The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-30
At 81 CENTS on A DOLLAR
STATE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
TAKES A PRO RATA ON
ITS PAY
Their Per Diem and Mileage Aggre-
gated S3,4Oo. and the Law Appro-
pirates but S2,7oo fer the Annual
session-Au Work Ended.

There was sorrow mingled with JOY IN
the closing hours of the annual session
of the state board of equalization, these
closing hours being the early period OF
yesterday afternoon.
The appropriation of the state leglsla-
ture for the purposes of the board WAS
s., 700. The per diem and mileage OF the
board. the former item being increased py
the fact that the board did not hurry us
consideration of one or two items In order
to await the arrival of Gov. Lind, amount
ed to So. 400 Thus the per diem ran away
I'D and Yesterday a little calculation was
necessary.
State Auditor Dunn announced that 81
per cent of the face value of the claims
could be paid, and, accordingly it was,
with the understanding that deficiency
appropriation for the remaining 500
might be submitted to the next leglsla-
ture.
The Joy of the session was due to the
prcund knowledge that the board, after
weeks of hard work, had increased the
valuation of the taxable property quite
materially, and in some lines notably.
The taxation of street railway fran
chises was considered by many of the
board as a victory, and to this was yes
terday added a considerable increase on
both the Western Union and North Amer
lean Telegraph companies, the former be-
inc lifted from SS50000 to $1,0000O0 and
the latter from $65,500 to $4,000.
The Western Union was represented by
c. NJ. Ferguson, of Minneapolis. He said
the total receipts on business beginning
los ORC
S152 900. and those on interstate business
beginning or ending here were three times
as much or $685. 600. For the past three
years the company had been assessed at
SSc5. Goo Prior to the establishment of this
assessment, it was the practice of the
board to increase the company's assess
ment 10 per cent each year.
The gas company assessments were I'M
changed. George C. Squires, representing
the st. Paul company, explained that it's
return followed the supreme court de-
cision of April 26, which was so much dis
cussed in connection with the assessment
Of the city railway company. The COM
pany was capitalized at 81 800 coo, and May
1 the stock was valued at $46.50 per share
of S100 face value.
r. G. Evans appeared for the Mime
apolis Gas company. The company was
capitalized at $500, 900 and the value Of
the dollar. The company had been as
sessed in accordance with the supreme
court decision, deducting real and per-
sonal property and assessing the remain
der of the capital stock.
The Minneapolis Electric Light COM
pany was assessed at $3.50, 900 and the com
pany was stocked at $500, 900, of which
5000 600 was preferred stock. There was
no way of fixing the market value of the
stock because there was none on the
market The real estate was assessed at
1926 900. The city engineer had placed the
value of the real estate and personal
property combined at $2SO,OOO. The COM
pany assessment this year had been rails
ed Is per cent over that of last year.
All three returns were left as they
stood.
The report of the committee on trans
portation companies was accepted. The
committee listed thirty-eight companies
and placed their assessment at $4,000.
The last schedule closed was dogs.
There were no momentous changes.