Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-21

FRANCHISE is
VALUELESS
EDISON ELECTRIC COMPANY ON
THE STAND
ATTORNEY CLAIMS RIGHT OF
WAY is WORTHLESS
Pacific Electric Also Presents Argu-
ments In Order to Show Cause
for Reduction of Tax
on Road
Pasadena Agency,
n North Raymond Avenue,
Phones: Sunset 1907, Home 2124.

PASADENA, July 2O.-General Man
aged A. l.. Selig of the Edison Elec-
trio company appeared before the city
council sitting as board of equaliza-
tion this morning to protest against
the assessment of his companys fran
chise in Pasadena at $4,000.
Mr.. Selig said the Edison company
has a right to do business by reason OF
state privilege and therefore the city
franchise gives them nothing, and de-
clared that the valuation of franchise
is a mere whim of the assessor. and
that he can give no tangible reason for
making it.
He asked for a reduction of the fran
chise assessment on the basis of fact
and equity, declaring that instead OF
being raised 100 per cent it should have
been reduced, inasmuch as the business
of the company had been cut down one
half by the city establishing it's own
municipal lighting plant.
Comparing the assessment or iran
chises of various corporations, MI
Selig showed that the combined assess
ments of the Home Telephone company,
the Sunset Telephone company, the
Lowe Gas company and the Consoii-
dated Gas company amounts to only
SIT 900 as against $4,000 for the Edi-
son company. His company would
gladly exchange receipts and prohts
for those of the four corporations as
sessed at lower value.
Mr.. Selig pointed out that the county
assessor, who is accredited with put
ting assessments as high as the tralIlc
will bear had placed their franchlse
assessment at only $4,000. He said
he had not given that valuation and
that they intended to fight 1t in court
Auditor Kellogg defended his as
sessments as being equitable at the
time they were made and the board
took the question under Amusement
Pacific Electric Submits Statement
r. G. Wood, representing the Pacific
Electric company, declared franchlse 10
be an intangible thing, the value OF
which no man could estimate. He pre-
sented a tabulated statement showing the
assessments of his company for 1906 and
1907. by which it appears the total assess
ment in the city of Pasadena has been
increased from $557,950, in the year 1906,
to S9OS 155 in 1907, or an increase of nearly
SO per cent. The total trackage within
the city in 1906 was 3599 miles, while in
1907 it is 40.1 miles, an increase OF only
4.S2 miles.
No new machinery has been added,
said Mr. Wood. There are only six more
cars, no new personal property, and only
$500 addition to the real estate of the
company The board has not yet passed
upon this protest.
Council denied the request of the Salt
Lake railroad for cancellation of its as
sessment on lots lying along its right of
way. Both the Salt Lake and the Santa
Fe roads contend that the real estate ly-
ing alongside their absolute right of way
is part of it, and as such is assessed by
the state. A test of one of these cases
will probably be made in the courts
Edward J. Pyle, a trustee of the Car
melita Garden association, asked 1reduc-
tion from $2S,170 to $1,000 on ground pur-+
chased by subscription, to be presented to
a corporation which is to provide the city
with a convention hall. The board de-
ton.
Altogether thirty-eight protests have
been filed with the board of equalization
up to this time, as against 160 last year.