Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-24

600. The tax rate was $50 mills.
'In 1903, under the first year of franchise
taxation, the aggregate of railroad prop
erty taxed was $6l, 10000. on 5000 miles
Of track.
1.-The Atlantic Coast Line franchise, spe-
officially mentioned by Mr.. Agassiz. was
taxed on $34OO per mile.
I'm 1902 this road executed a general
mortgage on all it's properties on a valua-
ton of $4,000 per mile. including fran
chises.
''Deducting from this valuation its
sworn valuation on tangible property for
that year. 1t left a franchise valuation
of over 5000 per mile. The total valua-
ton of railroad property in Georgia, on
which taxes were paid in 1907, aggregated
$91, $4,000 on $500 miles OF track in which
was included for franchises, $l56 600.
The rate was 5 mills The franchise of
the Atlantic Coast Line was taxed on a
valuation of $3.50 per mile.
1.-THE writer of this article Is grossly in
error when he states that railroad proper
ty was increased for purposes of taxation
from $90.Oo0O00 to s123, 900 in 1907,-he
has enormously taken from the comptrol-
Ter generals report the grand aggregate
of all corporations returning to the comp
troller general, and states these valua-
they include every public utility corpora
ton in the state, such as street railroads,
electric light and power companies. gas
and water companies, telephone, tele-
graph, express, sleeping car, dining and
chair car companies. sail and steamship
companies. etc.
He also fails to note an increase from
5000 to $500 miles. with increased and
vastly improved equipment, with approx
imately one-fifth of the entire increase in
values covered by additional and enlarged
terminal facilities. yards, warehouses, new
passenger and freight depots in Atlanta
alone, and a reduction IN the tax rate
because of increased valuations of all
kinds. from $50 to mills.
THE mere fact, however, that taxable
values of railroad property were increased
from SIS. 100000 in 1902 to s9l. 900 in 1907.
does not necessarily imply that the latter
Is an unreasonable assessment. Had Mr..
Agassiz wished a really striking COM
parison he should have compared nothing
for 1874, when the railroads paid no ad
valorem taxes. with $Sl 900, 600 in 1907.
I'm 1902 the street railroads In Georgia
were taxed on only $3.SO0O00 of property.
when on this same property they had
mortgage bonds at that date for $1s. zoo. 900.
railroads in the state in 1908 is only $12.-
100000 whilst one corporation in the cap
ital city Of the state has outstanding
mortgage bonds alone exceeding the ag-
gregate returns of all these companies,
including its own.
1.-THE total taxes, including state, coun-
ty, municipal and district taxes, paid per
mile on railroad property in Georgia, in
1907, was 1856, which, If burdensome as
Mr.. Agassiz states. is certainly not as
much so as $21S per mile paid in Alabama.
1924 in Arkansas, SIG in Florida, S21S in
louisiana, 1916 in Virginia, 1914 in Missis-
sippi, $177 in North Carolina, $40 in South
Carolina, $267 in Tennessee and very much
larger sums in the northern. eastern and
western states, or the average Of 1861 per
mile for the United States.
There are only five states and terri
tories in the union, to-wit: South Dakota,
SOL; New Mexico, $139; Wyoming, S141;
Arizona, $142; and Texas, $3.50, which col
lect less taxes per mile than does Georgia.
According to the latest available fig
ures from the census bureau, the percent
age of assessed valuation of railroad prop
erty to its commercial value, in different
states, was as follows: Alabama, So; Ar
kansas, IS; Florida, q; Louisiana, %; Mis-
sissippi Is; North Carolina, 81 1-2; South
Carolina, 80; Tennessee, IS 1-2; Texas, 40;
Virginia, 3S Indiana, "A; Illinois, S. IL;
Kentucky, 30; Michigan, n; Wisconsin,
rs 1-2 New Jersey. 50 IL; Rhode Island,
81 IL; Vermont, 70; Connecticut, ia; Geor-
gia, 40 $40.
LAS further demonstrating the fact that
the state of Georgia does not unfairly
burden corporate properties and has not