The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-05
Has DONE ITS WORK
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
FINISHED IT'S LABORS FOR
1897 YESTERDAY.
HEARD SEVERAL PROTESTS,
BUT DID NOT ALTER IT'S PREVIOUS
JUDGEMENTS TO A GREAT
EXTENT.
FREIGHT AND EQUIPMENT LINES
Are Considered, with Other Impor-
tant Topics, at the Final Ses-
SIGN of the Board.

The state board of equalization has
quit and gone home Yesterday the
members collected their per diem and
mileage and hied themselves away.
But they put in a very busy day never
theless. The primary object of the
session was TO take up the question Of
assessing freight line equipment and
transportation companies, other mat
ters arose, however.
The st. Paul merchants presented
petition for a reduction of Is per cent
in the assessment on goods and mereh-
ardise signed by 250 retailers.
Attorney Moritz Helm said that the
small retail merchants of the city had
been assessed in the first place at not
less than rs per cent on a fair valua-
tion of all the property they possessed.
Many Of them had been assessed at
100 per cent in the first place, and
further increase of Is per cent would
work a great hardship upon them.
The wholesalers and big dealers gen
orally We're assessed way down below
the par value and could easily stand
the raise, while the smaller ones could
not
State Auditor Dunn and other mem
bers Of the board, stated that the state
board could not make one assessment
upon one class of property and another
upon some other, and that no glaring
injustice had been done, in their opin-
ion, inasmuch as all had been treated
alike.
hn Low
with the people of Ramsey county.
who would see that the law was en-
forced and property assessed at its real
value.
T. B. Myers the jeweler also ap-
peared before the board and made a
strong argument in favor of a reduc-
ton in the assessment OF retailers, but
the board said one class of merchants
could not be given a reduction unless
it was accorded to all classes.
The decision OF the board, however,
was that the assessment should be left
practically as it was
j. c. Ranley, organizer of the FARM
erS' alliance, protested against the pre-
sent system Of personal property as
sessments, which, he said, was unfair.
He urged that the board make it's
bases the full cash valuation of all
property alike. Nothing was done
about this. the members of the board
believing that a compliance would over
ride the restrictions placed upon it.
Then the question of freight lines
was attacked. The Cudahy company
and the Milwaukee Cudahy concern
protested against their assessments,
c. A. Severance appeared in behalf of
the Canada Cattle Car company and
the Union Refrigerator Transit COM
pany. General Manager c. B. Smith,
of the California Fruit express and
the Continental Fruit express, protested
against the assessment OF the latter
company. The board adopted the fol-
lowing resolutions: That the state
auditor be requested to furnish before
the next meeting Of the board, definite
statement as to the value of the iron
mining properties of this state, and if
necessary that he procure the services
of experts to collect the same.
IT was also suggested that special
attention be paid to banks in class "A.
A resolution was passed, calling pub
lie attention to the prevalence of hog
cholera, and suggesting to the county
commissioners and auditors the ad-
visibility of exercising leniency in
granting abatementS of assess mentS in
class f.
The auditor, was also requested to
direct county auditors to be more par
ticuIar in their reports as to the items
in classes 19 and "a, private and incor-
porated banks, respectively. The board
then adjourned.