
$S55.4s. for which magnificent sur
the members of the state board ar,
charged with having made requisi
tion on the Santa Fe for q specis
train to travel 1000 miles. The mer
statement of the proposition woul
make q dog laugh. We will find
too, upon examination, that the def
cit-small as it is-wss upon rollin
stock and undoubtedly the road di
not report as much stock in 1895 a
in 1894, or else it was not in rs goo
condition. The local assessors mad
a decrease of $1,000 and upon tn
same principle they ought to be er
titled to a free train"
Mr.. Sturgeon accompanied by Mr.:
Sturgeon, will leave tomorrow ever
ing to meet the others of the party s
Gaiesburg. Il do not know as wi
go through to Mexico" Mr.. Sturgeo
said, las all depends upon circun
stances, but 1 am availing myself {
4