Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-18
Railroad Tax I'm Buffalo.

Of The Bee: There has been so much Of
fered pro and con on the railroad tax ques-
ton that l concluded TO go into the records
OF the case in Buffalo county, and ] sub
init to you for publication the results of my
work II you wish to publish same. The fol-
lowing figures are taken from the tax lists
for 1903. 1904 and 1905, and arc correct. The
comparison Of each year is with 1903:
UNION PACIFIC AND BRANCHES.
Inf pssfsa 9r Amount In 6ssrsa ss
Valuation. over 1893. Tax. over 1903.
i issi Il i:sS ; s Is LIZ
p. & NJ. MAIN LINE. AND 9: l. & W. c.
OR BILLINGS LINE.
is 81 s. 5i:sS Ii :
-. REAL ESTATE.
ISIS SsiSsisco. 70 z .... .....
REAL AND Personal PROPERTY
,ao, o laT EIs r THAN RAI ,iIs 0aS p
l9ol- l,0lsl64 sl...fl1e q lls666.$s IS2g
1906 1,S7s, 1920. ...fH6 60 lSS,4S9.36 1850
increase. decrease.
The tax lists show the amount of per-
sonal and real estate other than railroads,
together the amount Of tax is for both
personal and real estate.
OF the register of deeds between March
20 and April 10, 1904 found flfty-two war
ranty deeds recorded; in nine of these the
consideration was 800 and they were not
taken into account. The total considera-
ton of the remaining forty-two deeds was
SIS, S51 and the total value OF the property
described in the said forty-three deeds on
the 1904 tax list was 81, 466, which is 20 per
cent OF SS7.330, and almost 80 per cent of
the price for which II had been sold. These
transfers are recorded in Book 10 pages
2Sl TO 302 inclusive. and Book 70, pages
123 to 151 inclusive. Some of these transfers
were made for % to 30 per cent more than
the value returned for taxable purposes,
while others were transferred for as much
less
1t seems very unfair for the railroads
| to be allowed to pick out a few pieces
of land here and there, and also land
! that has been recently sold, for comparison.
I They should have to confne themselves 10
land sold very nearly April l. 1904. and they
should go as much before April l as they
/ are allowed to after that time. In the
! comparison of values you will notice while
! the increase of the Union Pacific for 1904
! was 64.34 per cent ard the Is. & NJ GOA per
! cent. the real estate increased g. per cent
! and the personal property, other than rail-
roads, increased 116 per cent and in 1905 the
Union Pacific was further increased to rs
per cent and real estate to 70 per cent
Our personal was increased to the enor-
nous amount of 276 per cent.
Again while the amount of the Union
Pachos tax for 1894 WAS reduced "a pei
cent and the B. & NJ. 10 per cent, all other
property was taxed 80 per cent more, and
in 1906 the Union Pacific was increased o.;
percent. the Burlington only II per cent
all other property was increased 52.6 pei
cent Our increase in taxes this year /:
caused by the increase in the state levy
and a very large amount having to bt
expended for bridges on account of the ic'
taking out so many last spring, but 25 oil
20 per cent of the increase could have beer
avoided If the railroads had paid theii
taxes From the feeling that is prevailing
in this vicinity. the railroads are making a
serious mistake and IL the same spirit pre-
walls over the state there will be few
officials or legislators with railroad
affiliation elected for years to come.
z. 7. BOWKER.