The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-12
Will Get Evidence to Show Roads
Are Not Properly Taxed.
Kansas City, Kan, Assessor to
Photograph Improvements.
SPECIAL HEARING.
Companies Schedule Their Prop
erty at Small Valuation.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Kansas City. Kan. March IA
Joseph Hoffman, the city assessor of
Kansas City, Kan, has a surprise in
store for the state board OF railroad
assessors in Topeka. The first clear
day that rolls along Mr.. Hoffman is
going to take pictures of all the inn
portant buildings. machinery and ter
minal improvements of the many rail-
roads in Kansas City. Kan. He Will
take these pictures before the railroad
assessors and demand that the board
assess the railroads in Justice to Wyan-
dotte county.
Mr.. Hoffman has arranged with Gov
ernor Hoch for special hearing on
the railroad assessment, he says, and
will ask the governor to go with him
before the railroad assessors and make
talk for full penalties. Mr.. Hoff-
mans scheme to take photographs of
the railroad property is a new one and
will be the first time such a. thing has
been done in Kansas.
'sThe laws of the state of Kansas
make it a duty of the board of railroad
assessors to view the property of the
railroads themselves and assess accord
ing to the real value of the improve
ments" said Mr.. Hoffman yesterday
DuL QO6S the DOdEQ COIIl6 GOWN 10
Kansas City, Kan, and make a per-
sonal investigation of the railroad
property? Not much. The railroads
file with the board list of buildings,
and the supposed value of the improve
ments. They fix these values Them
selves, on their own property, and, if
someone does not go before the rail-
road assessors and kick, the railroads
terms are accepted.
w. r. Stubbs, speaker of the last
! legislature. says that the railroads in
Kansas are taxed on about 10 per cent
of their value. He Is about right. We
have been investigating this thing very
carefully. and have found railroad car
! shops. worth $1,000 or $4,000, assessed
at 1925 and $500. Think of it,
The Union Pacific railroad turned in its
list of property, and failed to schedule
| twenty acres it had outside of its right
Of-Way. I made a kick and State Auditor
( Wells sent an expert surveyor down here
/ TO investigate He found my figures right.
Now I want the board to send an ex-
pert on buildings and machinery to Kan
( sas City, Kan so We can get what is
/ coming to US from the railroads. The rail
/ roads running through Wyandotte county
with all their great terminals, shops anc
/ machinery pay only Sl0O,OOO year taxes
The state gets 10 per cent of this and the
rest goes to the county, school districts
and the city. ras
Mr.. Hoffman Is considered one Of tn,
most expert tax mem In Kansas and hal
made many fghts for eWyandotte county
ed by Mayor Rose and the council to lool
over the city and equalize the assessment
on all kinds Of property Hoffman is
! Democrat; Woodcock is a Republican
Hoffman was later appointed city assess
or and Mr.. WoodcOck is his chief deputy
SO politics can not creep into the assess
ment very strong. They went over all tn
city and now are making a review. The
have reviewed all the city except tina
part west Of Tenth street and Armour
dale. 1t will take all of this week to fin
ish the general review
They have been attending only to tn
IreSidences and small property. Next the,
will take up the factories, the banks AM
the railroads.
MI Hoffman says he will make none o
the important assessments unless Mr.
WoodcOck is with him and concurs
THE big fellows have been enjoyinj
special privileges for a long time" sal
Mr.. Hoffman yesterday, now let the littI
ones have their inning. Many people hav
complained here about having hard tim
selling property on account of the higl
taxes on residences. I intend to see tina
the general taxes on the small owner di
minish and let the big fellow pay VIVA
he should have been paying all the time