Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-28
DOES DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTED

DOES DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTED
The latest bulletin Of the railroad tax
bureau presents an exhibit Of compare
tive values between census takers esti-
mates and assessors returns In Dawson
county, together with tables showing
the dependence Of the settlers in that
region upon the forced contributions
exacted from the Union Pacific toward
maintaining county and school govern
ment. Assuming this exhibit tO>be cor
rect, the Union Pacific pays ove $4,000
in school taxes on its main line in Daw-
son county and pays an average Of 40
per cent Of the entire taxes Of the school
districts through which it runs. 1t is
also asserted that the total taxes paid
by railroads in Dawson county in 1898
was $40, 1O3.O6, as against $34,030SS
paid In Dawson county in 1891. These
figures are cited as striking proof of the
benefits of distribution to the western
counties and the enormity Of the de-
mand for the higher assessment Of rail-
road property in the state at large.
One-sided comparative exhibits may
satisfy the railroad tax bureau, but they
will scarcely deceive intelligent taxpay-
ers. Taxes under the constitution Of
| Nebraska are imposed upon property in
proportion to It's value. Dawson county
is in the semi-arid region, sparsely set
tied and devoted chiefly to cattle raising.
The Union Pacific main line in that
county is a fraction over forty-iye
miles long and its actual value, exclu-
sive Of it's land grant, upon which 1t Is
expected to pay taxes the same as the
other owners Of lands. exceeds by far
the value of all other property in the
county. The bunco game Of distribu-
ton must be apparent on a glance at the
following figures:
In 1891 the Union Pacific was as
sessed in Dawson county for $515,6O0.
The same mileage was assessed In 1901
for SAL, $3.50, or a shrinkage Of 1894
Will anyone in the railroad tax bureau
explain why the Union Pacific assess.
ment in Dawson county should have
shrunk IA per cent since 1891, when the
road was on the verge of bankruptcy
while today 1t is gilt-edged at 100000
per mile for every mile?
Forty-hye miles 'ofSUnion Pacific road
are worth not less than $4,500,000 and
assessed at one-sixth as the average Of
other property in Dawson county. Il
should be paying taxes On $4,000 in
stead Of S441,0O0. Where does the dis
tribution of the value Of the terminals
depots and other improvements made
since 1891 come in?
1t is a matter Of record in the maxi
mum rate case that the terminals Of the
Union Pacific at Omaha are valued a
not less than $10.OOo,o00 by the owner
Of the road and are leased out for join
use by other roads on about that basis
The Union Pacific bridge, which wa
formerly assessed at $125,000 in Doug
las county, supposed to have been dis
tributed since 1900, now figures in tn
assessment as one-sixth of a mile, o
$1,5o6. Auditor Weston admitted on tn
witness stand that the value Of thi
bridge was not considered IN the gran'
distribution, but no evidence exists tina
anything has eve been distributed :
Dawson county or any other county.
The juggle with census takers est
mates Is hardly worth noticing. Til
census enumerators wanted DawsoI
county to make a good showing o
} wealth and they returned it The as
SCISSORS on the other hand returned wha
they actually found. Suffice it to sa,
that, while the assessment Of all othe
property in Dawson county has bee
raised in 1902 over19o1. the property o
} the railroads is assessed at the same oil
! figures and way below its assessment
Of ten years ago, Notwithstanding II
constantly increasing value.
In Douglas county the railroad assesI
Z ment for 1901 was $694.7 o4, while tn
assessment in 1891 was $T72,611. l
other words, Notwithstanding that se'
eral million dollars had been expende
since 1891 for improvements, there wa
: a shrinkage in the assessment OF $500
= II all these millions invested in Dougla
. county terminals have been distributes
. will anyone point out where7