The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-27

enls year and the Lord only knows how
IIuch deficit there will be next year.
ne railway company has to pave
tearIy nalf the streets through which
10 tracks are laid. 1t put in three
MI u pavement last year and will
pu on, LII as much next year"
:. Inc board" said Mr.. Chiids. "ought
e az get at the real value Of the prop
san what is it worth; what will 1t
sell for today?"
,,,,o.I any one would take the st. Paul
ptopeIty OF his hands and repay what
ne mas put into it, Mr.. Lowry would Iet
him have it instantly" said NJ 49,
we pay $4,000 annuaiIW - to .'d III ~
81. raul. If the company wac 90.
Ing more than 1t is paying out IL 80.
be different, but 1t has STRUGGLED 49,,
paying liked charges and operating e1o
penses."
MR.. HEIM'S REPLY.
Ii new company" said Mr. Helm.
applied for a franchise it could not
get 1t, because this company has al
most an exclusive franchise. A new
company would have to pay handsome
~ Tor Its franchise. In Cincinnati :.
street railway franchise was extended
TOT n1ty years on the condition that
the railway company would pay into
the city treasury $3.50, 900 or $500 600
expected that the tax would be 5000, 900.
Local boards are manipulated by I'M
seen hands. Any one who would be
WllIlng TO pay an immense fortune for
this company's franchise can have IT,
You can duplicate It's equipment any
day, but you cannot get it's franchise
until 1913 The company has not put in
cent Of it's officers money. They have
only used the bOndholders' money In
the company's accounts there is an
item income account surplus, 81, 615,-
U'6:l9. What does that mean?'
The people who make complaint
against the railway company" said Mr..
Mum, pay little or no taxes"
THE men who signed that petition
are poor and humble" said Mr. Helm.
Mr.. Mum said the items enumerated
IN the assessment list showed only per-
sonal property and no real estate. The
statement showed that the street rail-
way company this year is assessed
$725,520 in Hennepin county and only
$7O1, IT'S in Ramsey county.
Assessor Gibbons, Of Minneapolis,
took the stand and said he did not as
sess the company's franchise, but he
estimated IT'S value at about 100000.
mo, where did you assess the ties
and rails?" asked Mr.. Childs.
II do not recall" said Mr. Gibbons.
What is meant by value Of all other
articles, $36O,00O?'"
cit includes the franchise"
I'm Ramsey county the item of fran
chise Is put down as 100000, and other
articles not included in the other esti-
mates at $175000, a total Of s475, 900.
You include everything in the item Of
100000, a difference of $115. 900. Isn't
the franchise in Hennepin county
worth more than the one in Ramsey
county,"
'"The franchise" said Mr.. Gibbons,
was put in on broader lines. I think
1t was $175,00O or 5000 000."
'Is it not a fact that there IS no
statement of assessments on rails or
ties in Hennepin county?"
NO" said Mr.. Gibbons, 81 took ac-
count Of those"
Did you compute the capital?"
mo"
That was the end Of the railway mat
ter The board took no action, but
it is probable that the railway COM
mittee will report recommendations
during the week and the board will
act upon them.
FRUITLESS DISCUSSION.
The afternoon session Of the board
was devoted to a fruitless discussion
of methods of considering the taxable
valuation of real estate.
y
ago." said Chairman Potter ''you said
you could not raise the value of land
without raising the value Of the struc-
lures upon it. 1t made great dissat-
isfaction In Duluth 1t was claimed
that we raised the valuation on struc-
lures and real estate and great injus-
tice was done It is believed that
greater justice would be done by treat
ing real estate and structures sepa-
rately."
II think that is the proper interpre-
tation of the law" said Mr.. Childs.
THE appraisers shall appraise the land
and structures and give the aggregate.
That has been the custom for years. I
think the assessor merely separates the
land from the structure in determining
the value Of the land. You can raise
the aggregate Of valuation. Yet great
force is given to the fact that land may
increase in value and structures upon it
decrease. The question never has been
taken to the courts. They never have
passed upon it."
MY opinion" said Mr.. Potter, sis
that land and buildings should be tax
ed separately
How is an injustice done" asked
Mr.. Childs.
I'm my county," said Commissioner
Ravens, many farms are without
buildings.
1T often happens" said Mr.. Ffddes,
that the value of a house is rightly
raised, while the land is not raised
properly. The assessors sometimes
agree upon valuation of 40 per cent
on land and so per cent on structures"
''The law" said Mr.. Childs, Says
that the aggregate value Of real prop
erty shall be assessed. which means
that land and buildings"
But the state auditors blanks. which
we have, provide for separate classifi-
cations. Said Mr.. Fiddes.
THE auditors blanks are not made in
accordance with the law" replied Mr..
Childs.
Then followed lengthy argument
as to whether the board should take
up one item at a time or consider
an assignment in its entirety. 1t was
finally decided to leave the question
until this morning.
State Auditor Dunn appeared before
the board and asked the members to
fix special day for a hearing on iron
mine assessments. He said he believed
that the assessment on at least one
iron mine would be raised ST. 500, 900 1t
was agreed to hear arguments on that
subject tomorrow.
MInRn FnOGs Nrn NrIN