The Jersey City news., 1902-12-24
RAILROAD VALUES
State Assessors Listen to
the Companies Reply to
Jersey City.
THAT UATAxED STRIP
Mr.. Vredenburg Claims That
It Is just q Water High
way-The Hearing
Closed.
Especial to .'rhe Jersey city News.'o

IRENION, Dec. "A. l9O2.-The dele
cation of citizens Of Jersey City that
journeyed to the State House yesterday
afternoon to hold up the hands of Mayor
Pagan in his fight with the railroad COM
SCISSORS to have the value of the COM
panics' property in his city raised, was
not over large. 1t comprised Corpora
ton Counsel George Record, Corporation
Attorney John Wahl Queen, Assistant
Corporation Attorney Robert Carey,
John M. Jones, Mungo Currie, Frank
Earle, Boyd Mclean, Henry Condict,
William Midlige and George w. Vree-
land. OF course the Mayor was there
The railroads We're equally as well
represented. Former Senator William
d. Edwards appeared for the Lacka-
wanna, James B. Vredenburgh for the
Pennsylvania, Robert McCarter for the
Lehigh Valley, and J. w. Conover for
the New Jersey Central. Besides this
formidable array of talent there were
present B. w. Carscaden, real estate
agent of the Pennsylvania, and several
others connected with the railroads in
various capacities.
MR.. EDWARDS'S REPLY.
Two o'clock was the time set for the
hearing, but owing to some complication
on the railroad, which was not explained,
the learned counsel were late in reach
ing the Capitol and it was nearer three
o'clock when, it began. The Board sat
in the large room of the Custodian of
the State House, which is the next room
to its own Office. The hearing was given
in order to allow the representatives of
the railroads to reply to the arguments
of Mr.. Record, advanced at the previous
session held in Jersey City last week
Senator Edwards was the first speaker.
In the first place, he said, he wanted
TO impress upon the Assessors that it
was their function to assess the property
for taxable purposes and not to adjust
the taxes. The latter function, he said,
belonged to the Legislature Mr.. Rec
orPs argument, he said, was the same
that was made in 1896 and that result
ed in bring to the city an increase of so
per cent.
The only point before the Board was
the value of this property for taxable
purposes. Mr.. Edwards then went on
to show that Mr.. Records argument
that the railroad property had greatly
increased in value of recent years was
not sound. He compared the assessed
valuations of railroad and private prop
erty and quoted figures at length to SUBJ
stantiate his contention. He claimed
that the value of water front property
in Jersey City had reached the limit
The railroad companies, he said, were
not buying water front property in Jer-
sey City, and then he quoted statistics
to show that terminal property had de-
creased in earning capacity.
ANSWERS QUESTIONS.
Next Mr.. Edwards claimed that the
improvements which the railroads placed
upon their property benefited the city
and said that all the meadow land un-
less owned and improved by the railroads
would not yield any revenue to the city.
He took exception to some of Mr.. Rec
ord's figures and said:-"Mr. Records
fort is not figures Like Byron's, it is
description This raised laugh, in
which Mr.. Record joined. but in man-
ner to convince anyone that he enjoyed
the little pleasantly.
In replying for the Pennsylvania, Mr.
referred to the statement
which had been made that the City had
discovered "a tract of land under water
belonging to the railroads that had es-
capped taxation. This tract, he said. was
a, narrow waterway alongside the Central
Stock Yards which was public highway
lust like a street was on land. You
might as we'll say" he said turning to
Mr.. Record, THAT you had discovered a
street that escaped taxation.a
The city did assess this strip, he claim
ID when it taxed the Stock Yards prop
srty and added to the value of that prop
erty because it was on its highway and
full access to it. He argued at length to
show that the tract was an increment of
he Central Stock Yards.
''Let me ask you a question" said Mr..
Record
Il don't like to answer questions" re-
Piled Mr.. Vredenburgh. 1T is my busi-
ness to ask questions but il you will be
'air you may ask it,"