The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-16
COULD REBUILD FOR LESS
MONON's PRESIDENT ASKS FOR
SMALLER ASSESSMENT.
Governor Durbin Puts Embarrassing
Questions to Harry Craw-
ford, Jr.

W II NiNAtotAs pitSlhtHl u Ait i'A'
road. broke a precedent of some years
standing by appearing in person before the
State Board of Tax Commissioner yester-
day morning. A railroad president had not
addressed the Tax Board for several years
until yesterday. Mr. McDoel said that the
Michigan division of the Monon. having a
mileage OF So. 70 miles, is assessed at Sl6,l 100
a mile, when it could be built anew for
less than $500 per mile. He said it is a
losing road. having only one passenger
train a day. The indianapolis division.
with a mileage OF 391.67 miles between
Louisville and Chicago, said the president,
is assessed at ST.. COO a mile, when it could
be built again for less than the assessed
valuation. Mr.. McDoel also asked a reduc-
ton of about one-half of the assessment of
the Bedford and Bloomfield branch, which
has been fixed at 5000 a mile. This road.
he asserted, is a losing venture. He also
urged that the assessment Of the Indiana
Stone road, which has a mileage of go
miles, is too high.
The North Vernon and Vernon Telephone
Company, through Attorney Lincoln Dixon.
OF North Vernon, poured a tale Of woe into
the ears of the members of the Tax Board.
The company has six miles Of wire, which
are assessed at s., 900 a mile. making a total
assessment of s12, 600, which Mr.. Dixon de-
clares is too high by $4,000. He said the
company has never paid any dividends.
In protesting against the assessment of
the Noble County Telephone Company at
SC, 400, Attorney l.. w. Welker said that the
owners Of the plant paid between $1,000 and
$1,000 for it, but that this was a fictitious
value. He claimed that the plant was
bought because the original owner did not
give it the necessary attention and sub
scribers could never obtain satisfactory
service. He thought the plant ought to be
assessed at about 1900. Last year it was
assessed by the local taXing authorities at
s4OO.
William G. Irwin. secretary of the In
dianapolis, Greenwood q Franklin Traction
Company, made a brief statement to the
board, in which he asserted that his road
had been assessed on two more miles of
track than it actually owns and operates.
l.. b. Simmons, an attorney, of Hartford
City, said, in behalf of the Kerlin Broth
ers' Pipe Line Company, which is assessed
at sec, 900, that about half of the line has
been abandoned, and the assessment ought
to be reduced.
sci of the Nickel-plate Railroad, residing
in Cleveland, o.. told the tax board yester-
day that his road ought to be classed. with
such roads as the Chicago * Erie. 1t is as
sessed at So, 800 a mile, but Mr.. Carpenter
said it gets absolutely no paying business
from Indiana. The road. he asserted. pays
FV'fbtN - - $3.50 oN@N -
from business that originates within the
State.
Shippers Dispatch Company, said the
State Tax Board has assessed his company
on a much larger percentage or business
than 1t tranSactS in Indiana.
HARRY CRAWFORD, JR., APPEARS.
Harry Crawford, jr., general manager.
and W.. II. Majdowski, tax agent, appeared
before the board twice yesterday in an eff
fort IN SECURE a reduction of the assessment
| placed on the Chicago & Southeastern
Railroad, and each time something OF inter-
est developed. When Mr.. Crawford COM
planned, yesterday morning, that the board
had practically doubled his roads assess
ment over that of last year, he was in
formed that the roads tax return was not
properly made out, in that it did not show
| gross or net earnings, and, therefore, the
board had nothing TO rely on in making the
assessne ut. Mr.. Crawford retorted that 1t
would take an extra force of clerks to
make up the return the way the tax board
wants it made. Governor Durbin finally
told Mr.. Crawford that the hearing could
not proceed until the return was brought to
the board, properly made out.
Late yesterday afternoon Mr.. Crawford
| again came before the board and this time
he found a warm welcome" awaiting him.
Governor Durbin seemed TO take a delight
in asking the railroad magnate from Chi
cago such pointed questions as, How dld
it happen, Mr.. Crawford, that a check for
| taxes on your road was forwarded to the
treasurer of Boone county, you secured the
| receipts and then the check went to pro-
test?" The Governor pressed this question
still harder by adding. Don't you know
that good business methods require that
when a man issues a check against his &C
count in bank. if there is no money there
| when the check comes in. he shall hustle
around and get the money 70 protect the
check?"
Mr.. Crawford explained the Boone county
matter by saying that his father sent out
from New York a lot of checks to treas
urers Of various Indiana counties and that
before all of this paper was taken up a
check that had been made him 0he elder
| Crawford a long time previously, suddenly
''bobbed up at the bank and SO depleted
the account that the Boone county check
could not be cared for.
The Governor also asked Mr.. Crawford
if it were not a fact that he had asked
certain county treasurers to let him pay
the current taxes and allow the delinquent
taxes to remain open. "A man sometimes
| finds himself without money with which to
meet all OF his obligations, you know re-
piled the manager OF c. 4 S. E. Mr..
| Crawford's experience with the State
! house "Gridiron Club as a bystander ia
cetfously dubbed the State Tax Board. dill
hands with all the members quite cordially
| after the roasting terminated.
Frank Martin, secretary of the board, an
nounced last night that the hearings dock
eted for to-day are as follows: Arms Pal
ace Horse-car Company. represented by
William A. Yeager, secretary, American
4 INtlilStidNOi dhs NOiibahS tht NtStcih
Refrigerator Transit Company, the West
| ern Refrigerator line and the Union Re-
| frigerator Transit Company. by b. More
head. tax agent; the Burton Stock-car
| Company. by NJ. J. Scrafford. tax agent;
the Lipton car lines. by NJ. f. Russell,
superintendent; the Jacob Dolb Packing
| Company. by William j. McKone; the Car
roll Telephone Company. by F.. Walker,
| secretary; the North Manchester Telephone
| Company, by Q. Rex, treasurer. and the
Provision Dealers Dispatch Company, of
4 Chicago.