The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1909-12-18

The Reno Journal recently wrote a
letter to Governor Dickerson, asking
him what he was going to do about
railroad assessments at the ext Jan
uary meeting of the state board of rs
SCISSORS, and especially with reference 70
the assessment of the Central Pacific
(Southern Pacific). At the last annual
meeting the governor made a strong
fight to have the assessment of the road
increased to something approximating
the basis on which other railroads and
other property were assessed. He n
sisted upon a valuation Of 100000 per
mile, but the state board of assessors. Of
which Sheriff Bradley Of Esmeralda
county was and is a member, cut the
assessment to only $4,000 per mile, a
shameless exhibition Of servility to cor
poration influences.
Governor Dickerson does not propose
to surrender his fight for just and equit-
able assessments of railroad property
and he writes to the Journal in part 81
follows:
Every taxpayer in the state is IN
terested in this question, and | am
pleased to furnish the readers Of The
Journal such information as l have
in my possession touching upon tie
actual value of railroad property in
Nevada. AS to what action the board
Of assessors will take in the matter,
is of course, impossible for me to say
with any degree of certainty. I am
convinced, however, that the state
board of assessors will make a very
material increase in the valuation of
the transcontinental roads, at tic
meeting in January. The valuation
that has heretofore been placed on the
Central Pacific line of road is ridden
lousy low and is absolutely without
justification. The valuation placed
on railroad property should be pro
portionate to the valuations placed m
other classes of property and be
lieve that the citizens of Nevada are
going to insist that this be done. The
average citizen pays taxes on at least
so per cent of the actual cash valne
of his property, and if there is to be
discrimination in the fixing of valu-
ations it should be on the side of the
small taxpayer, for upon him the bur-
den rests heaviest.
The Central Pacific.
AS an illustration of the inequality
of the present valuations, the Central
Pacific Railway company is assessed
1859 per cent Of the actual cash value
of it's property. According to the
sworn statement of MI. c. B. Seger,
auditor Of the Southern Pacific COM
pany. on file il the United States cir
cult court for the district of Nevada,
the actual cost of the Central Pacific
railroad in Nevada is $~146,936.73 per
mile for each mile of road. During the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1907, this
roads net operating revenue amount
ed to SIS, 399.59 for each mile Of road
in this state-a fairly good income
when it is considered that it is valued,
for purposes of taxation, at $1S,5oo
per mile, or just $3,10o.41 per mile
above what each mile of road cleared
in one year. That Mr.. Seger is a com
petent witness and knew whereof he
spoke, the following will indicate:
Seger's Statement.
State Of California. City and County
Of San Francisco, IS.
&C. B. Seger, being sworn, says:
He is the auditor of the Southern Pa
cifc company, complainant above
named. and has been such since No
yember /, 1904. As such auditor, ta's
.mant has had and now has full
charge of all the accounts OF said con-
pany, including accounts Of receipss
and income from its operations and
traffic, both in local or intra-sta'e
business and in through or inter
state business; including also accounts
of disbursements in the aforesaid op
erations and business of SAID COM
!. pany, and particularly for maintenance
~ wav and structures. maintenance Of
equipment, conducting transpor'a'.'n
and general expenses, and inci"oi"s