The Lamar register., 1903-08-12
County Assessors' Meeting.


nies and other corporate interests
have been favored, and the burden Of
! taxation has been thrust on the small
property owners throughout the state.
These were the charges that were
made against the State Board Of Equal.
ization by the assessors when they
met in the hall OF the House of Repre-.
sentatiyes August 4th.
The board met at 10 o'clock in the
, morning and there were thirty-seven
of the counties in the state represent
ed. President Alexander of the city
and county of Denver started the ball
rolling when he made the opening ad-
dress. Denver county alone, he de-
| clared, has a decreased valuation of
nearly $4,000. 900 this year over last.
Over 100000 OF this is decreased
valuations in the railroads.
After the address the assessors
| from each of the counties were called
| in alphabetical order and read their
abstracts of valuations, and also com.
parative valuations with those of last
| year Hardly half of the abstracts
were ready, but when they were not
| the assessor estimated the amount OF
the reduction for the guidance of the
| board. The estimates, however, were
| not entered on the minutea. and for
! this reason an exact amount OF the
reduction can not be given for several
| days, until all of the abstracts have
been filed.
Boulder county reported reduction
OF $4,000 in railroad valuations, and
about the same reduction In the total
valuation of the county.
Cheyenne county reported 100000
reduction in railroad valuations, and
. an mn l. -
county.
Custer county reported no change in
railroad valuations, as there had been
considerable construction work done
during the year. There was no change
in the total county valuation.
South Arapahoe county reported a
loss of $4,000 on railroad property
and $4,000 on the total county valua-
lion.
Delta county reported reduction OF
$4,000 in railroad valuation and $35 900
in the total county valuation.
Douglas reported the railroads S125.-
900 less than last year, and the total
county valuation $4,000 less.
Eagle county reported the total val
uation about the same with the rail-
roads showing reduction of 500. 900.
FL Paso reported railroad reduc-
tion OF s273,000 with y125.OOO as the
reduction in the total valuation.
Fremont county reported $4,000
less in railroads and $l55, 900 reduc-
tion in the total valuation.
Gilpln county is practically the same
as last year with a natural increase
in railroad construction of $4,000.
Gunnison repo. ted $6S 900 reduction
or The railroads, with the total valua-
| tion about the same
Hinsdale county Is about the same
as last year, with several thousand
dollars worth of construction work
done on the railroads.
| Huerfano county Will be the same
as last year, with slight decrease
in the railroad valuations.
Jefferson county reports $28,000 re-
duction In railroads and a general in
crease of fifty per cent. on total valua-
tion.
| Kiowa county reports reduction in
railroads Of $4,000 and total reduc-
! tion of 100000.
| Lake county reported a fifteen per
cent. decrease in the railroad valua-
tions and total valuation about the
same.
| Larimer county showed gain of
| SOL 800 in the valuation of railroads,
although over 100000 worth of con-
struction work had been done during
! the year. The total valuation was
| about the same.
| Las Animas showed reduction In
railroads of nine per cent. and a total
loss of $4,000.
Pueblo county showed a gain in
railroads of $5O.00O several times
that much construction work being
done during the year. The total val
uation is about the same.
Rio Grande county reported $780,
900 reduction in railroads and tele-
phones and about the same loss to the
total valuation.
When the reading of the abstracts
had been completed there was a gen
eral discussion as to what should be
| done to meet the reductions of the
State Board of Equalization. but the
! general opinion seemed to be that each
| assessor must decide for himself Just
what he would do. Several, however,
declared their intention of meeting the
board on It's own ground and lowering
the valuation of the property belong
ing to the people they represented
There was then a general discussion
as to just what the abstracts had
shown. The price of cattle having
fallen, the stock-grazing counties had
] Hdu serious LOSSES. Inc mining COun-
ties had the closing of mines and smell
ters to contend with. Hinsdale coun.
ty reported that they were making
valuations at the highest limit to pay
the expenses of running the county.
Jefferson county alone reported great
prosperity and strong increase in val.
uatiOns.
But the main burden of grief was
because of the reductions of valua.
tions upon all corporate property by
the State Board of Equalization, and
up to the last minute of the meeting
there was an animated discussion as
| to the advisability of the assessors
combining to meet the action with a
similar reduction in the valuation of
all property in the state.
--
At meeting of the State Land Board
| held August 5th. 100 acres of land near
! Lake Cheesman was sold to the Denver
| Union Water Company as reservoir
! site at the rate OF $40 an acre. The wa.
ter company intends TO enlarge its
storage area and this is the first steE
| in this direction. The land is so situat-
ed that it could not be used for any
thing else and the land board has been
! vi tn l,c,,n rf f,r ti,,,p