The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-24
LETTER FROM SIRANG.
10 County Attorneys Regard
ing the Tax Rate.
DtN0UNCES L0W-RAT Frs
Charges Assessor Henry With
Misrepresentation.

! Guthrie o. T., April 23.-Judge C.
| Strang, attorney general for Oklahoma,
has mailed letter to each of the county
| attorneys in Oklahoma, in regard to the
agitation originated by County Assessor
Henry of Oklahoma county In reply to
the letters sent out, Judge Strang has re-
ceived reply from seven county attor-
neys, stating that the assessors in their
counties will pay no attention to the
Henry movement. Auditor s. n. Hopkins
| has written to the county assessors, also,
in regard to the matter and four answers
so far received, declare that no atten-
ton whatever will be given to Henry.
The letter, sent out by Attorney Gen.
erai Strang, is as follows:
April IS, 1900
Dear Sir-Have you noticed the circular
addressed by Mr.. Henry, the assessor Of
oklahoma county, to the assessors of the
other counties in the territory wherein
he asks each of said assessors to join him
in conspiracy to ruin the credit of the
territory by asking them to join with him
in assessing the property Of their respect
i've counties at one-fifth its value?
Henry assumes to base this extraordin-
airy request upon the fact that the rail-
roads in the territory are assessed at one
fifth their value He ALLEGES that the
Santa Fe railroad just north of the ter
rtorial line is assessed at $4,000 per mile,
whereas the assessment Of the said roads
in Oklahoma south of the Kansas line is
assessed at 500 per mile. He also al
leges that the Rock Island railroad is as
sessed at 5000 per mile north of the
territorial line, whereas it is assessed at
5000 in the territory south of the Kan
sas line.
He misrepresents the assessed valua-
ton Of the Santa Fe railroad in Kansas
when he says it is assessed at $4,000 per
miel as a letter from the state auditor
of Kansas shows that the Santa Fe rail-
sas instead of $4,000.
He also misrepresents the assessed VAL
alton of the Rock Island railroad III
Kansas when he says it is $1,000 per mile,
as the letter from the auditor of Kansas
shows that it is assessed in Kansas at
$1,000 per mile. Taking the railroad beds
of those two lines of railroads in Kansas
and the territory of Oklahoma. together
with their side tracks and rolling stock.
and it is shown by the facts gathered
from the auditors offices in Kansas and
Oklahoma that said railroads and rolling
stock are assessed about the same in
Kansas as in Oklahoma.
You will remember that In 1895, the
board of railroad assessors assessed the
railroads high: that the Santa Fe rail-
road brought suit in the district court Of
Logan county, Chief Justice Dale presid-
ing, and after expending thouands of dol
lars for the purpose OF making proof to
the court of the actual value Of said rail-
road company's property in Oklahoma,
the court ordered the said assessment
to be reduced and it was reduced to
sum practically the same, but less than
the present assessment Of the said rail-
road company. In that proceeding the
other railroads companies joined and the
assessment OF the Rock Island Railroad
was reduced by order Of the
court and stands now nearly then same
as it was then fixed, though the present
assessment is q little higher. about $500
per mile, on both these lines, than the
amount fixed as above stated in 1896
1t will. therefore, fbe seen that Mr..
Henry's statements which he gives in his
circular as a basis for his iniquitous re-
quest are wholly untrue. The assessors
Of the territory at their recent meeting
decided. as I understand. to assess the
the property of the territory at one
third its value The railroad companies
are now assessed al about one-third their
value. Mr.. Henry invites the assessors
Of the other counties of the territory to
Join him in violating the agreement |
made by the assessors at said meeting |
and assess the property Of the several |
at one-fifth its value. Such an |
assessment would close up the university, |
both the normal schools and probably the |
Agricultural college al saltwater and the |
college at Iangston and ruin the credit |
Of the territory by reducing the value OF |
its warrants to 70 cents on the dollar or |
less.
VIII you kindly ascertain and notify |
me at once whether the assessor Of your |
county intends TO stand by the agreement |
OF tho assessors IN their fate meeting or |
Join Henry in his conspiracy TO destroy |
the credit OF the territory and close up |
its public Institutions
Thanking you in advance for your /
trouble. and holding myself ready to re- |
ciprocate at any time. I am, Yours |
trly, ]. c. STRANG'
Attorney General