Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-12
RAISE SOME ASSESSMENTS
Board of Review Taoss Something Onto
Water and Gas Companies.
TELEPHONE FRANCHISE ALSO VALUED
some Doubt Expressed whether Local
Authorized Have Right to Make
Assessment of Telephone
Property.

The city council, sitting as a board of
review and exercising it's functions as such
yesterday morning, before adjourning took
the position that the assessments OF the
Council Bluffs City Water Works company
and the Citizens Gas and Electric COM
pany should be raised $40. 900 each above
the figures returned by City Assessor Ev-
crest. 1t also arrived at the conclusion
that It had the right to assess the franchise
enjoyed by the Nebraska Telephone COM
pany in Council Bluffs, and figured that
$40, 600 was the proper figure at which to
assess the company. In the face OF a pro-
test from the motor company to the effect
that the assessment placed on 1t by the
city assessor was excessive, the aldermen
refrained from adding to 1t.
This is the first time that the Nebraska
Telephone company has been assessed In
Council Bluffs by the city, its assessment
having been fixed by the state executive
council, together with the railroads and
telegraph companies. The aldermen, how
ever, decided this year to assess the fran
chise OF the company, but 1t is said that
1t is very doubtful IL the assessment will
stick. County Attorney Killpack, when
questioned, stated that the City Board OF
Review had exceeded its authority and that
the assessment Of all telephone companies
rested with the state executive council, as
specially provided by the code.
City No GaIner.
In raising the assessment OF the City
Water Works company 1t is very doubtful
II the city will obtain any benefit. Tho
water works company has never paid mu-
nicipal taxes, for the reason that it's fran
chise provides that in return for the COM
pany furnishing water free of charge to
the public schools. city buildings and offices.
including the fire houses, public fountains
in Fairmount and Bayliss parks and street
drinking fountains, 1t shall be exempt from
the payment Of municipal taxes. City As
SCISSOR Everest had assessed the company
at SAC, 900 and the Board Of Review raised
It to $3.50, 900.
The assessment Of the Citizens Gas and
Electric company was placed by Assessor
Everest at $40, 900. This included $50, 000
assessment on the property of the Council
Bluffs Gas and Electric company the prop
erty Of which the Citizens company has
leased for a term OF ninety-nine years.
The franchise was assessed at $4,000 and
the aldermen raised 1t to sb5 900. thus In
c~reasing the total assessment to $3.50 ,00o.
The motor company's assessment, as re-
turned by Assessor Everest, Is $7OO,OO0, and
this the aldermen did not change. The
company. however, filed a protest against
the assessment, which Is 40 per cent higher
than last year, on the grounds that 1t was
in excess Of the actual value Of the prop
erty.
Among the assessments raised by the
board were the following: The Harle-Haai
Drug company, from S43,s6o to $4,000;
| Keller Farnsworth Furniture company
from $1,000 to S12, 900; Iowa Furniture COM
pany, from $4,000 to $1,000; Ohio Cultivatol
company, from $1,000 to $4,000; swaine a
Mauer, hardware, from Sc 900 to $4,000
the Empkie- Shugart & Hill company, from
$35, 900 to $50, 900; Union Transfer COM
pany, from $4,000 to $4,000; Cole Brels-
ford Hardware company, from $4,000 t.
$12,O 900; P. c, DeVol, hardware, from 1920
to $l2, 900; Wallace & Grout (the Bluffs
City laundry, from $500 to $4,000; Evans
Laundry company, from $500 to $4,000
The assessment OF the Eagle Laundry com
pany was reduced from $12, 900 to $1,000.
The board set April 81 as the date fol
hearing protests from those whose assess
ments were changed.