Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-09
TWO ASSESSMENTS SETTLED
Compromise Figures on Electric Light and
Telephone Properties Accepted.
OTHER CORPORATIONS TO FIGHT IT OUT
HascaIl and Secures Adop-
tion of Special Rules Providing
for Frequent Executive ses-
sions of the Board.
Board of Board OF
Equalization Review
Ass'm't. Ass'm't.
New Omaha Thomson
Houston Electric Light

Co. $1,000 S11,g0
Nebraska Telephone Co.. $4,000 lOo,31O
There we're two distintice features in the
hearing before the Board OF Equalization
Thursday. One was the acceptance by the
board Of the compromise figures Of S175 900
as the assessment Of the electric light and
telephone companies; the other vas the
discovery during the afternoon session that
the gas company had sent its books and
records to Philadelphia, thereby removing
them from the Jurisdiction OF the court.
G. W. Clabaugh, secretary OF the company,
testified that his concern had been running
for the last four months without ledger,
journal or day book.
In the forenoon the board fixed the as
sessments OF the electric light and telephone
companies at $175,0 900 each, being the
amount agreed upon in the conference be-
tween the tax committee Of the Real Estate
exchange and the corporation officers dur
ing the last two weeks. These figures
we're announced early in the forenoon by
Attorney ]. H. Mcintosh, representing the
compliments. After a discussion OF an
hour the board went into executive session
and In twenty minutes returned to the
council chamber, when President Karr read
this report:
Eight Of the members of the Board of
Equalization have determined that $4,000
Is the proper assessment to be made In the
case of the Nebraska Telephone company
and also in the case Of the New Omaha
Thomson-Houston Electric Light company.
That being the case, the proper finding
and judgment in each of said cases will be
written out and submitted to the board
within a reasonable time, upon which roll
call can be had.
The member who declined to accept the
compromise figure was Zimman.
Councilman Lobeck made this explanation
I'VE estimated" said he, that the prop
erty OF the electric light company was
worth $685., 900. Deduct 800, 900 from this,
as representing the value OF the company's
property in South Omaha, and from this
result S76, 900 more as the value Of the com
pany's real estate, and we have a balance
OF $3.50 900. Forty per cent of this Is S172,-
900. We raised this to SIZE. 900 in order to
make the figure even. In the case Of the
telephone company, which has no bonds,
we figured that its property in Omaha is
worth S121 900, and hat its franchise was
worth {54, 0O0."
The board then took a recess until 2
o'clock in the afternoon, when the ~investi-
cation Of the gas company's valuation
began.
Crowd in Council Chamber.
There were about 200 men present when,
at 1915, the council wac called to order as
a Board Of Equalization. Every councilman
was at his desk. Among the well-known
men inside the rail were c. E. Yost, Frank
Murphy, w. w. Morsmsn, John L. Webster,
Major r. s. Wilcox, r. s. Hall, b. r. Ball,
M. J. Kennard, William Fleming, F. D.
Wead, @. E. Pritchett, e. w. Nash, Will
liam G. Shriver, George F. Morton, Eli 8.
Garrett and c.. r. Harrison.
The moment the gavel sounded Hascall
was on his feet with a motion. He moved
that G. c. Valentine be designated as the
oficial reporter for the board. The motion
carried. He followed 1t at once with an
other, to the effect that a code OF rules he
held in his hand be adopted for the gov
ernment Of the board. The code, which was
read by the clerk. follows:
Resolved. That this Board of Equaliza-
ton does hereby revoke, rescind and re-
peal all existing rules and regulations gov
erning the action Of this board. and here
after its action shall be governed and It's
to facilitate and expedite its business as
may be, from time to time, adopted for
q shG mdLt oTRSse; Of Or it as Members ee df IN ai CASEY BY
where the special rules In force are not
Special Rule No. THAT during the hear
ing of the pending complaints, or OF any OF
them, no one shall be admitted within the
bar Of the council chamber when the board
Is In session, except the member of the
board, the city clerk and his assistants
the city attorney and the assistant city
attorney, the sergeant-at-arms and his as
shriver and Morton and their attorney, the
Ave corporations by their representatives
and attorneys and witnesses at the hear
ing when called and during the time they
are on the witness stand giving their evf-
dence.
Visitors Must Behave.
Special Rule No, 2-Anyone may occupy
the seats, In the, council chamber outside
the bar during the sessions of the board,
provided they preserve order and do moi
fere with the transaction OF its business
A breach of this rule will subject the of
fender to removal from the council cham
per and a forfeiture Of any further right
Special Rule No. 3-when a complaint
Is called for hearing the complalnants OF
denee or testimony he or they may have
applicable to the case to sustain the com
out delay to the conclusion, and to faciii.
tate the hearing when the complainants
ask delay to present further testimony, tbs
party complained Of shall have the right
to proceed and Introduce any evidence that
said party has ready for production; or
nish any evidence that it deems mSteria
on such hearing. II, however, the com.
PtslhSnts' oeIore me te5minstion Of thu
legal evidence to produce and are ready
to do so, they shall be allowed tina privf
lege, and the party complained of shal
have the same light.
Special Rule No. 4-No roll call can b,
demanded except on findings and final de
termination and Judgment. II any differ
ences arise as to the admission of evidenc,
or any vital method OF procedure, thu
members of the Board Of Equalization shal
retire to the committee room and Their,
adjust and determine the matter; where
upon, they shall return to the council
chamber and the chairman of the boar
shall announce the decision. The decision
thus made shall be binding upon the future
action of the board and the point canno
again be raised,
Special Rule No. 5-Before any final vot,
shall be taken on the findings, determine
ton and judgment in any case, the mem
bers OF the board shall retire to the com
mittee room and talk over and conside
the evidence in the case and the law ap
plicable thereto, and II the can agre
upon the proper findings and Judgment Il
the matter, the same shall be written on
In full and announced by the chairman OF
return TO the council chamber; and, there
upon, roll call shall be had on their adop
tion. on a failure to agree at such con
ference on the proper findings and iudg
ment, the majority of the members of sal
board may agree on the same and presen
the same to said board for its action.
fractional Lines Drawn.
This afforded the nrst opportunity for tn
drawing OF lines between the two factions
, n-..aA.,. Xar annaunrad.