The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-14
TAX FIGURES
NEARLY READY
Commission Will Give Out
Original Assessment
Within a Week.
THE RAISE IS GENERAL
Steam Railroads Will Suffer Increase
as Will Many Other Corpora
tions-No Reductions.
Especial to Lake County Times.)

Indianapolis, May 14.-Within
weeks time the state board of tax
commissioners will give out the fig
ures on the original assessment of the
property of railroads. interurbans, city
street car lines, telephone. telegraph
companies, pipe line and transporta-
tion companies. From these original
assessments the companies will have
the right to appeal. and be heard at
subsequent meeting of the board.
This early some general line may be
obtained on the various classes of
property. No information has been
given out by the board, but certain
facts seem to have developed very au-
thoritatively.
In the first place, it is pretty well
understood that contrary to the first
information, there will be general in
crease in the assessment of the steam
railroads.
The first information was that these
| assessments would be left substantial
ly as they were last year. This was
based on the hard luck stories told
and the fact of the two cent fare.
Then. too, the fact of poor credit for
securities entered in the case.
Usual Hard Luck Stories.
However as the tax board went
along, it delevoped that the hard luck
stories were the usual hard luck
stories, told every year. one year af-
| ter another; that there had been a sub
stantial increase in the earnings of the
roads, the two cent fare to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. In this con-
nection, too, was taken the fact that
/ 10
but. "a short tins during the period
assessed.
And it delevolped. too. that the rail-
roads had no trouble in disposing of
securities and stock Hence there
| Ing an increase.
Another factor: The real estate as
sessment came up again this year. and
it will probably be raised all over the
state. If the real estate is raised the
see why the railroads did not suffer a
look to the railroad assessments for
guidance. And they will probably see
the example of an advance.
Interurbans Kindly Dealt With.
1t Is not thought that the interur-
bans will be hit very hard this year
They have had trouble disposing Of Sc
curities, and from almost every stand
\ point they are still in a semiinfant
stage-half grown. The best impress
sion is that they will not be given any
considerable advance.
Some of the local street car com
panies will not fare quite so we'll. ac-
cording to the general impression. II
several cities of the state the loca
lines will be raised. SO far as is known
there will be no reductions.
There is a great deal of discussion
as to what will happen to the ex
press companies, the telegraph anC
telephone companies. The latter viii
probably be increased on the average
some of the large local exchanges be
ing made to increase on the average
The smaller ones viii probably re
main practically as they are now.
And so the express companies. On,
sure. perhaps two or three Will ge
| increases this year. These increases
will probably be made on the showing
Of increased earnings that were made
before the board.
Nothing is known about the tele
graph companies. An interesting sto-.
is wrapped up in the Western Union
assessment in several ways. Las
year the board made a high assess
ment. then backed down, when tn
final announcement was made 1t wa
then laid over just a year, and thi
finishes that year.