The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-18
Western Counties to Make No Re-
duction in Assessments.
COMMISSIONERS MEET HERE.
Four Counties Represented and II
Ia Practically Decided That Real
Property Valuations n Fixed last
Year VIII Not BE Disturbed
0ue.siom discussed In Detail-An-
other Conference t0 settle Matter.

II Is practically a settled fact that, ex-
cept in isolated cases, the boards OF equal
ization IN King. Snohomsh, Skagit ard
Wnatcom counties, at least, Will make no
reduction in the real property assessments
OF the railroad companies this year from
the figures OF las; year as equa.ized by the
different boards. This was practically de-
,ermined at meeting held at the court
house yesterday IN which the county COM
misSioners of the four counties mentioned
participated and discussed the question
with a view of outlining a uniform course
to be pursued in dealing with the petitions
for reduction OF assessment already flied
By the railroads in each county.
Those present al the meeting were Coun-
~ Commissioners q. L. Friars. c. Jorgen-
son and c. l.. Whiting. of Snohomish
county: County Commissioner Gus liens
Ter. OF Skasit county. County Commission
er u. F. Dean, of Wha;com county ami
County Commissioners Ryan, Nickerson
and Boyce. of King county. Assessor
Percy II. Palmer, OF Snohomish county
Was also present. In ali the counties the
county commissioners are now sitting as
-
capacity that they gset together in Seattle
yesterday according - Il prearranged plan
To make the subject considered at the
meeting clear. il should be stated that for
many years prior to 1877 il was the custom
OF al counties in the state 20 assess the
real property OF the railroad COMPANIES
that is righJ-of-way and railroad tracks
at the uniform rate of $50 a mile. or 81
a foot. But in 1891 the state board Of
equalization raised the rate of assessment
10 $1,000 per mile for trunk lines and
$3.50 per nie for second-class lines. Fol-
loving this lead the different counties re-
vised their assessments last year, and the
four represented at yesterdays meeting
fixed the following rates:
Nli1tcoih 10000. .-.-.... ...,...-....$ S.10o
'N'sHii ....-.'. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 600
King 90. ......... . Qf.o
BY way Of explanation 1t should b., stat
ed that Nhatcom county has no transron-
uhehtai railway hnet. ana in King county
the railroads were given the beneti, Of the
universal reduction OF ~ per cent in real
estate assessments,
For this year the assesSors have made
their assessments on the same basis of
F9iheS as last year in ali four counties
ana the railroad companies have made a
vigorous protest, demanding a restoration
or the assessment valuation OF S. 30 a
mile. or the establishment of a new vaiua-
ton not greatly in excess OF those figures
The Seattle x international demands q
valuation Of but 5000 per mile. claiming
that 1t IL not in the same class with other
roads
incidentally it might be remarked that
the same protests were made by the rail-
roads lost year. and that when the re,iuc-
tiohs demanded were refused. the roads
would not pay their real property taxes In
any OF the four counties. These taxes ara
still delinquent
As the full board OF but two counties
was present at yesterdays Joint meeting.
The action taken WAS informal but ii was
decided that the petitions for reduction OF
Assessment woulc be refused. except upon
grounds other than alleged general over
valuation. This statement was made by
several OF the commissioners after the adj
tournment Of the joint meeting.
Within few days the four boards Will
confer together aSan ny long-dlstance telr-
phone, anu then Il will be- formally AGREED
TO hold out firmly against the demands Of
tAe railroad companies IT Is probable that
the courts will then be called upon 10 So, p
lie the dispute between the corporations
and The countitS. both as 10 the taxes for
1888 and the delinquent taxes for iSs1