Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-16
MAKES one BIG REDUCTION
Equalization Board Outs $4,000 OFF New
York Life Building Valuation.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS MUST APPEAR
Bonrd summons Certain Omcers 20
Appear and Give Evidence on
value of Railroad Property
in City of Omaha.

In the course Of its session yesterday
the Board Of Equalization transacted sew
eral important matters Of business,
although the greater portion Of the time
was given up to hearing and acting upon
applications for small reductions Of as
sessments. The aggregate assessment
on the New York Life property, including
the main building and the small annex on
the east eide and the real estate, was re-
duced from S650,000 to $3.50 900, and the
tax commissioner was instructed to appor-
tion the reduction with relation TO the diff
ferent parts OF the property as may appear
10 him most equitable.
Henry F. wyman appeared in support Of
an application Of the New York Life In
surance company, and argued at some
length as to the relative value OF that and
other office buildings in the city which
had not been so heavily assessed, and pro-
duced statements to show that the net
income Of the building for several years
would not exceed a per cent investment
upon q valuation Of 100000
Reduction for sOrE Estate.
The application Of the p j. sorg estate
for a reduction OF the assessment upon the
Millard hotel property was referred to the
tax commissioner, and on his recommenda-
tion the assessment was reduced from $177,-
45O to $4,000. Those valuations include
both land and building.
Application was made for a reduction OF
the assessment on the withnell building
from S42.5OO to $35. .OOO and the matter was
referred to the tax commissioner for a re-
port as soon as possible.
On motion of Councilman Hascall the fol-
lowing resolution was adopted without dis
cussion:
Resolved. That the city attorney without
delay furnish this board with a written
opinion as to the legality of ignoring the
valuation Of railroad property as made by
the state board as provided by law, and
taking the valuation of same as made by
the tax commissioner and Board OF Re-
view.
Mr.. Hascam Gets Busy.
Az the afternoon session Councilman Has
call made up for his absence on the previ-
GUS day by occupying the floor almost con-
tinuously and in the course OF the pro-
ceedlngs he took occasion to very posi-
lively proclaim his position on the question
of railroad taxation by the city authorl-
ties This subject was brought up by a
motion from Mr. Lobeck providing that the
board should summon certain officers of
the different railroads as witnesses in the
hearing of the railroad cases to be heard
this morning. The officers named were
James G. Taylor, auditor OF the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy road; S, G. Strickland,
division superintendent OF the Chicago, st.
Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha; Erastus Young,
auditor, and John b. Barry. chief engineer,
of the Union Pacific road. Mr. Lobeck pre-
sented typewriLten forms of summonses
for each of these gentlemen notifying them
of the information expected from them by
the board. For instance, Mr.. Taylor was
requested 20 be prepared to inform the
board as to the number of miles of the
terminals of his road in Omaha the gross
earnings OF the terminals for 1901 and
1902, and the cost of operating the termi-
mails for the same years.
LObeck's Motion Prevails.
Mr. Hasoall objected to Mr.. Lobeck's s
plan, first on the ground that the board
would not need any information as to
the value OF railroad properties until 1t
had first settled the question OF its jurls-
diction to tax the railroads. This objec-
tion did not appear to impress the other
members, who thought It would be well
TO have witnesses at hand when the ques-
tion of Jurisdiction had been disposed OF.
This presupposed a different determination
OF that point from what Mr.. Hascall de-
sired and ne entered upon argument Of the
question OF jurisdiction, arguing that the
city nor its officers have no right TO as
sess the property of railroads otherwise
than at the amounts fixed by the State
Board OF Equalization. Al the close Of his
argument a vote was taken on Mr.. Lobeck 8
motion to summon the railroad officers
named and IL carried by vote of TO g.
Couneilmen Lobeck, Trostler and Mount
voting in the Affirmative and Messrs. Has
call and Whitehorn in the negative.
The Chicago, Burlington e. Quincy road
filed a formal protest against the jurisdic-
tion Of the city officers and the Boards OF
Review and Equalization to assess its prop
erty for taxation. This protest was sim
liar to that filed by this company before
the Board of Review and those already
fled with this board by other railroad COM
panies.
The assessment OF the Dellone hote
property was reduced from $4,000 to sl2. .OOC
on the real estate and from $50, 900 to $45, ,OOC
on the building
Lots Under Water Now.
J. II. Dumont came before the board L
call attention to a number of lots lyinl
east of Riverview park which had beer
assessed on presumption of the same phys
zeal conditions as last year. but which hav,
plncc ludN Nllnt Dteu greatly CuduBeu Dl
the action OF the river. In fact, forty-foul
OF the lots owned by W. e. Clark anC
others have been, as was shown by a re-
cent plat Of the city engineers Office. paTtl!
washed away. Each OF the lots was con
sidered separately by the board and tn,
aggregate assessment on the forty -four lott
was reduced from 1920 to S21s.
George ID. Patterson, western manager o
the Pacific Express company, appeared OF
behalf Of that company in response to ,
citation 20 show cause why its assessment
should not be raised from Sis 500 {,
$500 OOO Mr., Patterson presented befor,
the Board Of Equalization the same type
written statement OF the affairs OF hi
company as he had before the Board OF Re
view. and practically the same oral argu
ment as he made to that body. The statu
OF the company and its earnings In tn