Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-05-07
START on The ASSESSMENT
Pullman Car ana Cotton Oil Company FirEt
to Appear before Board.
aAnROAD HEARINGS COMMENCE TODAY
FIRST Business was 60 Unanimously
Rs-Eiect George ID. Bennett
SECRETARY Of the Board-Isn-
AoIn Objects 20 Rates.



LINCOLN. May 6. Especial 80 The
State Board Of Assessment met this after
noon with all members preseut-Governor
Sheldon, Treasurer Brian. Secretary OF
State Junkin, Auditor Searle and Land
Commissioner Eaton. and started on the
assessment Of 1907 by unanimously electing
George p. Bennett a. secretary. Mr.. Ben
nett has held this position since 1919 when
the new revenue law was enacted The
board wiz listen TO q representative Of the
Great Northern and Of the Missouri Pacific
tomorrow afternoon Al its FIRST meeting
Tom Benton. Pullman tax agent. appeared
before the board and said his company
had>reported q value Of $500 IN excess Of
the value returned last, year making a
total Of $4,000 for this year, one-hfth Of
which is the assessed value This sum rep
resented the actual value OF tangible prop
erty OF the Pullman company in Nebra ska
OF rather, THE sum had been assigned 20
this state on the mileage OF the company
Of the total OF all the Pullman rolling
stock. Governor Sheldon inquired about
the franchise OF the company and asked
what It had been assessed at, and Treasurer
Brian wanted to know something about
the earnings Of the company.
After reading the statute however. Il
seemed TO be the impression OF the board
that Il has 70 assess the Pullman com
pany on the value Of its tangible property
IN the state. and II the board deeides the
company has returned the property at its
actual value that sum will be the figures
agreed upon.
OF Company Protests.
The Southern Cotton on company Of Jer-
sey City. n. J.. objects 20 paying any taxes
N Nebraska and # has filed the following
protest with the board:
The Southern Cotton Oil company protests
agninst it's having 10 make this return and
against the assessment and levying Of any
tax, upon the ground the taxation OF It's
cars while temporarily In the state OF Ne
braska In transit containing oil In bulk
IN the original packages, would be in effect
q taxation OF its products, carried therein
while in transit in the original unbroken
packages from one state 70 another the
points Of shipment being wholly outside
Of n state Of Nebraska, and that the as
sesshlent Of any taxes thereon would De
contrary to law, as a burden upon inter
state commerce.
The protest is signed by L. W. Haskell,
vice president. The company owns 20 of
tank cars which are used TO transport its
products throughout the various states.
The company says 1t Is engaged in the
manufacture and sale OF cotton oil and that
Il lie not q car company, mercantile com
pany OF corporation operating me OF
railroads or is II engaged in the business
of renting any stock cars. furniture cars.
refrigerator cars poultry cars or tank
cars in this or any other state. snd that II
does not own any property. real or personal,
In the state Of Nebraska Its cars are
run indiscriminstely over any line over
which the company may desire to send
them loaded with It's products and the com
pany pays fun freight to the railroad COM
pany for hauling the cars and their freight
and receives from the railroad company
a stated sum OF money for the number Of
miles which the cars are used; that these
cars are not leased 10 any railroad com
pany nor does the company make any con-
tract to furnish any railroad company with
cars The aggregate number Of miles made
by such cars ever the Missouri Pacific
company tracks IN Nebraska for the year