The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-28
WENT AGAINST THE STATE.
PLANT SYSTEM vALu ALTON WAS
GREATLY REDUCED.

Hoard of Arbitration Cut on More
Prom the ControIIerG@neraIs Esti-
mate Of the Roads Value Than Thin:
OmclaI HAD Added 20 the Returns
MADE ny the Plant System-Statc
would Have Been wiser to Accept
the Return. Made by the Road--De-
cisIon OF the ArbitrHtors, Who Con-
cIuded the Case. T. Final-t'reat
saving TO the Plant system VIII
Result.
Tho state would have been wise 10 have
accepted the valuation placed upon the
Plant system by i,s officials and returned
10 the controller general IN Atlanta. The
board OF arbitrator appointed 20 appraise
tho roadway OF the system that lies IN
Georgia. reached conclusion yesterday
afternoon fnding against the state.
The difference between the valus hon re-
turned by tho Plant system ana that ixed
by the controller general was S55.iS.
IL was thought possible tina, the arbltra-
tors would decide 10 decrease the differ
once IN che company and the states e.
umatos. bur none thought the result
would b. AZ IL has been declared. The re-
ductlon upon the several sections consid-
ercd by the arbitrators. amounts TO he
tween $500 600 ANA 500 90. 50 thai the val
uatlon will stand al a lower figure than
that originally returned By che Plan,
system officials.
No accurate statement Of the boards
finding can be given. as Il has not YET
been made up The nrbitrators agreed
upon the amounts thcy regarded as
equitable valuations upon the portion OF
the Charleston and Savannah that Is IN
Georgia. the line from Savannah to Way
cross. the portion OF tho waycross-Jack-
sonvllle une that is in Georgia and upon
other sections Of she system that are In
the state. These amounts aggregate be-
tween 10000 and $1,000.
Tho mileage Of the Savannah Florida
and Western Railway was returned a. a
valuation Of ~.co mile. amounting 20
total Of S2.275. 77s. This valuation was In
creased by the STATE TO $1,000 per mile.
raising the total valuation 10 s.. rs. 20 The
return 81 the Brunswick and Western
was increased from Ss5o per mile 90 S.
o0l per mile or about $250c0o. The eleven
miles Of the Charleston and Savannah
Railway ~ Georgia we're returned 81 s7e-
100. or N.Oo0 per mile which was in
creased hy the state 60 $4,000 per mile. OF
from so 100 90 $4,000. The thirty-seven
miles OF line Ia Georgia between Way
cross and jacksonville. which were re-
turned az 81 s0l per mile. were also in
creased 10 $1,000 per mile. or from a total
OF S259. 5l2 20 s379.ao0
No appeal can be made from the decision
Of the arblirators. u b. final. The valua-
ton they place upon the property 81 thar
upon which taxes will be- levied. and q
large sum will be saved by the company
that would have been paid out had the
valuation not been reduced. Interest on
many OF tho bonds can be paid with the
money saved.
Il is not for this year only that the
reduction stands. IL is probable that n
viii he accepted as the true valuation %
the Plant Systems roadway iu Georgia
Tor many years. IL may thus be under
stood that n great saving 20 the company
will result from the decision of the arbi-
traitors.
The Plant System had been assessed
since 1850. upon the returns made by the
officials. In that year there was an in
crease made By the controller general.
The company protested when another in.
crease was made this year. and the board
OF arbitration. q recourse allowed In such
cases by the law. was appointed. Hon.
Pope Barrow OF Savannah. was named
TO represent che Plant System. while Hon.
Pope Brown. a member OF the Railroad
Commission. WIS selected by the state.
The two arhitrators settled upon Judge
Roger Gamble OF Louisville as referee.
Two weeks ago the arhitratOrs and the
referee met In Savannah.
Controller General W. A. Wright and
Attorney General l.. NJ. Terrell were in
the city TO represent the state at the hear
ing OF the case. while Mr. +. @. duBignon
and Mr.. ". l.. clay represented the rail
road No conclusion was reached then.
a. some additional evidence was desired
by the board. and Mr.. Terrell was re-
quested TO file a supplementary brief. This
was filed. and was before the board yes
terday
No arguments we're made during the
meeting al Mr.. Barrow's ONCE yesterday.
Mcssrs. duBlgnon ard Clay presented adj
ditional facts and figures that we're asked
by the board At about 9 O'Clock the
board was sequeStered. Adjournment
was had a little later for dinner, which
was followed By two hours deliberati ton
in the afternoon.