Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-24
TWO YORK CASES DECIDED
Connecting Tracks Ordered, but No
Track Scales to Be Put In.
DISCUSS TERMINAL VALUATION
sheldon Back from Convention En-
thusiastic for the Tieket--Post-
masters Holding Their
state Convention.
(From a staff Correspondents

County Commercial club against the Bur
lingtor and Northwestern roads. ordering
the two roads to construct a Joint transfer
switch connecting the two roads and refus-
ing an order in the application for a track
scale Of the Northwestern The decision
was reached some days ago and published,
but the formal order was not issued until
today. Commissioner Williams wrote the
decision in the case of the transfer switch
and Commissioner Clarke in the case of
the track scales.
Terminal Valuation Discussed.
Representatives Of railroads and a num-
bor of county assessors appeared before
the State Board of Assessment this after
noon to discuss protests filed by the Union
thePacific and Burlington against the as
sessment Of the main lines and side tracks
in several towns, as made by the county
officials; discussed practically everything
else in the category and left the board with
little additional light on the subject. Tax
COMMISSIONS r. D.. Pollard of the Burling-
ton and Tax Commissioner A. w. Scribner
Of the Union Pacific contended that the
county assessors did not know what It cost
to build a mile of railroad and did not
know the value OF a mile of railroad; that
the returns made by the officials Of the
road on the value Of the lines were correct,
and had been made by engineers Of the
companies and sworn TO by them. The in
creases made by the local assessing author
tiles had been arbitrary and without
reason.
1t developed that IN Fillmore county the
returns made by the Northwestern rail-
road had to a certain extent influenced
the county assessor in boosting the Bur
lington valuation. 1t also developed that
considerable feeling exists between the
Northwestern and Burlington and several
times during the proceedings Mr.. Pollard
remarked:
THE Northwestern had an object in
returning It's property at a valuation in
excess of what Is is actually worth" He
assured the board, however, that he did
not know what the object was and every
one laughed.
County Assessor McKeag of Fillomre
county not only defended his assessment of
Burlington property In Geneva and other
towns, but demanded that the real estate
in the right-of-way be increased, as he
figured since the Burlir gton filed its pro-
test against the valuation Of the main line,
that its real estate was valued too low.
During the proceedings, which were
more informal than formal, Mr.. Pollard
called upon. Assessor Bernicker of Sew
ard county to make a statement to the
board as to how he found the Burlington
, returns. Mr.. Bernicker said the Burling-
g ton returns had been satisfactory, but
that the Northwestern returns were so
high that he had sent them back for cor
~rection. He received in reply "a letter
stating that the property of this road
had been returned at what 1t would cost
to reproduce the same. He was requested
= to make reductions by the road.
McKeag interrupted to tell the board
of some of the doings of the Seward
le county man. He said Bernicker had val
ued the Burlington I'm Seward county, 2.3t
miles, at $21,66s, and the northwestern
r 1.21 miles, at $1,000. He wanted to
lie know why the Northwestern was so mudf
higher than the Burlington.
1.-The Northwestern returned its lines al
Ig $50, OOO," he said, land 1 cut 1t until
u was ashamed to cut IT any more, SO let II
Ia stand"
IN The county assessor Of Otos county
doubled the value of the Burlington or
$ its main and sidetracks in Nebraska city
Syracuse, Dunbar and Unadilla end STOOD
as pat on his raise when Pollard called him
Mr.. Pollard said his road had estimated
the grading OF the entire road in the stat,
Sc at 81. 800 a mile. When the assessor ex
planned there is quite a fill and grade a
Nebraska City the railroad man said h,
was willing to stand for an increase II
q the NEBRASKA City NdludIOn, out ne eN
N pected in the other Otoe towns wher
ia there is no grade to be assessed a.
Is though the grade cost $4,000.
Id Assessor McKeag raised a laugh whel
demanding a raise of Burlington zeal es
et tate. He was asked by a member Of tn,
id board If he also wanted the Northwestern
"a increased.
III II have no fight on the Northwestern,
ID he said. THAT road made no objection Il
at my assessment. and, besides, it was tn
~ Burlington that fetched me up mere
es In beginning his argument Tax Commits
$. sioner Scribner said of the town o
"a Munr the increase there was almost to-
~, ~, small to bother about, but he did no
to want such a j precedent established. Thi
ry brought the Platte county assessor 10 tn,
ST front with the statement that what MI
Scribner wanted was to establish
a precedent that no assessor could chang
is the figures returned by. the railroads. III,
~ board will decide the protests later.
Al sheldon Back from Chicago.
iIt with the appearance of a man who ma
20 had a load lifted from his shoulders, car
lg free and happy as a lark and fun Of re
10 publican ginger, Governor Sheldon swep
a into the state house this morning-only a.
~ hour behind the schedule. But it was no
20 his fault this time. lie caught the train
"a 'NN NV o. U.s. ~ ''VN '"NN' ~ ~
ernor Is just getting back from the Chicag
= convention and he come back satisfied wit
I'd the platform and the ticket and confiden
~ OF republican success this fall.
o. o course would like to have seen IN
I'd three planks relating to the valuation o
n = railroad property, the publication Of cam
at paign contribution and the election o
an United States senators by the people adde,
itss to the platform. 1t would have helped u
lg out here" and with a broad smile) 9TH
he state board Of assessment would have bee
az materially assisted If the valuation PLAN
had gone through.
'The convention was for Taft. The del
of egates were for Taft, Even the delegate
~ instructed for favorite sons were for Tat
and many of them cheered when he wa
J. placed IN nomination. The New York dele
cation did not appear to be very strong 70
= Governor Hughes, as very few OF then
Joined in the demonstration al the mention
Of his name, though that might have bee
caused by a loss of success. This delega
ton was well pleased with the nomination
Of Congressman Sherman and to a maj
fha da1auafaa rnaa ana 4ofnad a., Al. 49,