The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-14
STREET CAR VALUES
THEY GAVE THE STATE BOARD OF
EQUALIZATION MATERIAL
FOR A ROW
LIST OF ASSESSORS SLURRED

InsinuatiOns Are Made That the Re-
turns From Ramsey and Henne-
pin Counties Were Not What They
Resent the Imputation on Local
| officials.
"Tehicles" proved a very troublesome
| subject for the state board Of equaliza-
! ton at it's meeting yesterday. Under that
class known as No. is included all sorts
| of vehicles, automobiles, carriages, Wag-
ons and, lastly, and most important in
| the eyes Of the board, street cars. All
| agreed that street cars should be classed
| under another classification, but the as
| sessment having already been made 1t
| is too late for the board to change it.
| In fact yesterdays meeting Of the
board was very. breezy one, and while
no blood was shed, there was feeling
| that some one would like to fight.
| There was an evident disposition on the
| part of some country members Of the
| board to question the honesty of the as
| Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
| When vehicles was reached yester-
| day afternoon Mr.. Cooley, of Duluth,
| stated that there was no way Of telling
! from the rolls how many street cars in
| the Twin Cities were included under this
! class. He thought from the fact that
| some were assessed at $500, that very few
| must have been listed, as that figure was
an unusually high valuation, above the
| actual value of the cars. Following this
| statement there was a long season Of
| breezy discussion between a half dozen
| members of the board, in which it was
very broadly insinuated that there were
| discrepancies in the returns made by the
assessors of the two largest counties. A
motion was made by Mr.. Glavin calling
for the appointment of committee to
| SO to the county officials of the two coun-
ties and find out how many street cars
were included in the levy under the head
of vehicles:
Jos. McKibbin, representing st. Paul,
Immediately took the position that if the
charges which had been made were not
| criminal they We're at least insulting to
| the officials of this county. He resented
| the imputation, and could not see why
! Ramsey county should be singled out
| from all the rest and a committee ap-
! pointed to Investigate the honesty of the
| returns No such demand had been made
| Of the other counties. AS & representa-
| tive Of Ramsey county he had taken the
word of the other gentlemen of the board
! for the acceptance of the figures present
! ed.
| Mr.. McKibbin was supported in this
| by Frank ]. Mcmillan, representing Hen
| nepfn county, who asserted that there
was no reason why the two counties
| should be singled out and asked to YER
| ify the figures. He thought it no more
| than right and just that all counties
| should be considered on. the same basis.
! If there were any grounds for the re-
quest, or a reason for belief that the Off
Gals of either county had not acted in
| good faith, he was willing to concede any
| thing the other members of the board
| asked. ~.
l.. o. Invested did not think that the
| gentleman representing Ramsey and Hen
nepin counties should feel that their coun-
! ties had been Disseminated against, but
| the information sought was to enable
| them to make a fair apportionment of
| the tax. Mr.. Sprague also looked at the
| question IN that light.
Chairman Mcmillan said that he, as a
| nepin county, would accept the returns
| made, in the absence of any better in
| formation or knowledge that they were
not made in good faith. When the prop
| er time came, if there was feeling that
| the assessment was either too high or too
| low, he would submit to the wishes of the
| board, but he could not see the merit of
singing out Hennepin county and call
ing upon a committee to look into the
|
sisted that he knew as little about the
value and number of farm implements in
| Becker county as the representative from
| Becker did of the number of street cars
in st. Paul. He accepted in good faith
the returns Of the county officials.
The matter was somewhat compromised
by a resolution being introduced calling
for a return from all the cities of the
state having street car lines upon the
number of cars operated. The question
was not put, however, and it was allowed
to lay over until today.
A communication was received from the
city railway company regretting the
break down Of its machinery in the plant
furnishing power for the Saltwater line
The board had planned to take little
junket yesterday morning as guests of
the city railway company. 1t was voted
to accept the extended invitation for
some day next week, and declined the
offer Of a trolley ride to Minnehaha to-
day.
The basis for hogs was fixed at 81 to
s. 50, this being about the same as that of
last year. The total number of hogs in
the state, according to last years fig
ures. is 4O3,921 representing a valuation
of $685., 146, or an average of 1922 each.
Fillmore has the largest number Of any
county the total being 25,6S5 Houston
| has 16467. Olmsted 15,439 These are last
| years figures.
| Under the classification of vehicles the
| board placed the basis from SO up, the
| same as last year.
Hennepin county shows UP strongest.
The total number Of the above articles,
according to last years report, was q. Ed,
representing a valuation of $7l2,@4, and
an average of $36.61.
Ramsey county had a total of S,814, rep
resenting Il valuation of $472, 612, or an
average of $685. The grand total of all
counties for this item last year was 262.-
167, representing valuation of S4.1B,&1i.
An increase of about 40 per cert over
last years basis was made on the item
Of chaaD Tho 6ypd at tO