The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-05-24
APPEAL TO
THE COURTS
Mandamus Proceedings
Against Auditors.
The ROAD APPRAISED
Valuation Was Fixed Before the
Sheriff Could Serve the
Papers IN the
Case.

Stark county taxpayers will be inter
ested in mandamus proceedings
brought Tuesday in Cuyahoga county
court at Cleveland by Mayor Tom l..
johnson, of that city, in his effort to
force the board of county auditors, of
which Auditor Reed OF Stark county, IS
a member, to summon before it the
officials of the Cleveland, Lorain and
Wheeling railroad and examine them
relative to the report submitted as to
the value of the property a consider.
able portion of which is within the Dor.
ders of Stark county.
The auditors were informed that an
alter native writ mad been issued by
Judge Strimple requiring them to sunt.
mon the railroad officials OF show rea.
son why they would not, but they ap-
praised the road before the sheriff
served the papers. When that official
did arrive all but three of the auditd IS
had left and on these only were the
papers served. Later in the day two
more were served with
NOTICE OF THE SUIT.
The scenes leading up to the sensa.
tional ending Of the meeting were full
of spirit. The mayor, seconded by Pro.
fessor Bemis, his tax expert. was on
hand at the convening of the board.
The board consisted of the representa-
tives of the nine counties through
which the railroad passes in the state
They were George H. Lewis, of Lorain !;
w. II. Hobart, Of Medina; A., b. PecI-
enpaugh, of Wayne; L. e. Sissler, of
Summit; w M. Reed, of Stark; C. e.
Fernsell, of Tuscarawas; H. b. Laws,
of Harrison; M. Aldredge, of Belmont /;
and w. e. Craig, Of Cuyahoga. The
to show what he claimed was the true
valuation of the road. He declared that
the road was not on the duplicate at a
60 per cent valuation and impiored the
auditors to do their duty and carefully
investigate the report of the railroad
company py examining the officials.
'I am in earnest" he said. II will
tell you right now that ! will pay the
expenses of the officials summoned be-
fore the board The mayor reached
into his Tip pocket and pulled out a
comfortable looking wallet, from which
he peeled of two fifty dollar bills AMI
tossed them upon the table around
which the auditors were seated. The
auditors, however, were not disposed
to take up the suggestion Of the mayor
Prof. Bemis read the financial re
port of the railroad as found in the
journals of finance Of the country
| The road. according to the report ol
ha 10 100 n,ilac in lon ut Ia
BY
ESTIMATING THE VALUE
of the securities by the market quota
tions OF the last four months the valI;
pee mile was $71,058. The valuation
for taxation Is 15.5 per cent of this sun
He recited the earnings Of the roa
for several years back and showed thai
according to per cent capitaliza
ton of these earnings the valuation
returned for taxation was almost a:
low as a per cent as when the valu,
OF the road was estimated by it's Sc
cur;ties.
At this juncture the auditors were
informed that an application for man
damus had been made in Judge Strim
ple's court. Professor Bemis was I'm
terrupted and the board turned to tn,
work of appraising the road so tina,
| II could be done before the papers ar
rived. The mayor rose to his feet am
warned them that the judge had is
sued the alternative writ and tn,
sheriff was on the way with the papers
No attention whatever was paid to tn,
warning and the road was appraised a.
ollows: Rolling stock. per mile. 81, 800
moneys, credits and tools $3.50; maiI