The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-14
STREET RAILWAY PLEA
LOCAL COMPANIES COMPLAIN TO
STATE "A BOARD.
Broad Ripple Line NOnpnying i'm Win
ter-NariOus other APP
peaIs Heard.

SAAbS dplNNi0
during it's closing session of ten days,
which began yesterday. a large number is
on the docket for to-day, the list being as
follows: Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, represented by Samuel O. Pickens
Richmond Home Telephone Company. by
A. C. Lindermuth: Thorntown Telephone
Company, by II. l.. Niven; Crown Point
Telephone Company, by F. Il. Kimbell;
Lebanon Telephone Company. by Charles
NJ. Zion; New Telephone Company and
New Long-distance Telephone Company. by
S. p. Sheerin; Indiana Telephone Company
and Marion Telephone Company, by A. u.
Lupton; Jasper County Telephone Com
pany and the Prairie Telephone Company,
by c. e. Mills; indianapolis Abattoir Com
pany, by w. Mooner, treasurer; Month
cello Telephone Company, by NJ. Waltz,
secretary.
The first appeal heard yesterday after
noon was that Of the Indiana Railway
Company. an interurban line running from
South Bend to Goshen and connecting sew
eral other large towns in northern Indiana.
At the first session of the State Board this
road was assessed at $1,000 a mile, and its
representatives commended yesterday that
the figure ought not to exceed $1,000 a mile.
The road was represented by General Man.
ager Miller and by Joseph B. Healing. of
this city.
j. b. Hamilton, secretary of the Mutual
Telephone Company. of Shelbyville. urged
that there ought to be a material reduction
of his companys assessment OF s59 a mile,
pole mileage, fixed by the board at its
first session. He said that all the stock
holders in the company had free telephone
service on the toll lines over the county
and made the surprising declaration that
the more telephones they had in service the
less money they made. The reason given
for this was that additional telephones re-
quired additional employees. Last year this
company sustained a severe fire loss. and
the state board reduced its assessment on
that account.
GAS PROPERTY DISSEMINATING.
Samuel T. Murdoch appeared before the
board in behalf of the Lafayette Gas Com
pany and the Indiana Natural and 1llu-
minating Gas Company, which furnish both
kinds of gas 70 the city of Lafayette, also
to the cities of Frankfort. Lebanon and
Charlottesville. Mr.. Murdoch said that one
line was operated last year at a loss of sew
eral thousand dollars and money had to be
borrowed to pay expenses. The state board
submitted to Mr.. Murdoch that its assess
ment made at the first session was less
than last years assessment. but the latter
still insited there ought to be a reduction.
He said his companies were going prop
erty." that is, they are constantly receding
in value.
James L. Walker, of Evansville, repre-
senting the Cumberland Telephone and Tel
egraph Company, objected TO the assess
ment of $4,000 placed against his COM
pany. He was accompanied by the treas
urer of the company. who asserted that the
assessment ought TO be reduced to 500, 900.
In reply TO a question put 10 him by a
member of the tax board the treasurer of
the company declared that in his opinion
the lines, franchise, rights of way and ev-
erything else belonging to the company
could be duplicated for less than $3.50. 0O0.
VIM. a. Ketcham. in appearing yesterday
afternoon In behalf of the Manufacturers
Natural Gas Company. made his first ap-
pearance before the tax board since he left
the office of attorney general. He made a
plain statement of the contention of his
client, based on what he considered a
proper valuation Of its plant. taking into
consideration the fact that natural gas is
giving out.
Near the close of the afternoon session
Daniel Storms. OF Lafayette. appeared be-
fore the board and requested that he be
given an opportunity TO make a statement
on behalf of the Tippecanoe County Board
of Review in the matter of the assessment
of the gas companies represented by Mr..
Murdoch. Mr.. Storms spoke about five
minutes and said that, while he admitted
the assessment of these companies ought TO
be reduced, he did not think the reduction
should be so radical as Mr.. Murdoch de
sired. The members of the board assured
Mr.. Storms that they would be glad to hear
him any day this week when their attention
Il III Otut OttbBitQ.
LOCAL STREET RAILWAYS.
The morning session OF the board yes
terday was occupied with hearing appeals
by the indianapolis Street-railway Com
pany and the Broad Ripple Traction Com
pany. Charles y. Thompson and Ferdi-
nand Winter appeared for the former com
pany. and Mr.. Winter also spoke in behalf
OF the Broad Ripple Company. Hugh Nc
Gowan. president: James NJ. Jones. vice
president; w. +. Milholland. secretary and
treasurer. and Admiral George Brown. "A
director, OF the indianapolis company. were
also present at the hearing. Senator
favor OF reducing the assessment OF 81
$1,000 placed against the company. 81. POI OO
OF which was fixed by the state hoard aud
Soi0.VD by the Marion County BOurd of Re-
view. lie argued that ~ steam railroads
were TO be assessed on the same basis AS
the indianapolis street railroad they would
have TO pay taxes on $3.50 per mile in
stead OF S25,611 per mile. Senator 'Thomp-
son said he had made an Exhaustive study
Of the comparative assessment of nrIvotN
and corporate property OF this county and
that corporations pay more than 3 ner
property. Mr.. Thompson suggested that
The state boards policy tended 10 dlscour-
age the making OF extensive improvements
and b~etterments.
President McGowan called attention 10
the fact that out of the $4,000 popalatl.n
only person that offered objection la tbe
original Assessment ct the str.ct-raflroad
company. lie suggested that in time the
may become a strong comDef-
itor OF the company. cutting down it's rev
enues; the city may put Il TO the expense