The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-05
RAILROADS
UP IN The AIR
State Board of Equalization Ties
Them to a Balloon.
OVER 800 PER CENT INCREASE
On Property Of All the Montana Rail.
ways-The Great Northern Must
Pay Taxes on $4,000 Per Mile
All Others in Proportion.

| After spenulng two days in hear
ings and elaboration at the capital
upon the assessment of the railroads,
the state board of equalization sur
prised every one by making enor-
nous increases in values, in some
cases as much as 300 per cent. Owing
to the unusual increase, the repre-
sentatives of the roads will probably
appear before the board again
to give further reasons for a lower
valuation.
I On Friday morning the board form
ally called before 1t some of the rail
road men to ask for additional in
formation concerning some of the ar
guments advanced. The afternoon
session was executive and the board
members discussed at length the
question of fixing the valuations of
the roads.
All main lines of the principal
roads in the state are placed at
about $4,000 a mile. The Butte, An
conda & Pacific was valued higher
than any other system, the board fix
change the board has increased the
valuation of the roads from $15,000,-
900 to probably $4O,OOO,OOO This is
a higher valuation than prevails in
most states.
it was conceded when the board be-
gan it's sessions that there would be
some raise in the valuation of the
roads. Those who follow the action
of the board from year to year be
lieved that it would be to 10 per
cent. Last year the increase was but
25 per cent all around.
Governor j. X. Toole, who is chair
man of the board and State Treas
urer A. H. Barrett, and State Auditor
]. H. Calderhead are understood to
have voted for the raise. Secretary
of State George M. Hays is said to
have said 10 per cent would be right
and he would not favor anything over
20 per cent. Attorney General James
Donovan is reported to have favored
a raise of per cent.
, All the members gave their views
and then all took part in a general
discussion of the situation. This con
sumed much time. 1t was agreed
2 after the valuations had been fixed
that the side tracks should be placed
? at 10 per cent of the value of the
main lines.
Saturday the state board of equal
cation gave the railroad men a hear
: ing. The railroads asked that they
be heard again ON the question of as
: sessment, and the board set next Fri
day as the time when they would
hear protests against the assessment
decided upon. Governor Toole, who
favored the higher assessment, in {
statement outlining his position, which
: was read to the board preceding it,
; action, said:
d Under the law all property is re
quired to be assessed at its casl
value This is not always an cas-!
: thing to do.
+. THE difficulty, however. is re
moved to some extent in the case o
| the Northern Pacific and Great North
!. ern, which were recently sold on
mileage basis of S52700 per mile. |
has been we'll said that the valu
/ which property bears in the market
S the amount Tor which its stock can b.
g bought and sold. is sthe real value
t Il am satisfied that real propert
e in this state, in the main, is assessor
h for its full cash value, and in man
localities far beyond its cash value