The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-23

| Kan Nat. G. Co. S1S.439 1.951.3SS %. 81.
Total increase -............--..-..$1,66s, 50-
This shows that the pipe line prop
erty in the state of Kansas has in
creased about so per cent in value
| during the year.
Part Of this increase is due TO the
construction of new pipe lines and the
edition of new property. and part is
due to the arbitrary increase made by
the state board of assessors. he
Kansas Natural Gas company and the
Wichita Natural Gas company 20 per
cent over the amounts returned by
those companies, and increased the
value of the Standard Oil property 80
per cent over the reported valuation,
except on oil and land valuations,
which. were allowed to stand at ST.
100000 as returned.
The Kansas Natural Gas company
is the concern which owns the pipe
line from southern Kansas to Topeka,
Kansas City and other points in this
part of the state. 1t placed the
value of its property this year at
$S76,3S9. and the state board slapped
SITS. 900 on top Of this. The Wichita
Natural Gas company owns the pipe
line which runs west from the gas
fields. and the increase ordered by the
board amounts to $4,000.
The increase ordered by the board
in the Standard Oil assessment
amounted to $5S3,00O. and the COM
pany itself voluntarily increased its
valuation about half a million
Hunting for Railroad Material.
This morning the state board Of rail-
road assessors has been engaged in
search for lost and strayed material be-
longing to the Santa Fe railway.
In this search the board has been as
sisted by N NJ Rice. chief storekeeper
-, T. fV.lr
Chicago to San Francisco. Mr.. Rice
was on the witness stand for more than
an hour. and this afternoon the board
is planning to go down to the Santa Fe
storehouSe for the purpose of contin-
uing the Investigations.
What the board of railroad assessors
wanted to find out was how the valua-
ton was fixed on the material in the
possession of the road Mr. Rice has
charge of all the building material, ma
terial used in the shops. and stationery
for the entire line. He made report
to Tax Commissioner Cartilage of the
Santa Fe showing how much he consid-
cred all this material worth
rs this the invoice value which you
reported to Mr. Cartlidge?" was asked
NO. this is what I consider fair
valuation on the property. 1t is what
1 thought the material ought to bring
if put on sale. 1t is good liberal
value
@.Can you give US the invoice value of
all your material on hand on March r.
II can by going to our books"
At first the board decided to order Mr..
Rice to bring the books to the state
house. and present the figures, but sub
seouently decided that it would be cas-
Ter for the board to go to see the books.
and also to take a look at Mr. Rice's
department
Spotted Some Unlisted Rails.
When the board of railroad assessors
was in Newton a few days ago, they
found that there were few acres OF
steel rails scattered around there Ihes
asked Mr.. Rice about it,
There are no rails there" said Mr..
Rice promptly.
but the board was there few
days ago, and saw them. SAID Lieu
tenant Governor Fitzgerald
81 was there Sunday, and 1 know
there are none there to amount to any
thing" insisted Mr. Rice.
well, what's become of them
1--WE have a rail saw there at New
shipped in there from all parts of the
system to be sawed up They should
not be taxable in Kansas, and of
course I don't count those"
well, why didn't you make that
explanation. instead of trying to tell
US that there are no rails there?" said
Mr.. Fitzgerald, somewhat hotly.
Mr.. Rice was then obliged to admit
that if there na0 Deen rails there Oh
March l. they would have been prop
erly taxable in Kansas, and that if
there were rails there at that time, !
they had not been returned to the |
state board for assessment.
COntroverts Cartridges Figures.
Lieutenant Governor Fitzgerald has |
fixed up some figures which indicate
that Tax Commissioner Cartilage was /
mistaken few days ago when he in |
formed the board that even at the 1908 /
rate, the natural increase in the value /
IF Santa Fe property is about $780, |
BOO over last year Mr. Fitzgerald's /
estimates prepared from the Santa Fe 7
returns show that the increase is only !
s270.715.
ION its whole system said Mr..
FITZGERALD 1.-THE Santa Fe has ex-
pended about $s,00O.00O in improve
nents during the past year and Kan
;as should certainly be credited with /
/ fourth of that. or s2.OOO.0O0- The
Santa Fe should report at least that
much increase in its valuation"
The following is Mr.. Fitzgerald's es-
innate on the increase on the Santa
Re as shown by it's own figures:
Siding and turnoutsl. IS. Gs5 81. 25s sq5 100
$3.50. 676.S30 747No0 T0i70 i
Rolling stock $500 . Isl eS5 2.4a6.340 142055
s414s.T7o "a. secs $50 e5
.Faf1 track &. 10 * & coo * : - 55sa