The Dolores star., 1902-08-08
Seizure of Cars a Way of
Coilec ing Taxes of Railroads.
From Saiida Mail.

/ i'lii man
That the boards of commissioners OF
Colorado counties are in Il quandary aS
to the best methods procedure in the
4natter of collecting railroad taxes since
many of said railroad companies have
refused to pay, is beyond question.
The meeting of the chairman of thir-
express purpose of arriving at some CON
clusion in the matter and it was well
that they should do So, for the different
boards of the state must he united in
whatever action is taken else all well
be 10 no purpose.
One instance of the damage resulting
from misunderstanding was presented
at that meeting. Mesa county commits
sioners had agreed upon compromise
which meant simply a reduction ofover
30 per cent. of the amount due. Other
mises with railroad or other corpora
tions on taxes, just as they are against
reduction of taxes of the individual,
and it is right that they should be.
"How can we collect from delin-
quent railroad company was the in-
quiry of commissioner just before the
session held Saturday. Another replied
why, in our county we enroll the
trackage and cars, just as any other
property is enrolled and in case of de-
fault in payment of taxes we can take
possession and sell the property just as
we would any other class of property
And now several of the counties
have decided to resort to these measures
as will be seen by recent report in
the Rocks Mountain News. 1t is as
follows:
"The chairmen of the boards of coun-
ty commissioners of dozen counties OF
Colorado met the other day and decid.
ed that they would refuse to accept the
propositions of the railways for COM
promise of the taxes of last year. They
decided also that when the second halt
of the taxes came due they would take
measures to collect in full.
''The intimation has been given thai
in some Of the counties the officer
charged with the collection of take,
may proceed to levy on the trains o
| the railways. If that course is adopted
regular passenger trains may be seizeC
when they stop at stations along tn,
| line and held until the taxes are pait
in full with interest on the first hal
and costs
"a few years ago railways in Texa
declined to pay their taxes, but wer
quickly led to produce themoney whel
the authorities of several counties seizet
and held trains.
Last year the assessed valuations il
this state were raised very heavily
The railways fought the revenue act il
the courts, impugning the constitution
ality. Judge Dixon, of Pueblo, issueo
an injunction restraining the stat
board of assessors from certifying t,
the COUNTY Clerks TIE increased assess
| hiCitS VII iahWdyS. hcSupicliie Coui
dissolved the injunction and held tina
the court had not the power to RESTRAIN
the board from performing an act i'm
posed on it by law.
'rhe collection of the taxes is i'm
posed by law on county officials and
is believed by the officers of the coun
ties which contemplate drastic actiol
that an injunction will not lie agains
them should the railways attempt t
procure one. The railways refuse t
pay the taxes in most of the countie
of the state on the ground that thei
assessments were increased in create
proportion than the assessments o.
other classes of property. The mai
case attacking the revenue act of 100
is still pending In the supreme court.
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