Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-09
NEW ASSESSMENT PROBLEM
Nebraska City Wants to Assess Combined
Railroad and WAGON Bridge.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TO TACKLE QUESTION
Members of state Board busy study
Ing u on the Valuation of stocks
and Bonds Of the various
Comps MES.
FROM a stan Correspondent


LINCOLN, May St Special THE
county assessor Of otoe county wants to
assess the west half of the Burlington
bridge across the Missouri river at Ne
braska City, on the ground that is is OPP
Grated as both railroad and a wagon
bridge and collects toll. He has asked
the State Board of Assessment for a rul-
ing on the matter and II has been re-
ferred to the legal department of the
state.
The assessor bases his opinion on sec
ton 1O442. Cobbey's statutes 1903. which
reads as follows:
All toll bridges shall be listed in the
county, township, precinct, city village
located in two counties, townships, pre-
cincts, cities, villages or school districts,
then one-half in each.
The assessor wrote the board that the
assessor IN Fremont county, Iowa, across
the river from Nebraska, has assessed his
half Of the bridge locally, but the rail-
road refused to pay the taxes and the
same now stand delinquent.
The railroad has returned this bridge
TO the State Board of Assessment Of Mo-
braska as a part of its right-of-way to
be assessed by the board This is the
first time this question has been called
to the attention of the board. Recently
in case before the supreme court from
Richardson county the court held the
local assessing authorities had no right
to assess the railroad bridge at Ruln.
This bridge. however, is used exclusively
by the railroad company, while at Me-
braska City the bridge is used as a rail
road and wagon bridge combined and
tolls arc charged for the transportation
Of wagons. animals and people.
Because Governor Mickey was busy well
coming the Knights of Pythias to Lincoln
the board was half an hour late in meet
ing. The three members present, Galusha,
Mortensen and Eaton, organized by the
selection of Eaton as chairman pro TEN.
The governor reached his office after Sec
rotary Bennett had read the communics-
tion from the assessor of Otoe county and
it had been referred to the attorney gen
eral
studying Railroad values.
The board spent the day studying the
stocks and bonds of the Union Pacific and
preparing itself for the onslaught of r.
j. Clancy next Tuesday. Mr. Mortenseu
has already figured out what he considers
a fair valuation OF all the roads and he
has submitted his figures to the other menu
bers u tho board and they may play quite
a par In the final conclusions Of the board.
The board has finally discovered the law
which govern the making of reports BY
the railroads contains much that is not
only necessary. but which is calculated to
confuse. That which could easly be dis
carded with profit is the section calling
afcr u report Of the number of ties, the
weight of the rails and the location OF
every tool house and outbuildng on the
various lines in the state. This causes
much work in tsbulating and assists the
board very little, II any. II is believed by
a least orc member of the board this part
of the law was put in the original bill by
the railroads merely to confuse the board
members with lot of statistics on physi-
cal property in order to keep their minds
Off or tho stocks and bonds and the earn
irss cf the system.
whic tho board members have not dug
deep enough into the returns to give any
idea of what they will do, It would not
create much surprise II the Union Pacific
ard the Northwestern should get a ma
terlli boost while there is a little DISPOSE
ton on the part of-so members to either
keep the BUrjir ten where it is or re-
ducc Il.
Norfolk Asylum OmcInIs Removed.
Superintendent j. l.. Alden and Assistant
Superintendent Or. Nicholson OF the Nor
folk asylum we're removed today by Gov
ernor Mickey and their places were filled
by the appointment of DR.. John T Hayes
and d. Young. both assistants at the
Lincoln asylum
The removal Of the two officers at Nor
folk IL the md OF long quarrel between
the employees at the institution, which has
been going on ever since the hospital was
rebuilt Several charges of brutal treat
Inent OF inmates were made and Governor
Mickey, after a thorough investiga ton,
concluded the two men did not possess
sufficient executive ability for the positions.
4 notice Of the action of the governor
was mailed to each Of the men tonight.
cooperative Ice Company.
The Ice trust Of Lincoln. which has placed
the price OF ice higher by 100 per cent than
in any Of the surrounding cities and towns,
Ia going TO have competition in a co-opera-
tive ice company. which is now being or
ganized. F.. G. Maggi started out this
morning with paper to get people to
subscribe stock for a new company to
operate on the cooperative basis and In
less than a few hours he had sold over
81 500 worth of stock, every man he called
upon taking a few shares at $40 each. II
is the intention of those interested to sell
about $4,000 worth of stock and get ar
ice plant in running order along in tn,
first part of July. When the ice companies
announced 100 per cent increase In ice a
mighty howl went up all over town, bu
the wall failed TO touch the icy hearts o.
the dealers and the people began to ge
ready to pay the price. Now comes thu
Ice trust buster with prospects of doinI
q good business.
X. OF T.. Grand Lodge,
The grand lodge Of the Knights of Pythiai
opened up here this morning with knights
TO the number Of over 200 from all parts OF
the state In attendance. The meetings arr
being held in representative hall and vii
continue until tomorrow night. GeOrg'
Magney Of Omaha. grand chancellor, re
sponded to the welcome address of Cover
nor Mickey Both Senator Young and Judgt
Boyd. who are trying TO succeed Congress
man Mccarthy, are here, but both are re