The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-18
MANY TELEPHONE LINES
THERE ARE NOW OVER ONE Hun
DRIED IN THE STATE.
state Tax Board Spends some Time in
Assessing Them-Railroad Rep
resentatives Heard.
rhe State Tax Board began its session

The State Tax Board began its session
yesterday promptly at o'clock. The first
work before the board was the assessment
of telephone lines, of which there are over
one hundred in the State, an increase of
about twenty over last year. The returns to
the board indicate that almost universally
the telephone companies are using the
greater part of their receipts in the better
ment of their plants. In the afternoon the
board spent its entire time assessing these
companies and will probably be engaged in
the same work all of to-day.
Messrs, Sims & Stuart, of Lafayette, gen.
eral counsel. and j. A. McMannis. of
Springfield H., auditor of the Wabash
Railroad. made strong pleas for reduction
of its assessment. These men contended
especially for a decrease in the assessment
of the Covington branch of the Wabash.
which is fourteen miles in length and as
sessed at 5000 per mile. They asked that
this assessment be made $1,000 per mile,
claiming that the branch has never paid
and they would be better off if they were
10 give 1t away. No member of the tax
board volunteered 10 accept the gift. The
main line of the Wabash is assessed at
$4,000 a mile. Messrs Sims & Stuart and
McMannis suggested that there ought to
be reduction in this assessment also, al
though they admitted they are not COM
planning particularly about it this year.
They declared, however, that the sidetrack
ought TO be very materially reduced, its
present assessment being s., 500 a mile. The
Wabash representatives told a pitiful hand
luck story, the basis of which was the
wrecks that have occurred on the road re-
Gently the last being at Logansport, cost
ing the company about 5000
board were Judge I. J. O'Brien and Harry
counsel for The Grand Rapids & indiana
Railroad. Judge o Brien also spoke for the
Cincinnati, Richmond & Fort Wayne Rail-
road. The latter road. he said. does not
own any rolling stock. and Tor this reason
he asked that the assessment on rolling
stock against that road be changed. Judge
o Brien said the assessment of the Grand
Rapids & Indiana ought TO be reduced
$1,000 mile. bringing the assessment back
DR.. A. j. Norton. who represents the
Titfin, o., district in Congress, appeared
before, the tax board, together with 7. J.
Griffith, Of Baltimore, auditor, and. T. j:
Frazier, of Zanesville,,O., superintendent of
maintenance of way of the Baltimore *
OF the assessment OF the B. & O. c.,
which is now SO. 0e0 zper mile. They said
mat II costs the b. q .. & {. more money
10 earn dollar than ii does any other
road running through Indiana. and the
reason given for this is the lofty grades of
the road. 1hey asserted that the Chicago
100000. This road, said the attorneys, is
largely freight road. and does not touch
many county seats. The principal part of
its revenue is derived from through bust
ness, which does not originate in this
State. DR.. Norton, In his argument before
the tax board made an allusion to the diff
ference in the roads assessment in Ohio
and Indiana, and was at once reminded by
members of the board that the taxation of
corporate property was made an issue by
the Democratic convention of Ohio. from
which he came direct to Indianapolis yes
terday. He promptly retorted that this
proposition was a contention of Tom John
son. Representative Norton very graciously
added that he understood the tax law of
Indiana is one toward which most of the
other progressive States of the Union are
steadily approa ching.
The following the docket of the
tax board for hearing to-day: Henry c.
Starr, of Richmond. representing the Gin
cinnati. Richmond & Muncie Railroad:
Jackson & Starr. of Richmond representing
the Richmond Natural Gas Company
Frank Martin, secretary of the board, was
notified yesterday afternoon that officials of
the Indianapolis Street-railway Company
would be unable to attend the session this
morning and hear DR.. T. ]. Van Vorhis' s
sta tement concerning a. proposed increa Sc
of the compapy's assessment Mr. Martin
accordingly sent word to Dr. Van yorhis
that he will be heard next Tuesday after
noon at o'clock. and also notified the
street car company to send a representa-
tive at that time.