Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-05
STATE HOUSE.
Important Changes in the
State Tax Law.
The Agricultural Departments Quar-
terIy Bulletin Out.
Corporation Business for the Past
Quarter-New Corporations. \

An important meeting of the State
board of assessors will be held today.
At this meeting the board will commit
the taxes upon the railroad and insur-
ance companies doing business in
Maine to the State treasurer for collec-
ton. While for many years past the
board has assessed the railroad tax,
this is the first time that it has assessed
that upon the insurance companies. In
the past this tax has been assessed by
the State treasurer, or, rather, by the
insurance department for him. The
change comes about as a result of the
revision Of the statutes which became
| effective on the inst of the present
year. In that revision the provision is
made that the State board of assessors
| shall assess the insurance company tax,
| as we'll as all other public taxes.
Another change which the revision of
| the statutes made in the insurance
| laws will have a marked effect upon
the amount of taxable property in the
State and is already causing more Or
less discussion among the assessors of
the cities and towns of the State. In
the past the law has provided that
every family was entitled to have musi-
cal Instruments to the value of So
without a tax being levied upon them.
The commissioners for the revision of
the statutes changed this by making
the limit $50, an increase of $35. This
is Il change which has long been
favored by the State board, and fire.
qUently recommended by them. as they
thought that SIS was too low an
amount.
This change will make a difference of
many thousand dollars in the taxa BILE
property of the State, as above stated,
and many of the local assessors are
writing to the State board to inquire if
the copies of the law which they have
received are correct, or if there is
misprint.
The capitalization of the new cor
porations organized in Maine for the
| first quarter of the present year
| amounts to s15.960. Capital stock of
| existing companies has been increased
$3.50 in that time. OF the amount Of
tax upon corporation franchises due in
September there has been received
$3.50 during the quarter.
|
| amount of new capitalization was ST.
4S5 and in 1902 it was $16,63O. showing a
| falling off this year of s675 from 1902
and $11,J2J from 1903.
| On Saturday Fish and Game Com
missioner Carleton addressed the Frye
burg Grange on the subject of fish and
game. There was Il large audience
present and much interest was shown
| il the address.
The quarterly bulletin Of the depart
rncnt of agriculture for March has been
| issued and contains 4 great deal of
| valuable information on the garden and
| tn" orchard, to which it is devoted.
| Among the very readable contributions
to the number are orchard notes by w.
| VI. MunSon. hortculturist of the expert
mcnt station ut OrOnO. There is the
| usual summary of conditions from all
| tn" counties in the state. Those for
| kcnncb"c and Somerset counties fol-
l"W. together with the general summary
! for the State.
| Kcnnchcc County.-Condition of
dairy stock, 100 per cent. some in
| crease il the number of young stock is
reported by most correspondents
Amount of stock fodder on hand, %
per cent. Probable acreage of sweet
corn so per cent. The acreage of small
grains will be fully as large as usual
The potato crop will be quite genera
lally increased, in some localities to L
considerable extent A little incrcls
i'm orchard acreage is reported. Local
market prices: butter. - cents; eggs,
|
Somerset Count y:-COndtion of dairy
stock. % per cont. But little increase
in young stock is noted. Amount IF
stock fodder on hand. 81 per cent.
| PrpIa BILE acreage Of sweet corn 50 per
cent I'm most sections the crop of small
grains will not be increased to any cX-
tent. Probable increase in the potato
crop. II per cent. In most parts the
urChard acreage is being slowly in
creased Local market prices: butte,
- cents. eggs, % cents, potatoes, 80
cents.
| General Average for the State: -
Condition of dairy stock rs compared
with Inst wear. 9S per cent. A slight
increase. in the number of young stock
is reported from several counties.
Amount of stock fodder on hand as
compared with average, 90 per cent.
Probable acreage OF sweet corn, ~ per
cent About the usual acreage of small
grains will be planted in most sections.
Probable, increase in the acreage of
POTATOES planted the coming season.
l. per cent. Reports from the
majority Of counties indicate that the
farmers arc Increasing their orchard
larrclgc to SCmc extent. Local market
IpricCs: butter. - cents: eggs, % cents;
potatoes. IL cents: cows. SO.