La Junta tribune., 1907-10-05
ABsTRAcT OF ASSESSMENT
Property Valuation Of Of9r0 County In
creased SI,142,8z9 Ov0r Last Year.

towns in Otero county combined.
1t was thought there was going to
to be trouble again with the Santa
Fe in regard to their assessment.
Last year the company made kick
on the assessment of its property and
refused to pay the taxes for 1905
amounting to S29, ,504.52. and a
compromise was finally made by the
payment of S27, ,S43. 40. a reduction
of 81 .66l.12. The company made a
kick again this year and thus far has
not paid any of the taxes for 1906
amounting to S3l, ,s69.2l. The in
terest on the first half, up to
October 1st, amounts to 81. l.593.45.
The Santa Fe had already COM
menced to kick on the assessment for
1907, making the contention that the
railroad property was assessed at a
higher ratio than other property.
In order to show them" dele
CATION Of county officials went to
Denver last week and appeared be-
fore the state board of equalization.
the party including Assessor Ads
mond. County Treasurer Downer,
County Commissioners Fisher and
Harsin and County Attornep Miller.
The delegation was loaded for
bear. also the Santa Fe, with facts
and figures concerning assessed
property valuation in Otero county.
When the Santa Fe tax agent arrived
at the state board meeting to fix
things with that august body, as he
had always beeen accustomed to do,
he was somewhat disconnected when
he saw the Otero county delegation
among those present. County At
torney Miller addressed the board
and showed conclusively from The
records of Otero county that while
the assessed valuation of the Santa
Fe was only twenty-five per cent of
the value admitted by some of its
leading officials the assessed value of
other property was at the rate of
36. "a per cent of its transfer value.
This was ascertained by looking up
the records of ASS recent transfers
of property and comparing the
transfer value with the assessed
value.
The Santa Fe tax agent became
very meek and lowly when he saw
this array of figures. and when AS
SCISSOR Aanaond called his attention
to the fact that the company had
failed to mention the line between
Swink and Shelton in their list Of
property in Otero county. turned
into the state board. the tax agent
begged Mr.. Adsmond not to mention
the fact at the board meeting. but
to quietly assess the property on his
hook and the company would pay it.
The tax agent said that the COM
pany would pay the Otero county
( tax this year. but it is quite prob
able that they will balk on paying
the 81 ,593. As interest charged up to
its account. This year Santa Fe
property in Otero county is assessed
at an average rate of $13,9O0 per
mile. During a two cent mile
rate agitation President Ripley once
claimed that the Santa Fe could not
be reproduced for less than $58. 900
per mile. and in report to the
Interstate Commerce Commission
the mileage Of the road was given
as 8,134.72. and the admitted cost
per mile 355. .223.29 1t will thus be
seen that the assessed valuation in
Otero county Of $13.9O0 per mile is
about twenty-five per cent Of the
admitted cost per mile. while other
propertyin this county is assessed at
the rateyof 1924 per cent Of its.
transfer value.
A table giving an abstract Of the
assessment for the years 1906 and
1907, for comparison. is published
below. Il shows the number and
value Of each item assessed, the in
crease and decrease, and also the
average value for each year. The
comparative table is as follows: