Omaha daily bee., 1905-06-24
STATE BOARD CALLS CITY
Asks for Facts to substantiste Statements
Regarding Railway Assessment
UNION PACIFIC ONLY ONE WITHIN REACH
Mileage in state is All within the
City and showing VIII he Made
as 10 the value of Com
paBy's Property.
UNION PACIFIC ONLY ONE WITHIN REACH

1t is now up to Council Bluffs to demon
strate TO the state executive council by
facts that the property Of the Union Pa
Cifc railroad is not sufficiently assessed and
that while the assessment has been ma
terially lowered in the last FIVE years the
value Of the property has not decreased.
A. H. Dawson, secretary of the executive
council has written, acknowledging receipt
Of the copy of the resolution relative to
the assessment Of railroads in this city
passed by the city council at it's last reg
ulhr meeting. In his communication Secre-
tary Da'-ison says as follows:
Permit me to suggest that your people
who are willing to declare these matters in
resolution form, prepare a statement Of
Facts which would support the conclusion
and present the same to the executive
council ] have no doubt your people, at
least many Of them, have gotten the i'm
preston that the statements Of the resolu-
tlon are substantially correct. The eXeCu-
tive council, however, Will be confronted by
the statute II exists when II comes to
the distribution Of the values of railway
property and while there may be a very
much larger value Of railway property in
Council Bluffs than is reported by the as
sessment certified through your city, the
law makes II impossible TO change the as
sessment except by increasing the assess
ment elsewhere as well as in Council Bluffs
Facts supporting your contention relative
to the value Of the Union Pacific in Coun-
ell Bluffs would be gladly received by the
executive council. The representations to
the executive council during the past years
have been directly opposite TO your con-
tentions, and in order to raise the valua-
ton, something tangible, no doubt, should
be presented to the executive council on
which to base the same. The resolution as
II is presented, unsupported by facts, would
not warrant change in valuations OF
property, and / call YOUR attention to the
matter al this time in order that you may
not complain, but may fortify yourself
with facts TO present 10 the executive coun-
Gil.
While the city officials realize that to
change the assessment Of the railroads
whose mileage extends outside the city
under the present system Of assessment
cannot be accomplished they CLEAN a ray
OF hope from Mr.. Davison's letter that il
may be possible TO show to the executive
council that the property Of the Union
Pacific whose mileage is entirely within
the city, should be assessed at its former
valuation in view Of the contention thai
the value of its property has not decreased
in the last FIVE years.
City Sends Reply.
The following reply was sent yesterday
to Secretary Dawson:
We are well aware that the executive
council does not make, neither can II
change the existing laws relative 10 the
mode Of railway assessment which we
know is unjust TO terminals for instance
the Mason City g. Fort Dodge railway pur-
chased it's right-of-way in this city at an
expense of more than 500. 600 for private
property and then expended over SlOO,OOO
and today the taxable value OF its property
is So A similar condition exists with
the Dubuque-Sioux City railway Clllinoif
CentraD
We do not expect relief from this unjust
law at this time, and know that an In
crease to us would make corresponding
increase of assessment elsewhere, excepting
such roads whose mileage is entirely within
our city as is the case with the Unior
Pacific.
Inasmuch as the assessment Of the rail.
roads Is entirely taken from us locally II
is difficult for us to furnish facts support
ing our contentious without data TO work
upon, such is furnished the executive
council by the different roads. However
we do know that five years ago the UnioT
Pacific was assessed at $3.50 900 per mile
and now at only $4,000, and we do moi
believe that there has been an actual de-
crease In value. If you will furnish Ut
| Of the last statement of the Union Pacthc
as required TO be furnished by section 1888
I of the code, we will endeavor to suppor
! our contention with facts or prove 10 our
| selves that we are wrong.
Mayor Macrae announced last evening
| that he would call special meeting OF thu
city council to consider this matter and {
J special committee will probably be ap
| pointed TO take up the matter and secur'
! the necessary data on which TO make
| showing before the executive council. !
! is likely that the assistance of the Com
mercial club in the matter will be asked.