Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-03-25
n. P. DELINQUENT TAXES
Under Consideration by State
Commission and County
Representatives.
Company Said to Be Willing
to Pay Portion Of
Original Tax.
No Compromise Effected
Another Meeting to Be
Held Shortly.

The state tax commission consisting
OF Judge j. n. Bartholomew Of the
supreme court, chairman; snd 1eorstary
Of State Fallsy and Attorney General
Oowau, appointed BY tho Legislature /.
adjust and compromise the dslinquen,
taxes Of tho Northern Pacific railroad
met st tho capitol Tuesday. They mel
the representatives of thirteen counties
Of the state and the sessions
we're taken up with i presentation b.
each representative OF tho amount oi
delinquent tax in his county, the total
amount due to date; in some cases, the
feeling Of the people in regard to com.
promlse; and the legal steps which had
been taken to collect the taxes and the
proportions and contentious OF the
company in the various suits to Get the
taxes aside.
Mr.. Harris Of Burleigh gave synops,a
of bis visit with the representatives oi
the road recently. Talk Of compromise
was had but nothing tangible. While
he was in st. Paul word came that the
road desired to compromise in all the
counties-his impression was that the
compromise wanted wss to pay some
thing less than the face OF the original
tax without penalty and interest.
The total amount which the road owes
the different counties ls stated to be halt
a million dollars. Stutsmsn county has
now due $4,000; in Burle,eh county the
payments have been deferred until there
is due $62 1000; little Mclean county has
q claim OF &30, 600 and there are other
large amounts claimed BY tho counties
Of Emmons, Kidder, Morton, Stark and
others. The court decisions % fsr -
they relate to this county show that the
company 10 legally liable for the full
amount OF The tax, with penalty and in
tereet.
While, - matter Of strict riehs.. these
taxes should hsve hssn paid in full, pro-
vidsd they were lawfully levied and COL
lectable, yet it is known that in some
cases there are legal questions involved,
whose settlement might involve long
delays and litigation, says the Bismarck
Tribune in speaking Of the sesslons Of
the commission. II fair basis OF CON-
promise can be arranged, the counties
would prefer to accept part of the total
sum due, rather than be kept longer in
waiting. It is hoped settlement can be
reached which will be fair to all con.
cerned, and that it will be followed by
the prompt payment of the taxes, of
which there seems now to be every indi-
cation.
The different counties were repre-
sented as follows: E. K. Myhre, char
man If Barnes couDty's commissioners;
Harvey Harris Of Burleigh county; E.
s. Foley and Attorney l.. A. Simpson of
Billings county; Auditor Braddock Of
Emmons county; States Attorney Black
we'll OF LaMoure county; Commissioners
Ole Wing Of Mclean county; States
Attorney Voss Of Morton county; Char
man Lucas OF Ransom county's commls-
sioners; Auditor Vennum of Stutsnan
county, Chairman Montgomery Of
Wells county's commissioners; States
Attorney Stanley of Kidder county;
Auditor Weed of Logan county; Chair
man Johnson Of Sargent oounty's COM
missionere.