East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-11-21
RAILROADS FIGHT
HIGHER VALUES
COMPANIES OPPOSE
MULTNOMAH ASSESSMENT
o. II. & n, Northern Pacific and
Southern Pacific Are All Opposed
10 Values Placed on Their Proper
tlcs-O. II. & n. Says Its Line Can
Rebuilt for $4,000 Per Mile.

IlISt raised TdllTOdu dSSesSHltHtS III
Oregon, the people of the county are
interested in the present fight in
Multnomah county to have the rail-
road valuations reduced.
A Portland paper says of the mat
ter:
That strict economy on the part of
/ the various boards would reduce next
years tax levy to 13 mills, or
miles less than was levied last jan
uary. is the opinion of County AS
SCISSOR Sigler. The county board of
equalization yesterday afternoon COM
pleted its hearings of complaints of
/ the assessments. While the minutes
of the board have not yet been writ
ten up. it is estimated that the total
reductions allowed by the board do
not exceed 100000. q
The total assessment leyied by AS
SCISSOR Sigler was, in round numbers,
$232,500,000. Subtracting the esti-
mate of reductions allowed by the
equalizers $232,000,OO0 remain on
which to levy the taxes. On this val
uation a levy of 1S mills would pro-
duce a levy of 13 mills would produce
a revenue of $3.O16,OOO which is
more money than the 16-mill levy OF
last January produced. On a total
assessed valuation Of $1S2, 1865, 900 the
16-mill levy yielded $2,9272SO in
taxes /!
The Port OF Portland is the only
body that has fixed the levy for next
January, naming 1.2 mills. The city.
county. state and school levies are
yet to be fixed. Assessor Sigler said
that he believes If the various boards
exercise strict economy in making
their levies a tax of 13 mills will 'suf-
flee for all expenses for the coming
year,
The board of equalization on We'd
nesday afternoon sustained Assessor
Sigler's figures against vigorous OBJ
jections by the railroad companies,
Pacific Telephone & Telegraph COM
pany and other companies. Attor-
neys A. C. Spencer and w. d. Fenton,
Right of Way Agent J. w. Morrow,
Engineer j. B. Pope and Auditor
Ralph Blaisdell appeared before the
equalzers yesterday afternoon to
urge the complaint of the o. r. G. ~
and Southern Pacific. Tax Commits
sioner Jay Sedgwick, of Tacoma ap-
peared for the Northern Pacific and
Attorney C. H. Carey for the Tele-
phone company.
Testimony was introduced in sup
port of the o. r. & Ms contention
that the assessment of $44 900 a mile
on tracks and right of way should
be reduced to $4,000 a mile. The
Southern Pacific asked a reduction of
the assessment Of 100000 a mile to
$20,e00 a mile.
Engineer Pope testified that the
lines of the o. r. & N. could be re-
produced for s25,O0 a mile, and cited
the estimates of II. p. Gillette, ex-
pert for the Washington Railroad
| commission, that the o. r. & n. line
in Washington could be reproduced
for 100000 to $4,000 a mile.
Auditor Blaisdell testified that the
surplus of the o. r. & N, last year
was 25.000,0O0 and that this money
had been used for the construction
of various extensions in the north
west. After the money was expend-
ed. he said, it was carried as an ac-
count against the Union Pacific rail-
road, which is the hub Of the system.
| The amounts expended In this way
aggregated about $4,000 900, said
the auditor. This testimony was Of
fered to avoid an assessment of $16.-
100000 on money.
| The auditor said also that about
$1,000,000 of surplus had been sent
by the New York office for land and
that these purchases were not shown
on the o. r. &. N. books here because
sometimes they do not want us to
know too much about these things"
Right Of Way Agent Morrow testl-
fled that the Southern Petite right
Of way in this county is very narrow,
and that the assessment levied on It
is too high. He objected also to
the assessment on the acreage in this
county held by the Southern Pacific
under the congressional grants to the
old Oregon g. California road.
Attorney Fenton argued that the
threatened suit Of the United States
to force the sale Of the lands at $3.50
an acre should be taken into account
in taxing It. Attorney Spencer ar
gued that taxes are being paid else
where by the o. r. & N. on the
property purchased with the surplus,
and that no assessment on that ac-
count should be levied in this coun-
ty.
For the Pacific Telephone & Tele-
graph Company Attorney Carey op-
posed the assessment Of $250000 for
franchise. He said that in view OF
the per cent tax levied by the ini-
tiated act Of 1906 the assessment of
the franchise means double taxation.
The same objection was urged by the
company last year, but It was over
ruled and the company paid the tax
es.
After the hearing the board of
equalization denied the petition of the
various companies. sustaining the
assessors estimated valuations in
nearly every instance. The half mill
lion Of reductions allowed by the
board is made up mostly OF small
sums.
TO HEAR NOTED SPEAKERS.
Great Gathering Of Christian Workers