The record-union., 1898-07-29

Yes, but there is only one Califor-
nia, said Controller Colgan.
Mr. Ryan again said that the action
of the Board of Equalizers in reducing
county valuations and allowing railroad
values to remain as first fixed had
caused the Southern Pacific system to
pay $4,000 extra taxes
Somebody ought to be pleased at
that, said Chairman Morehouse.
Il leave it to the board to say who,'
replied Mr.. Ryan
Controller Colgan inquired whether
or not the Central Pacific had directly
benefited by carrying soldiers and mu-
nitions of war for the Government dur
ing the past three months, and said he
thought not, as being a subsidized road,
charges were simply applied to the debt
owed to the Government by the road.
The law governing the matter was
looked up, and it was found that while
the road received a pro rata through
rate for soldiers and munitions of war
during a state of actual war, the charge
was applied directly toward reducing
the debt owed the Government by the
road, and no money charge was or could
be made. In other words, the COM
abled to reduce it's debt, and not by an
influx of coin into its treasury, owing to
the original subsidy granted by the
State in 1864. governed by enactments
Of the Federal Congress.
THE SANTA FE.
At the afternoon session, A. p. Ma
ginnis, representing the Southern Cali
fornia and the Santa Fe Pacific form
n,lxr Ia &aA Je-
fore the board and made statement,
based on the report already before the
board, in which he requested that spe-
cific reductions be made on portions
of the Southern California road.
In 1897 the road was valued by the
Board of Equalization at $6,O19 per
mile. Its main track, including spurs,
is 461 miles in length and is paralleled
by the Southern Pacific. The state
ment Of Mr.. Maginnis showed that the
operating expenses of the line had ex-
ceeded its earnings and it was for that
reason he requested a reduction.
He asked that that portion of the
line between Barstow and Mojave, lib
miles in length, be reduced $4,000 per
mile from the valuation fixed in 1897,
and that the spurs from Oceanside TO
Escondido East Riverside to Temaculi
and Paris to San Jacinto. ninety-four
miles, be also reduced at the same
ratio.
Mr.. Maginnis said none of the spurs in
question were paying expenses for run
ming, but in answer to a question, said
the company would have no objection
to paying taxes on the Southern Cali
fOrnia road at the rate of $4,000 per
mile. provided the valuation Of the
Santa Fe Pacific-242 miles, between
Mojave and The Needles-be reduced
to $1,000. He only wished a reduc-
ton which would allow the road to
earn enough to pay the taxes. and was
not particular on which section or on
which line it was made.
Mr. Maginnis referred to the state
ment filed with the board, showing that
for the year ending December 81, 1897,
the earnings of the line between Mojave
and The Needles were 1898, 1861. While
the operating expenses amounted to
81 .0fO, 300 81. leaving an excess of eX-
penses of S126 540.30.
PULLMAN CAR COMPANY.
J. p Meehan, superintendent of the
Pullman Palace Car Company in Cali
fOrnia, was also present at yesterday 5
session, but said he could add nothing
to the statement heretofore filed with
the board Practically no change had
been made in the rolling stock on Cali
fcrnia lines, and he left the matter
entirely in the hands of the board.
The board, as usual, took the state
ments made under advisement.
Every road in the State has, through
its representatives,, had a hearing be-
fore the board, and it now only remains
for that body to fix the valuation Of
the several lines The board has, un-
der the law governing its action, until
and including Monday next to finally
settle on the valuation of railroad
properties, and it will probably con-
sumo all the time the law allows.