The Dickinson press., 1898-06-25
Those N. p. lakes.

Under the above title the Wells County
News, of May IS, publishes a chapter
which is of interest to the taxpayers of
Burleigh county in showing them the
wisdom of the county commissioners in
making an adjustment of the Northern
Pacific delinquent taxes last year, by
which the county got about $4,000 in
cash out of tax claims which were dis
puted, and some of them perhaps doubt
full, by meeting the railroad company in
a fair spirit and accepting what then ap-
peared to them and what undoubtedly
was for the best interests of Burleigh
county. The most of the counties in the
state having these delinquent railroad
tax claims made a compromise about the
same as in Burleigh. Wells county was
one of those which did not but instead
made a contract with Attorney J. E. Rob-
inson, of Fargo, to collect their claim OF
shares, Robinson taking one-half the
amount received. There was abont
$4,000 claimed in Wells county, face Of
the taxes, a great deal of which the rail-
road company claimed was absolutely
illegal and that the valuations were all
too high. The company was willing,
however, to pay about 50 per cent, but
when they opened up communication
with Wells county people they learned
that the county commissioners had made
a contract with Mr.. Robinson and no
settlement was made, the company con.
testing the matter in the court, and
finally after fighting it through the dis
trict court and supreme court the county
got judgment for about $1,000, but this
judgment was made up of individual
judgments against the various tracts Of
land and the railroad company selected
what they wanted to pay on, amounting
to about $500, and dropped the balance
of the land, letting the county and Mr.,
| Robinson take it. The result, as the
News puts it, is that this $500 cut in
two leaves Wells county sl,75o, and the
News aptly inquiries how this amour,
compares with the 5000 or $1,000 spo'
cash which the railroad company wa!
ready and willing to pay Wells county
nearly a year ago with no trouble or ex
pense to the county.
This case seems to have demonstrated
the fact that there was something to thu
railroad company's claims of illegalit.
and perhaps of excessive valuation. Thu
action of the court in reducing the claim
shows that a portion of it was illegal
The action of the railroad company ii
dropping out about one-half the lane
covered by the judgment and failing t.
redeem it, shows that the company, a
least, does not consider the lands of suf
icient value to pay taxes on at the rat
they are assessed. 1t was understood a
the time the settlement was pending il
Burleigh county that that was what tn
railroad company proposed to do here
By some it was called a bluff, but tn
fact that they have done it in Well
county indicates that it was not. and tina
large quantities of the poorer classes o
/ ldHU are lldOlC " DC uIOpPCu WAAClASVC
the taxes are higher than the railroat
company thinks the value of the Liant
justifies and they can get no reduction
all of which goes to show the wisdom Q
Burleigh county in getting from the rail
road company the best proposition
could obtain and then accepting it, there
by getting ready money which it needle.
and keeping the lands upon the tax rol
for future evenue. The Tribune has al
ways been and is in favor of the railroat
company and all other companies pay
ing their just and fair share Of the taxes
and while it never advocated a settle
ment in Burleigh county it wal satisfied
that the commissioners had acted wisely
Time and the decision of the courts il
the Wells county case, and the action o
the railroad company in dropping a par
Of their lands, have all demonstrated tina
the Burleigh county settlement was
wise one for the county.-Bismarcl
Tribune.
The commissioners of Stark count
settled with the railroad company on tn
same basis as did the Burleigh count
commissioners.