Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-03-26
PREPARE FOR ASSESSMENT
Reports Of the Various Railroad Companies
Due the First Of April.
8OARO uEELY TO sEE SOME NLw uGHT
valuation of Terminals, Elevators ON
Right-of-wsy and JuEEIery of
Main snd Branch Lines being
Looked Into.
CFror stan correspondentJ

tFrom a stan Correspondent
LINCOLN. March 25.-(special.)-April
Is IL the time dTed by law when all rail-
roads doing business IN the state must
Tile with the secretary Of the State Board
Of Assessment the valuation Of their prop
erty as q basis for assessment.
Considerable interest is attached to the
meeting OF the state Board Of Assessment
this year aud 1t may be possible this
board win establish another precedent i'm
the matter OF railroad assessment. For
many years the railroad agents who have
preached 10 the members OF the board and
confused them with figures and arguments
have created the erroneous sentiment
throughout the state and especially the
western portion OF the state. that the
value OF the railroad terminals is scattered
over the entire system OF the railroads in
Nebraska.
Members of the State Board OF Assess
ment have begun to realize this is not
true and they have begun to realize the
people out in the state know the alleged
distribution is delusion and snare.
The present Board Of Assessment likely
will be called TO give a reason why the
railroads can select certain portions OF
their lines and call them main line and
4 few feet down the track change the
name 10 HoIlG 0liloE EoIpNIdNlOu anu luuS
get a low valuation placed on the long
stretch OF track and the main line which
is the main line only in name and not in
fact and which is Of short length comes
in for the high valuation This has been
done always since there has been a State
Board of Assessment
The board may also be called upon TO
take a stand on the width OF the right-of-
way OF a railroad company, which now
seems to vary according to the location OF
property near the tracks. It is asserted
elevators and other buildings which should
DE assessed locally are lauped in as being
ON the right-of-way. and therefore como
under the jurisdiction Of the state board
for valuation.
The State Board OF Assessment this year
is composed of the same members as last
year, Governor Mickey Treasurer Morten-
sen, Auditor Searle, Secretary of State
Galusha and Land Commissioner Eaton.
Governor Mickey and Treasurer Mortensen
have served on state assessments boards
On three former occasions, but last year is
the first time the other three members had
anything TO do with the valuation OF a
railroad.
Testimony In Tax Cases.
Beginning tomorrow or Tuesday, Attorney
General Brown will take testimony in tho
railroad tax suits Instituted by the Union
Pacific and the Burlington TO resist the
collection Of their 1905 taxes. The hearings
will be held In the senate chamber at the
state house. Just how many witnesses
will be examined at this sitting has not
yet been decided upon, though all the Nom.
bers OF the Board of Assessment will ties
tify. This hearing had been set to begir
Friday, but owing TO the funeral OF Gen.
cral John NJ. Thayer 1t was postponed. Tn,
testimony VIII be taken before Special Eek
amifer ,.ds.es e. Pcarsall OF Omaha.
Nfnhue TO Have ArmOry.
\ r.s.. ..as been received from Wilbur
recen,. et2. t5p effori Of the Nationa
Guard cCm1 dny stationed there to raise
mone,' iCr tla erection Of an amory il
meeting with success. II is unlikely TIA,
Grand Army OF the Republic will partci
pate in the erection OF this armory. TIL,
report states 5000 has been promised by
the BUSINESS men and q lot has been do
mated. II is the hope OF the young mer
TO raise S2,OcO more. which viii be suficien
TO pay for the building Reports from
other towns in the state are to the effec
that much Interest ia being created for tn,
erection OF armories and 1t will not be lonl
until all the companies OF the guard anC
all the Grand Army or the Republic post
will be housed in Comfortable quarters.
% r-
Harlan VIII Bring Home sons Body
SEATTLE, Wash, March 25.-(Specal, y
on one Of the next steamers arriving from
Valdez the body Of Edward Harlan, sol
Of n. ". Harlan, United States attorne,
for the Third district of Alaska is ox
peeted to arrive. He was % years old
j. J. carander and F. N. Woodruff mem
beers of the Arctic brotherhood, have beef
notified and will make local arrangements
The remains will be sent to York. Neb.
for burial. IL Is expected that Judg,
Harlan will accompany the body