The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-15
INTERURBAN ROAD TAXES
REPRESENTATIVES, HEARD By
STATE TAX COMMISSIONERS.
Union Traction Company Simply Asks
that No Increase Be Made-Claims
of other Companies.

trio and street railways, with capital in
the aggregate of many millions OF dollars,
were heard by the State Board Of Tax Com
missioners yesterday Some OF the COM
panies, including the Union Traction Com
pany, are only asking that the board make
no increase over their assessments of last
year. Other companies want reductions in
their assessments from last years figures,
and new companies, that are placed on the
tax duplicate this year for the first time,
are before the board to have their assess
ment placed las low as possible"
The companies whose representatives were
heard yesterday were the Fort Wayne
Traction Company, represented by Senator
Stephen b. Fleming; the Union Traction
Company, represented by ]. A. Van Osdel
and W. p. c. Sampson, with which were
presented the claims of the Marion Transit
Company and the Indianapolis Northern
Traction Company, the three companies
being under one management; the Indianap-
oils & Martinsville Rapid Transit Company.
represented by Charles Finley Smith, of
this city; the indianapolis & Eastern Elec-
trio Railway Company, represented by
Frank M. Fauvre, of this city, and Attorney
Elmer J. Binford; the Indianapolis & Shell
byville Electric Railway Company. repre-
sented by Fletcher S. Hines and Howard
Gale; the Indianapolis. Columbus & South
ern Company, the Richmond City e. Inter-
urban Railway Company, the Hammond,
Whiting G. East Chicago Electric Railway,
and the Lafayette Street-railway Company,
represented by Charles Murdoch.
All claims for reduction or for no increase
or assessment, or any increase the board
may make, are and will be based upon the
property owned by the companies and the
track completed by April l. this year. No
decisions will be given out by the board for
some time.
The Union Traction Company asks that
there be no increase in its assessment over
last years figures. In 1902 the company
was assessed for 1904 miles of track at
$4,000 mile. Its total assessment, includ
ing rolling stock and all second main and
side tracks, was S2,097, $50. The Indianapolis
Northern Company has eleven miles more
main track than it had last year. The
Marion Transit Company was assessed $1,000
a mile on 5Sl miles last year Its total as
sessment amounted to $685. 765. The company
claims that there should be no increase this
year.
Senator Fleming told the board that the
ment should not be any larger this year
than 1t was in 1902. Last year the COM
pany was assessed $4,000 mile 1885
miles OF main track. There has been no
extension of the line this year.
The Indianapolis & Martinsville Rapid
Transit Company's line has never been
listed on the State tax duplicate. The COM
panys returns to the board show 1t to have
27.33 miles of track. Charles Finley Smith
told the board that the company was oper-
ating only sixteen miles of track on April 1,
and he asked that the property not be as
sessed heavily.
The Indianapolis G. Eastern Company,
which was known as the Indianapolis &c
Greenfield line last lear, has thirteen miles
more track than it had in 1902. Frank NJ.
Fauvre, president OF the company, and At
torney Binford were before the board and
acknowledged the increased trackage. The
company now has 29.4 miles of track. The
assessment last year was 81 900 mile The
Indianapolis, Columbus & Southern Compa-
ny's representatives before the board
showed that on April 1 the company's line
extended only to Franklin, which was the
terminal year ago. The assessment last
year was 5000 a mile on eighteen miles Of
main track.
The Indianapolis, Shelbyville & South
eastern Company'S line is twenty-six miles
long, according to the returns made to the
board. The Hammond, Whiting & East
Chicago line is no longer than ii was a
year ago. The Richmond City & Interurban
Company owns 27.62 miles of track this
year. against AIS last year. The trackage
was assessed 5000 a mile in 1902
The board will continue to-day to hear
the claims of electric and interurban rail-
way companies.