Omaha daily bee., 1906-06-28
BOARD BOOSTS ASSESSMENTS
EquAliseu Advance the Valuations on
Private and Public Corporations.
HALF MILLION FOR STREET RAILWAY
Gas Company, Packers, Wholesale and
Retail Merchants, Grain Dealers
and manufacturers Raised
over Last Year.

Valuation OF personal property scooted
skyward at dizzy rate of speed Wednes-
day morning when the County Board Of
Equalization waded into the returns OF
the larger corporations and business
houses. Increases OF from Is per cent
over last year were made in practically
every case brought before the board.
The valuation OF the Omaha & Council
BUNS Street Railway company was raised
from S5oO,OOO last year to an even S6OOO,OOO
on motion of Mr.. Ure. Bruning, Kennard
and Trainor voting no. Representatives
Of the company who were before the board
several days ago intimated they would
accept a raise Of $4,000 over last year.
Assessor Reed declared the company had
put in about two miles Of track and
majority Of the board decided boost OF
$4,000 would not be 70 much. The protest
Of the company against the assessment OF
the west half Of the Missouri river bridge
at $4,000 was dismissed. This is the
figure 1t was valued at last year. Mr..
Kennard also voted no on the dismissal
of the protest
Gas Company Goes mp.
on motion Of Mr. Solomon the Omaha Gas
company was raised from ss.125.00O to So
10000 on the basis of a ~ per cent in
crease in earnings. The percentage Of
increase was taken from letter by the
president OF the Consolidated Gas I'M
provers association which owns an in
terest in the company. The letter stated
the average increase In earnings was u
per cent MIR Kennard also voted no on
Mr. -solomons motion.
The only fight among the members Of
the board was on the assessment Of Allen
Bros. The board had increased the valua-
lions Of Paxton & Gallagher from $4,000
TO $4,000 and the McCord- Brady company
from S237, 500 to S325 600. Mr. Kennard then
moved that Allen Bros. be placed at s25O.OOo
Afterward, when Mr.. Solomon moved as a
substitute to make It $4,000. Mr.. Ken
nard amended his own motion to make 1t
S275000. He made somewhat heated
speech. in which he declared this firm
was being assessed at a higher rate than
any other mercantile house in the city.
Mr.. Reed said he had been unable to get
at the books Of the firm TO see whether
the figures were too high or not. and Mr..
Kennard responded by accusing the as
SCISSOR of fixing" a number of firms by
high assessments. When Mr.. Solomon
motion was put, Brlning and Kennard
voted no. the other members of the board
favorinE It.
After this incident Mr.. Kennard voted nc
on every motion put before the board, In
GLIDING the motions fixing the assessments
Of the street railway and gas companies.
Packers Get Boosts.
The board doled out substantial increase;
tSreu of the larger South Omaha packing
house. the figures being as follows: Ar
mour & Co. last year, $4,000; this year
$4,000 Swift and Company, last year
$4,000; this year. $500, OOO Cudahy Packing
company. last year. s625,OOO; this year, 500.
900. Omaha Packing company. last year
$265,OO0; this year. 100000
Tie following are the increases in per-
sonal valuations over last year of some OF
the larger Omaha firms acted on wednes-
day by the board:
on u. Smith & Coz from $S25O0 to 800, 900;
Hayden BF6s from s275.0OO to $4,000 ]. l.
Brandeis & Sons. from s2500O0 to $4,000
+. p. KirkendalI & Co., from $l34.OOO to $780,
COO; Updike Grain company, from ,175 &c
$4,000; International Rubber company
from $4,000 to $ll5,O0O; Omaha Rubber Shoe
company. from $4,000 TO $4,000: j. II
Hainey 8 Co., from $4,000 to $4,000; Won.
mer Clothing company. from $4,000 to 800.
600; United States Supply company. from
$4,000 10 $775OO.
The Willow Springs Distlllery company
was placed at S47.50O and Her & Co., the
distributing department, at S426O0, which
are approximately last years figures.