Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-08-08
Hostile Because II Reported
Roads Refused lnfOrma-
ton Desired
This Was Strenuously Denied
Before State Board Of
Equalization .

The state board of equalization
met in the state auditors Office Fri
day morning at 10 o'clock, all the
members being present.
Governor Burke offered a resolu-
ton that all remarks made by men,
bers Of the board be taken by the Of
fetal photographer and that all votes
be taken by roll call. This was sec
onded by Commissioner Gilbreath,
and unanimously carried.
e. 1t was noticed that the stenograph.
.ic force was increased by the pres
ence of the governors stenographer.
The railroad representatives were all
present and at the request of the
board addressed them.
M. j. Saunders of the Northern
Pacific believed in brevity and his
remarks were very much to the
point. He said "the Northern Paci-
fic has no complaint to make and
asks that it's assessment be left as
it was last year."
W. c. Foster of the Chicago and
Northwestern next took the floor
This road has only few miles OF
track in the state, and it is the heav-
lest taxed piece of road in the sys-
tenn. The line is run at a loss and
Mr.. Foster demonstrated by figures
that they are paying North Dakota
for the privilege of doing business
He thought the valuation of this
small piece ought to be reduced to
the same rate as other property.
A. S. Dudley, representing the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Pau
system, next spoke. He has beer
with the road for some ten years
and knows what he is talking about
He first took exceptions to that par
of~the report of the public service
commission which it filed in the sec
rotary of states Office, which accuse!
the railroads of refusing information
asked for with intent to evade ant
deceive the commission. Mr.. bud
ley denied this in very vigorous Ian
guage. He asserted that the polio.
of the Milwaukee road was to give
to all the commissions in the variou!
states where it did business the full
lest information possible. He criti
cised the obscurity of some of tn
questions asked. 1t was very Difficult
to tell what was wanted Othe
! questions were asked which it wa
| impossible to answer in the zivel
time for lack Of data. 1t would re
quire a year of time and hundreds O
! dollars to get the information asked
for to be given in thirty days to thi
public service commission. Whel
Mr.. Dudley asked the general audito
of the Milwaukee road to furnish
| him the information called for b,
the public service commission an
do it inside of thirty days, he wa
called all kinds of a fool and an id
lot by the general auditor for MAX
| ing such a request. Months of worl
would be needed to gather such a jo1
lot of information as was called for
He positively contradicted the state
| ment made that his road was tryin.
to evade anything.
He then asked that the new Nil
waukee line be assessed at less thai
the side lines Of other roads, as i
is not yet main line, nor has it
completed side line. On April / Their
was only one station on the roa,
that was occupied, and the road wa
| not yet completed in this state, ant
for this year, at least, low assess
ment is asked.
On the old line in the eastern par
of the state the assessment is tot
high, much higher than in Soutl
Dakota, a strong anti-railroad state
This line never has paid, not ever
when allowed its pro rata share O.
interstate traffic. Its only value il
as feeder to the main lines il
South Dakota. 5s. .s.-...
Colonel Wilkinson was the mex
speaker on behalf of the Grea
Northern. No summary or abstrac
could do Justice to his remarks
They We're a complete exposition 0,
the Great Northern's value as gath
cred in the last two years by thei,
experts and engineers. He stated
that the road had concealed nothing
from the commission, and Governor
Burke admitted the Great Northern
had given fuller information thar
any Of the other roads. Colone
Wilkinson said it was because he be
gan two years ago TO gather the fig