Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-14
BRIDGE TAXES AND BRIDGE TOLLS.


ton of his highest ambition. What is
true of men is also'true of corporations.
They also frequently need saving from
fool friends. A striking illustration in
point is furnished by that staunch old
railroad organ, the Lincoln Journal,
which has entered the breach in de-
Tense OF railroad tax Sinking In the
following fashion:
A railroad company discovers an obstruc-
tion in its pathway in the shape of a river
or gulch that must be trestled or spanned
by a very costly structure. The bridge is
merely an extra expense entailed on the
owners OF the right-of-way. 1t Is Of no
utility to them. II brings no revenue, but
necessitates a continued outgo to keep 1t
In repair. 1t is merely a badge OF mis-
fortune, because II the gulch or river had
not been in the way the cost Of construc-
ton would have been no more than the
average. According to the Rosewater doc
trine, however, the railroad bridge should
be taxed at what 1t cost the corporation to
put IL In, and that tax kept up year after
year to all eternity. Carrying out this doc
trine, every cut and I'LL on the railroad line
should have an extra tax put on It be-
N.N5D - VoNhNb ah AINOENUlthl vi tANIh
capital. " " At the same time, It must
not be permitted to charge any more than
the average mileage for hauling freight and
passengers across these natural distractions
after 1t has overcome the difficulties by
scientific engineering. Verify, the Rose
water doctrine Of taxation is q sumner.
Where did the editor of the Journal
get his nightcap? Is he not aware Of
the fact that every railroad bridge over
the Missouri river between Sioux City
and st. Louis is a toll gate?
Is he not aware of the fact that more
tolls are collected at every one Of these
bridges every five years than would re-
pay the cost of each bridge7
Is he not aware Of the fact that the
Union Pacific bridge at Omaha was
constructed thirty years ago and was
bonded for $2,500,O 900, although it did not
cost more than s ,2O0,0OO?
Is he not aware of the fact that,
although owned by the Union Pacific
railroad, 1t was operated under an in
dependent charter and earned nearly
100000 within the first FIVE years
after its completion7
Is he not aware of the fact that for
nearly twenty-five years 90 cents was
charged for every man, woman and
child that crossed this bridge either
way, and $40 per carload of ten tons
was charged for all freight coming and
going7
Is he not ware Of the fact that at this
day ten miles are torn out Of every
mileage book presented to Union Pacific
conductors for the transit Of less thar
three miles between Omaha and the
Union Pacific transfer on the Iowa side,
and % cents in cash Is exacted for
bridge toll for every passenger coming
n going over every road that centers
at Omaha, when under the legal rate
Of 3 cents a mile less than 8 cents
should be charged?
Is he not aware, too, of the fact that
an arbitrary bridge rate of from 8 to 8
cents per 100 pounds is charged for all
freight that crosses the Missouri river,
whether at Omaha, Blair, Plattsmouth,
Nebraska City or Rulo?
Why, then, should these bridges not
be taxed at their true value, so long as
bridge tolls are exacted for passengers
and freight enormously In excess of
mileage rates?
The ordinary tonnage rate for heavy
commodities, such as lumber and coal,
ranges from u cent to 1 cent per ton
per mile, and 2 cents per ton per mile
would be regarded as al extraordinary
charge, but the charge for crossing the
Union Pacific bridge. for example, is
from 90 cents to 81 per ton. Computing
the bridge and its approaches at three
miles, the ordinary charge would be
from ~ cents to 8 cents per ton for an
equal distance Of the main line, instead
Of being go cents to 81.
Perhaps the fool friend Of the rail
roads, who talks of railroad bridges as
badges of misfortune does not know
that railroad bridges are a great source
of income to the railroads. Perhaps he
does not know that railway bridges are
assessed and taxed by boards Of equal
cation in other states where the Rose
water doctrine has not yet been heard Of
In 1901 the Illinois Board of Equaliza
ton assessed the bridge across the OhiC
river at Jeffersonville at a valuation Of
over two millions per mile and othel
railroad bridges in proportion.
The Missouri State Board of Equal
ization at the outset Of its assessment
work passed a resolution fixing specih,
days to hear testimony, arguments anC
suggestions with reference to the valua
ton Of railroads, bridges and telegraph
property subject to taxation for the en-
suing year. In conformity with thii
resolution the Missouri board assessed
the two st. Louis railroad bridges ant
the bridges that span the Missouri rive
above st. Louis as follows:
South half Of st. Louis bridge ..... 81, 800, 90
st. Louis Merchants bridge......,. 10000
Hannibal brldge,...."............s 1000
Quincy brtdge...s.................. 1000
Atchison bridge...,................ 10000
st. Joseph bridge. 1850
Leavenworth bridge, old.......... 10000
, Leavenworth bridge, new......... 1885, 90
So far as heard from. the railroal
managers and their tax bureau commits