The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-30
WILL REVISE FIGURES
The Board Has Decided on the
Railroad Assessment.
INCREASE OF A MILLION
Strong Arguments Were Brought to
Bear by Representatives of the
Railroads.&c. New Assess
ment in Detail.
Special Dispatch to the Standard.

Special Dispatch to the Standard.
Helena, July 29.-The state board of
equalization to-day decided finally up
on the amount of assessment per mile
ITO be placed upon the road beds of the
railroads in Montana. This conclusion
was not reached until late this after
noon, after the board had devoted near
ly two whole days to hearing from the
representatives of the different roads
who come to Montana annually TO ap-
pear before the board. All of the roads
have been represented by their tax COM
missioners or by attorneys, and some
by both.
A few days ago the board gave to
the press the figures it had defined as
about right for the assessment for the
roads for 1899. These We're printed in
the Standard at the time. The total
was $16,651, S215 So or an increase of
s2,S5s,247. Is over the total equalized as
sessment of last year. Notice of the
boards action was sent to the different
roads and yesterday named as the time
the board would hear from representa-
tives of the roads as to these figures.
iiN AVN" iliE ld2A COMMISSIONERS vi al
torneyS put in an appearance, and, as
stated, have literally camped on the
trail of the state board for two days:
G. 5. Fernaul tax commissioner of the
Northern Pacific; Charles Swartz, tax
agent, and William Wallace, Montana
counsel; r. w. Wilkinson, tax commits
sioner of the Great Northern. and A.
j. Shores, Montana counsel; r. NJ.
Pollard, tax commissioner for the Bur-
lington: j. b. Evans. tax commissioner
for the Oregon Short Line; w. M.
Tuohy, representing the Butte, Ana
conda and Pacific; T. E. Brady, attor-
ney for the Great Falls G. Canada, and
M S. Gum, counsel for the Montana
railroad. These gentlemen have brought
all their persuasive powers to bear to
convince the board that the figures
were too excessive as compared with
the valuation of other properties in the
state, and after hearing all the railroad
men and doing a lot of figuring, the
board decided to revise the figures first
decided upon.
The total assessment of the roads as
settled upon to-day, exclusive of the as
sessment that the different county as
SCISSORS may place upon depots and
round houses and other buildings is
$l4,992 $3.50. as compared with $13. 793.-
bSl.35 last year, an increase Of 81, 199,-
1OS.50. This years assessment upon
the roadbed of the main line and
branches of the Northern Pacific
amounts to 1925, 657.70, as compared
with Sc, 657 .244 35 last year, an increase
of S521, 09655. The assessment of the
Great Northern, Montana Central and
branches amounts to 1915, 369 as COM
pared with S5,456, 739 last year, an in
crease of $45S,630. The increases on the
Oregon Short Line and Burlington Big
Horn Southern are In about the same
proportion The Butte, Anaconda g.
Pacific and Montana railroads are I'M
changed from last years figures. The
Great Falls & Canada Is slightly in
creased. The main line of the North
ern Pacific is increased $500 per mile
The assessment of the branches per
mile is: Rocky Fork. 5000, unchanged;
Cokedale, $500, reduced $1,000; Red
Mountain. $500, reduced 81 900: Boul-
der, $4,000, Unchanged; Park, "a. 800 in
creased $500; Butte line, $3.50, reduced
$3.50; Gaylord & Rupy Valley, $4,000,
Pony, $780, and Red Bluff branches,
$4,000, unchanged Wickes brancn,
Sl5OO. reduced $1,000; Elkhorn $4,000;
Marysvflle, $4,000, and Philipsburg.
$1,000, branches, unchanged; Bitter
Root. $1,000, and Occur d'Alenes, IS, 600,
increased $3.50; Montana Union, IS, 800,
increased 5000; Butte hill branch, $4,000,
unchanged. The main line of the Great
Northern is increased 5000 per mile and
the Pacific extension (from Havre to
the Idaho iine) $500 per mile. The per
mile assessment of Great Northern
branchesi Montana Central, $500, I'M
changed Sand Coulee branch 5000
reduced $500; Neihart branch, S4,25O, re-
duced $3.50; Barker branch $500, re-
duced $1,000; Red Mountain branch,
$1,000, reduced $1,000: fair ground (Hel-
ena), $1,000. reduced 1000; Marysville
800, unchanged.
The following table shows the per
mile assessment of the roadbeds of each
road, as finally equalized by the state
board Of equalization for the year 1899,
and local assessment for the line or
branch Exclusive of the assessment
that may be placed upon buildings by
county boards):