The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-26
ALL MOVING UP.
Big Increase in Railroad ASSESS.
meHts in Kansas.
Santa Fe Nearly TrebIes the
Old Figures.
TOTAL WILL BE LARGE
Likely to Aggregate $500, ,OOO,-
900 for ALI Lines in State.
State Board Will Verify Figures
by Personal Inspection.

According to the figures of its own
experts, the value of the Santa Fe
railway in Kansas is $63,944,1S5.
This is the grand total of the report
made today to the state tax commits
sion, and this includes s571,Ss3 for
the Kansas City Belt and $44S,4s5
for the Topeka & Leavenworth, both
subsidiary companies of the Santa Fe.
In 1897 the state board of railroad
assessors fixed the value of the Santa
Fe property, including the two sub
sidiary companies mentioned, at $22,-
l52,343 The Santa Fe has therefore
voluntarily admitted to a valuation
nearly three times the amount on
which it was assessed in 1907.
1t now rests with the state tax
commission to determine whether
the Santa Fe's figures are correct, or
whether they should be still further
increased.
Last year the Santa Fe main track
was assessed at $19,379,SSS, and this
year 1T is returned at $36,944,185.
Sidetrack in 1907 was assessed at ST.
54,580; this year the company re-
turns it at $3.SS1,000. Buildings in
1907 were assessed at $1,226,-
S75: this year they are returned
This gives an idea of about the
percentage of increase which the
Santa Fe tax department has adopted
all along the line. The Santa Fe re-
port is admirably prepared and is
very voIuminous. 1t represents a
vast amount of clerical work Among
other things not required in previous
years, the report includes a complete
itemiZed list of all machinery in the
shops and all material and tools in
the shops at every station in the
state.
The company this year turns. in
the following estimate on its Topeka
property:
Shop buildings $142,750
Mach Machinery cry at shops -.--.-.. 5s2.os5
Site Office building ........ 10000
The total value of all the buildings
owned by the company in Kansas is
reported at $4,373,590, and the ma
chinery in the shops throughout the
| whole state is given as $860,290.
The Santa Fe's report shows ma
terial on hand to the amount of $751;
374: supplies, $1,34O.963; tools, $S3,-
1877; office furniture, $47,333; to-
tai, $1,654,S40
Next week the railroad commits
sion will start off in a private car
to travel about over the Santa Fe
lines, and see for themselves whether
the property has all been returned,
and whether it has been given a fair
valuation in the report.
Ii all the ra1lrOdQS In Kansas keep
up the average established by the
Santa Fe in returning it's property, it
means that according to the rail-
roads own estimates, the property of
the various companies in this state
will be returned this year at about
S200,000,000. In 1907 the companies
were assessed on $70,000,000 worth
of property.
It is not likely, however. that the
tax commission will allow the total
to remain at 200 millions, where the
railroad companies fix it. They will
in all probability adopt higher valua-
tons on certain lines of railroad
property which will tenG to materially
increase the total. 1t is probable
that when the tax commission has
had its guess, the railroad companies
will have to pay taxes on from $780,
100000 to $500,O0O.00O worth OF
property in the state.
| 1t has been the belief of careful
| students of the assessment PROPOSE
| ton in Kansas for some time that
| the railroad companies were assessed
| on a higher percentage of their val
ue last year than was most other
property in the state. Hence while
| much of the other property is being
raised eight or ten times in value by
| the new process of assessme ent, the
| railroad property is not likely to be
raised more than five or six times.