Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1899-10-12
WHITTIER ARE WE DRIFTING?
The Central Pacific not Assessed az
Much as IL WAS I'm 1877.

The Central Pacific not Assessed as
Much AS IL was I'm 1877.
Under the above caption the Reno
Gazette publishes the following.
@Simyly to call attention to the fact
that Nevada needs a State board of
equalization or some other power
higher than the local boards to equal
ize assessments the Gazette publishes
the Central Pacifc's rolling stock as
sessment in the year 1877. That year
the company paid on Sc locomotives
valued at $4,000 each, or S449. 900. The
locomotives then used by the COM
pany weighed 65 and 70 tons. In
1899 the company pays on but so To-
comotives valued at $4,000 or $4,000
on engines that weigh some
thing Like 100000 pounds. In
1877 the company paid taxes on 402
box cars valued at s241,2OO. This
year they pay on 400 cars valued at
$4,000. The value of the rolling
stock in 1877 was sl0O,4SO. This year
the Same company pays on s86,O3O."
The railroad company will have
serious difficulty in convincing the
people that its rolling stock, iuclud-
ing engines and all kinds OF cars, is
worth less today than 1T was twenty
two years ago. Never in it's history
has it done the business and used as
many engines and cars as it has this
year. The engines, ind passenger
and sleeping coaches now in use arc
certainly more valuable than those
IN use IN 1877. The are valued at
less figure for the purposes of taxa
ton, but when it is necessary to float
more bonds, up goes the value on all
the property belonging to the COM
pany, and the bonds are foated. The
other Taxpayers follow in the wake of
the railroad and the result is a rate
OF taxation for State and county DUR
poses that hinders the growth and
development of the State.
This condition will continue 30
long us the present system is i'll
vogue. A power higher than the
railroad must be created that will
make the railroad company and every
other taxpayer in the State pay their
proper proportion of the money
necessary to carry on the State and
county governments.
The county boards of equalization
have failed for years to do their duty
under the law. The members of
each board are possessed with the
idea that their county 10, and has
been. paying moro than it's just pro.
portion toward defray1ng the ex-
penses of the State government, and
the result is that railroad and other
property, valued mt millions OF dol.
lars, has escaped taxation in each.
How much better would it be for the
people of the State and especially for
the small taxpayer, it Stnto board
OF equalization were created with
pc"S' w tnh'lIlHi tllO USSSESlncnC or
all property IN the State.
The INDEPENDENT has faith enough
in the honesty and integrity OF the
people to believe that State board
could be elected that would do full
justice to the railroad and all other
taxpayers. That the rai!roan is not
paying taxes upon but q small
portion OF the valuation OF it's proper
ty is plain to everyone that has given
the subject due consideration. That
other property In the Stase also ca
capes taxation every year ls also true.
The railroad is not the only sinner by
any mean. Every taxpayer in the
State, except perhaps che small far.
mer or one whose worldly POSSESSIONS
can be sized up by tho assessor at a
glance, are moro or less tincured by
the Same virus. All are determined
that they will not pay any more taxes
in proportion than the railroad or
their neighbor pays. The corrsction