Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-08-14
County Assessors Meeting.

100000. The state revenue from
taxation has been decreased over
100000. Railroads. telephone compa.
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
mada against the State Board OF Equal.
ization by the assessors when they
met In the hall of the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes August +th.
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 .3l0.000.0o0 this year over Last.
over 32.00O.000 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 minutcD, 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 u reduction
of $4,000 In railroad valuations. and
/ about the same reduction In the total
valuation of the county.
al
reduction In railroad valuations. and
10000 In the total valuation Of the
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 Arapahoc county reported .
ioss Of sii0.oo0 on railroad property
and $4,000 on the total county yaiua,
tlon.
| Delta county reported reduction Of
ss.o0o In railroad valuation and $4,000
In the total county valuation.
Douglas reported the railroads ti:s.
COO less than last year. and the total
county valuation 100 less.
! Eagle county reported III. total val
us,Ion about the same with the rail-
roads showing reduction OF 100000.
~ faso reported n railroad rrdue.
,ion of t:sl.oco with $4,000 ~ the
reduction in the total valuation.
/ Fremont county reported $4,000
lees In railroads and eisS. 600 r-duc,
lion in the total valuation.
Giipin county is practically the same
as last year siih natural Increase
In railroad construction Of ess.occ.
Gunnison Ecpo.trd tss.op1 reduction
I ~ a-TtKA "a
ton about the same.
| iiinsdAi. county IL atsau, tho same
as last year. With several thousand
dollars worth Of construction work
done on III. railroads.
iiu-rfaae county ~iii be the same
as last year. With slight decrease
/ in the railroad Valuations.
l. Jefferson county reports SIS. 600 r..
I auetigu in railroads aud general In.
crease Of ATTY Pcr cent. on total saiua'
,ion.
KIo~a county reports a reduction 10
railroads q. ssc.Sop and total Ecducs
/ t!on of 1:eo.cco.
| Lake county reported q .attecn per
cent. decrease in the railroad saiua'
lions aud total valuation about the
same.
! tarimcr county showed Eain Of
SCI. 500 In the valuation Of railroads.
! although over t.oc.cco worth Of con.
strurtiun work had been done during
the year. The total valuation vas
about the same.
] Las An!mas showed a reduction in
railroads uf nine per ccrt. and a total
loss Of $4,000.
I Pueblo county showed = gain in
railroads Of $4,000 several times
tha, much construction work being
n a. - So g.n
uaiiuu is about the same.
Hiu Crande county reported si01..
600 reduction in railroads and ;eIe-
phones and about the same loss TO the
total valuation.
When the reading Of tho abstracts
had been completed there was a gen.
srai discussion as TO what should BE-
done to meet the reductions Of tho
State board Of Equalization. but the
general opinion seemed So be ,ha, each
assessor mus; decide for himself JUS,
vha, he would do. Several. however.
declared their intention Of meeting tho
heard on its own ground and lowering
the valuation uf 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
had serious losses. The mining com.
ties had the closing ut mines and smell
ters to contend With. Hinsdsie cpun.
y reported that they were making
valuations al 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 vaiua.
tious 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
combirin 10 meet the action with a
similar reduction in the valuation Of
all property In the state.
At r-ecting of the State Land Board
held August 5th. Too acres OF land neat
Lake Chepsman was sold TO the Denvei
Union Water Company as a reservoir
site at the rate Of siO an acre. The wa.
ter company intends to enlarge its
storage area and this Is the first ster
-. rs~s a. -gE