The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-24
WORK OF THE TAX BOARD
COMMISSIONERS CONCLUDE a FORTY
FIVE DAYS SESSION..
Changes Made at the Final Sitting
The Adjournment Celebrated by
a Watermelon Feast.

After a session OF fOrty-HNe udSS spent
in the assessment of various kinds of prop
crty the State Board of Tax Commission
ers adjourned yesterday. There were fewer
reductions made in original assessments
than ever before in the history or recollec-
ton of the present board. Although nearly
every railroad which runs through the
State was represented in an appeal from
the assessment fixed by the board at its
first session, but three of them were sue
cessful in having their assessments low
cred. Out of perhaps a hundred or more
telephone companies which appealed to the
board for a reduction from their original
assessment only eighteen companies sue
ceeded in having their wishes in the matter
gratiied. There was but one reduction
made in the assessment of telegraph COM
psnies. The following are the changes made
by the board at its final session from the
assessments made at the first session:
The Chicago Junction, which has 1888
miles of track in the State, was assessed at
the first session of the board at $4,000 a
mile, making a total assessment OF $l53,20O.
At the last session the assessment was re-
ouced to $4,000 a mile, or $19,150, making
the present assessment S134.0O.
The Louisville Bridge Company, which
has .0S miles of track in the State, was
originally assessed at $2,500,000 a mile. The
assessment was reduced to $1,000. 900 a mile.
The assessment of the indianapolis divis-
ion of the Pittsburg. Cincinnati. Chicago q
ST. Louis Railroad was reduced from $46.-
500 a mile TO $500 a mile, making a diff
ference of s1O7. 745 in the total assessment.
TELEPHONE COMPANY ASSESSMENTS.
Vary ynofarial 1acraaCaC uara made in
both the assessment of the Central Union
and the New Telephone Companies. Last
year the Central Union was assessed by
pole mileage, and was accredited with hav-
ing 1892 pole miles. which was valued at
$500 a mile, making a total valuation of
81, 49, 900. This method of assessment, how
ever. was unjust to the cities, which were
cut up by miles of wire, and yet only re-
ceived from the company in taxes al
amount proportionate to their pole mileage.
This year the assessment of telephone COM
panies was based on their wire mileage,
and at the first session of the State Tax
Board the Central Union was assessed on
80, 695.7 IS miles of wire, at $50 a mile, making
a total of s1.se1. 745. or an increase over last
year OF 1854, 745. At the last session or the
board the assessment was reduced to $40 a
mile. making the present assessment 81, $685.
C1, or a decrease over the first assessment
of s35S.654, and an increase over last year
of $406, 091.
The New Telephone Company was as
sessed for the first time this year, and II
was, therefore. difficult to fix a just value
At the first session the company was as
sessed 500 a mile on 1,72l.39 miles OF wire,
making a total of s345,47S. At the last ses-
sion of the board the assessment was re-
duced TO Sis a mile. making the present
assessment s19S.649. which is sl46,s2s less
&An~ shA ri
The City and. Suburban Telephone Com
rany of Cincinnati, which has 142 miles of
wire in this State, had its assessment re-
duced from $50 a mile TO $l25 a mile. max
s's7c'
The assessment of the Carroll Telephone
Company, which has 200 miles of wire in
this State, was reduced from $50 to $2o a
mile. making a difference of $1,000.
The Crown Point Telephone Company's
assessment was reduced from $500 to 500 a
mile. The company has twenty-six miles of
wire, which makes a difference in the as
sessment of $500.
The assessment of the Franklin Tele-
phone Company, which has twenty miles of
wire, was lowered from $3.50 d mile to Sis
a mile. a difference in the total assessment
of 81, 500.
The A1ome Telephone Company, of Wa
bash, which has ten miles of wire, was re-
duced from $1,000 to 81, 800 a mile, a differ
ence of 5000.
The Hartford City Telephone Company,
which has seventy-five miles of wire, was
originally assessed at 500 a mile. The as
sessment was lowered to $50 a mile, making
a difference of 81, 500.
The assessment of the Home, of Craw-
louisville. which has 800 miles of wire, was
reduced from $40 to $34 a mile, a reduction
of 81, 500.
The assessment of the Laporte Telephone
Company, which has 1880 miles of wire,
was lowered from 500 to $50 a mile, q re-
duction of 81, 40.
The Lebanon Telephone Company's as
sessment was reduced from 800 to $50 a
mile. The company has fifty miles of wire.
making a total reduction of $500.
| The assessment of the Lafayette Tele-
phone Company, which has $50 miles of
wire. was reduced from $40 to $50 a mile,
the total reduction being s., 900.
The assessment of the Madison Telephone
Company, which has LIS miles of wire, was
lowered from $50 to $45 a mile. a reduc-
ton of 81, 625.
The Marion Telephone Company has 200
miles of wire. The assessment was reduced
from 500 to $50 a mile, a total reduction
of $1,000.
Company, which has thirty-four miles of
wire, was reduced from $50 to $40 a mile, a
total reduction of $40.
The Richmond Home Telephone Com
pany has 5S miles of wire. Its assessment
was reduced from s125 to $50 a mile, a total
reduction of S23, $40.
Telephone Company was lowered from $50
a mile to $35. The company has 164 miles
OF wire, making a total reduction of s., 400.
The Tippecanoe Telephone Company,
which has sixty miles of wire, had its as
sessment reduced from $50 to SIS a mile,
a total reduction of 500.
The only telegraph company which OBJ
tanned a reduction in its assessment was
the Western Union. IL was originally as
sessed on $40 miles of wire at $375 a mile,
which made a total assessment OF 81. 426, $50.
The assessment was reduced at the last
session of the board TO $3.50. a mile, making
the present assessment s2.s29, 200, or $97, $50
less than the first assessment.
-