Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-29
PLEA FOR LOWER TAX RATE
Douglas County Makes a Showing Before
the State Board.
LINCOLN PAYS DEARLY FOR RAILROADS
Taxes Received from Them Do Not
Make Good start on Paying
Interest and Roads voted
as Aid.

Trom a stan Correspondent)
LINCOLN, July 2s.-(special.)-The State
Board Of Equalization listened today to tes-
timony and argument in behalf OF the plea
Of Omaha taxpayers for a reduction In the
rate Of taxation Of the property Of Douglas
county. other counties will be granted a
hearing. so that 1t is not likely the board
will complete It's assessment task until
Wednesday.
The hearing will be resumed tomorrow.
Mr.. Shields explained that the case was
being prosecuted on the relation Of the
county. both he and Mr.. Mcintosh appear
ing for the county commissioners, as we'll
AZ In the interests Of the taxpayers.
This afternoon a delegation Of members
Of the Omaha Real Estate exchange called
on Governor Savage and held a conference
Of an hour regarding the appointments for
the Omaha Fire and Police commission.
One Of the visitors said afterward that the
governor assured them he would give re-
spectfUl consideration to their petition.
1--WE expect he will give US a part, II not
all, Of the board" said one. The gov
ernor listened attentIvely and asked us
many questions as to the kind Of men we
want. He gave us no definite assurance,
however, as to whom he would appoint"
In the Omaha delegation we're: J. H. Nc
Intosh and George w. Shields, appearing
as attorneys, Frank Meyers, F. A. Fitzger-
aid, f. D. wead, w. G. Ure, John M. Fren-
ser and Thomas s. Boyd, witnesses.
In his argument before the board Attor-
ney Mcintosh urged a reduction In the state
levy OF from rs mills to 4 $40 mills. Last
year, with an assessed valuation OF 49,
o61. 792, Douglas county was assessed 1885,
O65.7 IL. This year, should the reduction
-s-a a. - A.. NE.T-N.rk ho oronfad the
eOunty would be assessed S106, 645.71 on a
valuation of $25, s91, 1886.
The testimony OF real estate dealers was
produced with a view to showing that land
IN Douglas county is assessed at a much
higher rate than land Of similar value In
other counties. One witness testified that
the standard in some counties is only one
fourth as great as In Douglas.
AS to town lots no comparison with other
committees was made, but an abundance
Of testimony was offered to show that the
ratio Of assessed valuation to the actual
is higher than in other places.
OIL Meets All Requirements.
In the several thousand barrels Of oil
inspected by the state during the last
twelve months not an ounce has been found
that has not fully met the requirements
Of the law. One Inspector is kept almost
constantly busy In each congressional dis
trict. They make complete reports OF all
oil inspected, and a tabulation OF these
shows that in nearly every case the oil Is
q little above the required grade.
before the department was created there
were frequent complaints Of bad oil being
shipped into the state, but we don't hear
them any more" said Deputy Inspector
Church, who has Just completed a tour over
-. o-.tAe.v IN Nha Eirat Qon0rQa-
sioual district. under the state inspec-
ton barrel after barrel was rejected and
sent back to the shipper and the practice
of sending bad oil soon stopped. A Few
barrels OF low grade oil have found their
way into the state and been inspected In
recent years, but none In the last few
months. The requirements In Wyoming
ARE not so high. and 1t is known that a
large quantity Of low grade oil Is shipped
through Nebraska into that state. The Ne
braska department has no jurisdiction over
shipments Of that kind, unless, OF course
the sale or purchase was made In this
state.
'I never saw the farms in southeastern
Nebraska look any better than they do now,
Some of the low land along the Nemaba
and other rivers will not be very produc-
tive. but as a whole the condition couldn't
we'll be better. The harvesting and thresh-
ing is we'll advanced and the corn is show
ing up strong, with big, healthy ears. II
certainly ia inspiring to take a ride over
Nebraska farm lands. Everything growing
seems to be fourishing."
Pay Dearly for Railroads.
The city Of Lincoln has paid approx
mately 500, 900 more in interest on railroad
aid bonds than It has received in taxes
f,cra the railroads. Last year the city
hid 50, $50 In interest on these bonds
while the railroads paid only $9s7.5b II
taxes. There are now $3.50 900 of railroad
bonds outstanding. which draw 5 per cen
interest. OF this amount $4,000 was
voted for the Elkhorn, 10000 for thu
Rock Island and 10000 for the Elkhorn
Besides these there are upward Of $50, 00'
railroad ~refunding bonds.
When the bonds were. voted 1t was ar
Eued that the railroad property slon,
would more than pay the interest on tn
bonds. This prophesy has failed in ever.
year. Interest on the county railroad all
bonds also exceeds the tax revenue from
the railroads.
The city authorities are confronted b.
the problem Of how to pay of the bonde'
and floating indebtedness of the city ant
as a solution II has been suggested tina
a sinking fund levy be made. The bonds
Indebtedness Of the city is 81. 1s7 100 an
the floating Indebtedness $61 900. Some o
the couneilmen favor a sinking fund OF
mill. but would insist that II first be ap
piled to the floating indebtedness.
Increased school
State Superintendent Fowler predict
that the report of the schools Of Nebrask
for the last year will show a notable In
crease In the average daily attendance Q
pupils and ascribes this improvement {
the good effect of the compulsory eduea
ton LAW. He thinks the increase will b
approximately 5000.
There doesn't seem 20 be much opposi
ton to this law any more" said Nj
Fowler. For a while II was not general
observed. but now Its good effects are b.
W