The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-26
SUGGESTS An INCREASE
State Board Thinks Silver Bow
Assessed Too Low.
IT'S THE SAME OLD O
Telephone. Water. Light. Street Railway
and Gas Companies Should Pay
Their Full Share OF Taxation.
Wants 100000 More.

The county board Of equalization yes
terday received a communication from
T. Z. Collins. vice president of the state
board. on the subject Of the general as
sessment In Silver Bow county AS in
former years the state board has an idea
that all property in Butte is assessed
too low, notwithstanding the fact that
there has been considerable Increase
over the last year in the face Of a loss
in cash and other assessable values of
nearly a million and a half. The state
board suggest a general increase. espe-
cially I'm stocks. franchises and town
lots. Mr.. Collins communication Is as
follows:
We have been examining the returns
of the assessor from your COUNT for
the current year and beg to offer the fol-
lowing suggestions and recommended
tons for your consideration and action:
The number Of acres of real estate
has been increased since last year, but
the returns show that II is not as valu-
able as II was then. This is also the
condition from the returns, in the value
OF the improvements on mining claims.
Notwithstanding the great prosperity in
Butte in the past IL months. the value
of town lots has not been increased. We
think that the valuation fixed by the
board Of appraisers In these cases and
i'm the matter of improvements should
have your close attention and considera-
ton. There is no question about your
right to review their work and to change
their valuations. We consider the as
sessment on telegraph and telephone
lines entirely too low for a community
like Butte. We are recommending to
the several boards of equalization of
the state that all lines be assessed at $40
per mile for the first wire and 500 per
mile for each additional wire. and in adj
dition to this uniform assessment we
recommend that in cities the franchises
be assessed, having in view their value
as agents in the production of profit.
This also applies to our street rail
ways, electric light plants. water plants
and gas plants. Many or all of these
franchises are exceedingly valuable.
They are all practically monopolies and
charge the public big prices for services
and should pay their full share of the
burdens of taxation. We believe the
franchises Of the telephone companies.
water companies, light companies, street
railway and gas companies should be
very materially increased. II is mere
trihing to assess such concerns in a live,
prosperous community on a basis of cost
OF installing.
we nope your action IN THESE mat
tiers will add at least 5000, 900 to the val
uation of property for taxation for the
current year. Bank stocks are returned
at only 1858, $50. All banks. whether
working under charter from the United
States or this state, or "a firms OF in
dividuals. should make returns of capt.
tai invested. together with undivided
profits or surplus and the same should
be assessed at full cash value the same
nc thar nrnnarfU Xopr nharfarad hanEa
and private institutions are among the
strongest and most prosperous In the
county, and II Is beyond all reason to
imagine that their combined
only amount to the small sum Of $780,
900. This item alone can be many times
increased.
Dividend paying mining property is
very lightly burdened by law and, on
sidering that most of the net proceeds
leave the state. it behooves the officers
in charge to see that II does not escape
the light taxation imposed. Net pro-
ceeds are reported at less this year than
last. while the dividends and surplus are
currently reported from trustworthy
sources to be much more than Is re-
turned for taxation. III they will not
return the full amount. the same should
be made up In the assessment of the i'm
provements of prosperous mines. You
have full power and authority TO IA
full justice from productive mining CON-
panies and without doubt many OF them
should be proceeded against 10 get for
taxation what the state and county Is
entitled to by law"
The board has not yet taken action on
the communication. but had decided be-
fore the state board had been heard
from TO summon some of the leading
merchants in Butte 10 show cause why
the assessments on their stocks Of mer-
chandise should not be increased. II
has also been practically decided to in
crease the assessment on franchises.
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