Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-22

session Incorporated thirty-eight ferry and
bridge companies. arming them with pow
ers TO tax the people. For example. the
Blackbird Town and Ferry company was
given a ten-year exclusive franchise to
operate a ferry between Blackbird City, in
Burt county, across the Missouri river to
the Iowa shore. the franchise covering the
river one and one-half miles north and
four miles south Of Blackbird. The owners
that the sheriff, while acting as assessor,
should be allowed 81 per day, but the stat
utes seem to be silent as to the compen-
sstlon OF the Judge Of probate while act
ing as fiscal ofhcer. Perhaps these omis-
sions fastened the act OF the second ses-
sion. in which hfty-three chapters we're
passed in an omnibus bill for revising,
consolidating and preparing a general code
for the territory Of Nebraska.
OF the ferry, B. Y. Shelley, Addison Coch-
ran, J. p. Cassidy and associates, we're
permitted TO levy the following tax upon
travel and transportation; FOR two
horses, mules or oxen and wagon, 81; for
each additional pair of horses. mules or
oxen. % cents; for each horse or mule and
buggy, 70 cents; for each led horse OF mule,
20 cents; for loose cattle, per head, 10
cents; for sheep and hogs, per head, S
cents; for each footman, 10 cents; for each
hundredweight OF freight, 10 cents; for
each 1000 feet Of lumber, 81"
Provision was also made for the survey
and establishment Of ten territorial roads.
The acts usually named two or three COM
missloners with power to locate and estab-
lish the roads; they were allowed 81 or SO
per day for their services and "All other
reasonable and necessary EXPENSE to be
paid by the counties through which the road
passed. These ten territorial roads we're
as follows; Omaha City to Cedar Island:
Plattsmouth to Archer Tin Richardson
county,; Platte river TO Dakota; Pawnee
to Nebraska Center; Brownville to the Big
Blue river; Teksmah to Pawnee; Florence
to Fontanelle; Nebraska City to Grand
Island; Bellevue to Catherine, and from
DeSoto to awnee.
First Railway Charters.
In addition to these provisions, two rail-
road companies were Incorporated: The
Platte Valley g. Pacific, to be built with u
single or double track from the Missouri
river to Omaha City, Bellevue and Flor
ence " . = up the north side Of Platte
river and the north side OF the South Fork,
uniting at such point west as the said cor
poration shall fix upon, and thence to the
west line of the territory . Pro-
vision was made that the property Of the
corporation shall be liable to taxation, but
not unless the net proceeds exceed 10 per
cent per annum."
The second railroad charter was for the
Missouri River & Platte Valley, starting
at the town Of Plattsmouth to Fort kear-
ney, then to Fort Laramie, then to the
western limits Of the territory Of Nebraska
. . with a branch road from the mouth
Of the Nemaha, to unite with main track
at Fort Kearney." Further power was
granted to build a branch from Nebraska
City to Fort Kearney.
Each Of these corporations was empow,
cred to take and transport persons, and
every species Of merchandise or produce, or
other property, by the force Of steam or
other power, and may fix and establish
rates Of tolls and receive the same for the
transportation of persons or property upon
said road"
First Auditors Report.
The report of the first territorial auditor
is also given:
OFFICE OF THE TERRITORIAL AUDI.
TOR, NAH CITY, Dec. Is, 1S56.-To the
accordance with Rw, l herewith respect
fully transmit my annual report. The whole
amount of warrants issued from the fsi
shown by statement 22j, is si,s1fso. There
remain warrants yet to be issued to meet
appropr- ationS by the last legislative assem-
II is Impossible to make an estimate Of
the amount of expenditures for the cominl
year 1S56) that will come very near thu
amount that viii be actually appropriated
and the regular and Indispensable expendt
lures are therefore only put down In tina
The amount Of taxable property for 1856
as returned by the assessors (ab shown BY
statement c., was S617,S22. In accordance
MI n the prf sent TaVRnua laws q tax OF
g mills on each dollar was levied on thu
above amount for a territorial r%evenue, anC
counties duly notified of the same, AS NJ
one of the county treasurers have as ye
settled their accounts have no me9 an
has been collected up to this date.
l would ca4 your special attention to tn
Importance ofthe passage OF a new revenul
law. The law should set forth fAly, clearl!
and In detail what property shall be labl'
to taxation, and also what. shall be ex
render the duties Of the county assessor
plain and clear, whilst under the presen
laws their duties nave 6een oosTHrei an IN
THE revenue derived from the presen
system is entirely inadequate and I woul
recommend that the rate of territorial ia.
/. be increased to an amount at least doubl
, that of the last year to cover the debt noN
: outstanding and the expenses OF the com
All of which is respectfully submitted.
II ID. 0MlIE1,
, Auditor Of the Territory.
/ Statement A. showing the amount of war
) rants issued from July i, 1855, to Decembe
. IS. 1855, and upon what accounts:
T Legislative expenses, pay OF pages,
? hremen, etc. W.
: Salaries of auditor. treasurer and IL
brartan 81
: Total. SIS;
, Statement h, showing an estimate of tn
necessary expenditures for the year com
] mencing November l. 1855. and ending OC
q tober 81, 1885:
| Salaries Of auditor. treasurer and IL
E Stationery, rent. fuel. c.............H q
Incidental expenses OF the territory. a
sSAsy
4 Statement @, showing the value of a
= property, real and personal. as assessed
the several counties In the year 1856;
n Douglas .Soll,l
Otoe 6b,I
. Nemaha OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, I4,y
I Cass n,6
d Richardson 100
a Washington w.
: Dodge l4,4
I Burt $50
- sstoAit q
Such was Nebraska's first floating debt.
!. The total territorial tax levy for 1885 Wi
81, 2S5.64. but the territory had incurrS
nearly $500 OF debt.
: Ask Sentence