The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-08-18
ARROWSMITH HAS PROTEST.
Appears Before Board of Equalization
and Hears the Opinion of State
Tax Commissioner Parrish.

Claiming that the Northwest Light
< Water company is over assessed
Superintendent Arrowsmith of that
company spent the greater part of the
day before the county board of equal
Mation Thursday asking for a reduc-
ton. The value of the real and per-
sonal property of the company, accord
ing to a sworn statement of Mr.. Ar
rowsmith on file with Assessor Sindall,
is 100000. The value of the prop
erty in 1908, according to the sworn
statement made by the company at
that time, was 100000 Money in
vested in the plant since 1906 and in
Guiding that year, according to the
figures on file with Mr.. Sndall were a
total of $110,436.S0. Feeling that this
data was insufficient for an assessor
to act on Mr.. Sindall, by his own
methods, arrived al a valuation of
$4,000 for the plant. Assessing on
a basis of 90 per cent of this valua-
ton made a tax of about $4,000,
which Mr.. Arrowsmith declared was
too much.
Will Furnish More Data.
Money invested in the plant since
the present company procured it, ac-
cording to Mr.. Arrowsmith, was a
total of 100000 and he was willing
to accept an assessment based on this
valuation. 1t was finally agreed that
he should furnish data to the county
board of equalization, which will be
given consideration to determine
whether a change will be made from
the assessment as it is
MANY Interesting p1attarc wera
brought out in the argument between
the board and Mr.. Arrowsmith. One
such followed a discussion in which
frequent reference had been made to
the water power of the company.
State Tax Commissioner Parrish ad-
vised Mr. Arrowsmith to meet the con-
ditions as imposed upon him this year
and take up the whole subject next
year, for" said Mr.. Parrish, you
haven't been stung; you haven't been
stung."
Wants Equality of Taxes.
Mr.. Arrowsmith contended that his
company had not been treated pro-
portionately with other companies in
the county. To this Mr.. Parrish re-
piled that other companies, notably the
Cascade Lumber company, to which
particular reference had been made,
had opened their books to the assessor.
The Northwest Light & Dater COM
pany, he said, had not only not done
so, but had not submitted a statement
in March when asked for it, but had
delayed and later submitted state
ment which was wholly inadequate.
Mr.. Arrowsmith said he was before
the board to ascertain the basis On
which the assessment is made. He was
prepared, he said to furnish whatever
data is necessary, but he had waited
for the meeting of the board of
equalization, having been advised that
such was the proper course. Mr.. Ar
rowsmith referred to the North Yaki-
ma & Valley railroad, the gas COM
pany, the Pacific Telephone company
and the Artificial Ice company, the
lumber and Touring mills and other
concerns equality of taxes with which,
he said, his company sought.
Has Nothing to Lose.
I'VE feel" said Mr.. Arrowsmith,
that we have nothing to lose. We are
assessed now, according to our view,
out of all proportion with the general
assessment and whether the matter is
settled by this board or taken to the
courts our opinion is that we have
nothing to lose. We are now called
upon to pay a tax amounting to about
$500 That tax has become a bur-
den. We are endeavoring to keep
ahead in our plant of rapidly grow
ing community. 1t is perhaps unfort-