The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-08-09
EXPRESS CONCERNS
HAVE TALE OF WOE
REPRESENTATIVES or coMPA-
MES IN NORTH DAKOTA CLAIM
TAXES HAVE BEEN TOO
HIGH.

Bismarck, N. D.. Aug. 9.-There was
very little doing at the meeting OF the
state board of equalization Saturday
and only morning session being held.
as the various members OF the board
had business in their offices which
demanded their attention and so when
the board adjourned at noon Il was
to meet again this morning at 10
o'clock.
Representatives OF three express
companies were heard and they told
their little tales Of woe. The Great
Western stated that last year they
had been assessed upon $4,000 and
thought that 1t was entirely too much
and asked for a decrease this year
and suggested that II they were as
sessed the same as other property
owners they would only have to pay
about one-half the money they did In
1908.
Mr.. Wilkinson appeared for the
Great Northern Express Co. and while
he was OF the opinion that the assess
ment last year was a little high he
stated that his company would be sat-
isfied II there was no raise this year,
but the assessment allowed to stand the
same as In 1908.
Saunders appeared for the Northern
Express Co., operated by the N. p.
road, and stated that he was of the
opinion that the rate was entirely too
high when compared with what his
company and others had to pay in other
states, and requested that the board
reduce the assessment this year.
No nrtfnn IN iFan 1Nv ha AnawzS
on the assessments of the express
companies but the representatives
were given their hearing that they
might leave the city on the noon train.
It will be some time probably before
the work of adjusting the assessment
OF the express and railroad companies
is taken up.
Attorney Casey of Walsh county ap-
peared for the board Of commissioners
and told Of the conditions there and
stated the reasons why there should
be no advance ever the assessments
returned by the board OF county COM
missioners. II we were to reprint the
talk the genial attorney made to the
board 1t would not he safe for him to
return home and face the land men
and the commercial club.
Assessor Miller was present to
make the statement Of Grand Forks
county, and said that he thought the
assessment there was as fair as any in
the state and asked that the board
let the valuations stand as they had
been returned. After some discussion
Of the conditions in the two counties
mentioned above the board adjourned
until this morning at 10 o'clock.
The figures regarding the ASSESS
ments as returned by the county
boards and the suggested changes by
the state board regarding lands and
improvements and structures on lands
have been mentioned in these col
umns before, but the following fig-
ures will prove interesting reading
for those who are acquainted with the
conditions in the state. The auditors
Office has partially completed list
OF the personal property as returned
by the county board and below we
give the number Of animals and the
counties with the highest number and
the lowest and for the benefit of To-
cal reading the figures regarding Bur
leigh county:
The grand total of personal proper
ty as returned by the county boards
is $45,245,S11, Cass county being high
with $3,449,2S9, and Adams county
low with $413,330 while Burleigh
county was returned at $1.066,413.
Horses.
One year old-ward 2,254, Bowman
21S, Burleigh 967. Two year old
Morton 1000. Adams 241. Burleigh