The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
BOARD ALMOST In TEARS
1T LISTENED TO JOHN Il. BEASLEY'S
HARD-LUCK STORY.
The Latter, Auditor Hart Said, could
Only Bivouac on Poverty
FIat"-Others Heard.

Attorney John T. Beasley. of Terre
Haute, representing the Terre Haute
street-railway and Electric Company. told
the State Board of Tax Commissioners yes
terday morning the prize "hard-luck" story
of the present session of the board. Mr..
Beasleys story" said State Auditor Hart,
a member of the tax board, was one that
could only bivouac on Poverty Flat, since
the company he represented seems to have
been camping in the hardest kind of luck
for several years past" Mr.. Beasley said
the company was placed in the hands of a
receiver few years ago and only recently
came back into the possession of the orig
inal owners, who were forced TO pay a lit
tie more money TO get possession of their
property. He said the men at the head
of the company are doing their level best to
develop it so that it will produce at least
the promise of a dividend. They have
added a suburban line to Brazil, also a
heating plant that furnishes warmth to the
postoffice building, the McKeen block ard
several other large structures in Terre
Haute. The electric lighting contract, de-
clared Mr.. Beasley, is one of the contracts
of his company that was not judcously
made and is really a money loser. Mr.
Beasley perfectly frank in his state
ments to the board and met the lombard
ment OF interrogatories from the various
members in a pleasantly open way, but
that the Terre Haute Street-railway and
Electric Company is one property that is
constant drain upon its owners so far as
making up deficits is concerned.
WABASH TRACTION COMPANY.
Attorney Nelson G. Hunter Of Wabash
he rG To
River Traction Company, for the reason
that the road has not yet been completed
and put into the control of its owners
Mr.. Hunter is a resident director of the
road. He said it possessed no property on
which it could be assessed April /. since
its contract of construction was in the
hands OF company rhat could not posi-
bly, complete the road before Aug. IS 1901
at which time the company will pay over
the contract price and the road will be
put into operation. Mr. Hunter flied an
affidavit with the board as To the auth of
these statements, and the matters men,
toned in the affidavit will be given consid-
Grafton later.
Samuel o. Pickens, general counsel Tor
the Western Union Telegraph Compa y.
was TO have been heard ye~terGay after
noon, but sent word that rould not an
pear before the board { sccou1t of the
absence OF J. F. WaliicA, superintendent
OF the company, from me city. The ..car-
ing OF the Western Union Company's ap-
peal was postponed until next Tuesday
Attorney General Taylor made Il state
ment concerning the Southern Railway
Company of Virginia. which recently ac-
CURED the property Of the l., +. * ST L.
(Air-line) at public auction Mr. Taylor
said he appeared as a matter of acconmo-
dation TO his friend, the president OF TIE
road, who could not come to INDIANAPOLIS
during the present session of the tax
board Mr.. Taylor said the president of
the road had intimated that he Will be sat
isned II the assessment O. the roa6 il left
at its present figure.
JUDGE JOHNSON APPEARS.
Yesterday afternoon Judge w. o. john
son. OF Chicago, appeared for the Chicago
& Erie Railroad. the Armour Transporta-
tlon Company. the Hope Natural Gas Com
pany the Indiana and Illinois Gas Company
and about twelve or fifteen mercantile COM
panies that own freight cars for transport
ing their own wares. Speaking for the rail-
road. Judge Johnson said that he was salts
fed with the present assessment. On the
subject OF natural gas companies, the at
torney agreed with other men who had
spoken on the same subject in the con-
clusion that natural gas will soon be a
thing OF the past, and as a consequence
he said the value OF the plants he repre-
sents is rapidly travelling toward the
The tax board is proceeding very care
fully and thoroughly in the assessment of
transportation and pipe lines. as this is the
IL. A day OF two of careful revision of the
sworn returns of these various companies
will be required In order TO enable the
board TO arrive at a fair level of values
The members Of the board spent the greater
part OF the day In executive session, dis
cussing this part OF their duties An ad-
journment was taken at o'clock I'm the
afternoon until o'clock this morning. No
hearing is on the docket for to-day. but the
board will have plenty Of business 10 oc-
cupy It's attention. There will be night
sessions next week. This has been made
necessary by the unusual amount OF extra
work imposed on the board by legislsts \
enacted by the last Legislature.