The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-14
THE RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY
COUNTY ATTORNEY HOLDS THE
APPoRTIoNMENT CORRECT.
Commissioners Pursued the Proper
Course in Declining to Modify the
Action-secretary Thomas Effort.


In the estimation of Graham F. Put
nam. County Attorney Van Colts
chief deputy, the board of county COM
missioners pursued the proper course
in declining to modify its action IN
apportionirg the entire assessed valua-
ton of the Rapid Transit conlpany's
rolling stock and franchises to Sah
Lake City, where are the company
terminal points, rather than to the
various suburban school districts,
through which the road runs The dis
tricts derive a tax upon the road ned
on a mileage basis, but if the RAPID
Transit company We're triumphant IN
the contention pleaded for in the COM
pany's behalf by j. j. Thomas, secre-
tary of the state board of equalizatloIs
the secretary's client would profit TO
the extent of about SEQ by reason of
the difference in the rates of taxation,
the aggregate rate in Salt Lake being
somewhat higher than the average levy
in the rural school districts.
THE STORY NOT ALL TOLD.
II appears that there is a little more
to the story related in Fridays Herald
concerning Secretary Thomas VISIT 10
the county auditor to correct the all
legged error. County Commissioner
Hail. according to the way the incl
dent is related by a county official,
viewed the matter in the same Hgnt as
did the secretary of tine state board OF
equalization, and when County Auditor
Game, who stood upon the board
statement as certified to her by Secre-
tary Thomas, refused to concede that
there was any error that needed cor
rection, both the secretary and Com
missioner Hall became very angry.
Coaxing had no effect upon the au-
ditor. neither did threats. Mrs. Caine,
it is related, even charged that an at
| tempt was being made to substitute
papers in her possession When Com
missioner Armstrong was informed OF
what had occurred he is said to have
commended Mrs. Game and assured
| ing her from the wiles of rush act
artists
THE ATTORNEYS OPINION.
Both of the county commissioners
solicited an opinion from the county
| attorneys Office on the points in con-
! troversy, and yesterday Deputy Put
nam submitted his views. In review
! ing the statement of facts, the attor-
neys opinion recites that the state
! board of equalization assessed, accord
ing to law, the property of the Rapi6
Transit company, including the rolling
! stock and franchises, whose track runs
| through several suburban school dis
tricts outside of the city, and Secretary
Thomas of the state board forwarded
to County Auditor Game a Statement
showing the assessment, upon which
the county commissioners, in pursu
ance of law, made an apportionmen
! of the assessment among the various
school districts through which the
companys property extends, but ap
portioned the assessment on the boiling
! stock and franchises to Salt Lake City
1t was claimed by Secretary Thoma!
that the statement sent by him to tht
county auditor was erroneous, in tina
the state board not only assessed tht
property of the company, but also ap
portioned the assessment among tht
various school districts, where the rat'
of school tax is lower than in Salt Lake
City However, the statement did no
show this to be the fact. The RaDit
Transit company now claims that tn
assessment roll should be amended AM
the apportionrnent changed in &C