The new era., 1909-10-28
SUGAR FACTORY
ASSESSMENT
EQUALIZATION BOARD AoRTEs
UPON TENTATIVE PLAN
OF ACTION
USUAL F0UR-MILL levy
ADOPT NEW STANDARD, TO BE
USED BY ALL COUNTY
ASSESSORS

Denver. = Answering a summons
from State Auditor Roady Kenehan,
tho assessors of Weld, Boulder, Lari-
mer, Morgan and Logan counties ap-
peared before the state board of
equalization Monday and took part in
lengthy discussion as to best meth
cd OF assessing the beet sugar factor
les under their Jurisdiction. The mat
ter was settled temporarily by an
agreement that each sugar mill should
be assessed at $4,000 on each 100
tons Of its capacity; $25.00O addition
al where the equipment includes what
is known as the Steffens process;
and fair one-third valuation of all
personal property in addition to the
plant proper. A letter asking for an
agreement to this basis of assess
ment was drawn up and will be
mailed to the assessors of the coun-
ties containing beet sugar factories
who were not represented at the con-
ference.
This method of assessing other cor
porations does not suit the railroads,
and w. R Freeman, tax agent of the
Santa Fe railroad. James Corey, tax
agent Of the Denver & Rio Grande,
and r. d. Pollard, tax agent of the
Burlington, were all present watching
the proceedings. 1t is the claim of
the railroads that the board OF equal
ization and the county assessors are
using different methods in making
their assessments. Acting under sec
tions go and 81 of the revenue act of
, 1902, the board assessed the railroads
on both their tangible and their in
tangible value, but the county assess
ors, it is asserted by the railroad tax
agents, disregard the intangible value
of the other corporations entirely.
They assert that this is not fair to
the railroads.
In arriving at valuation of the
railroads the board of equalization
took the value Of their stocks and
bonds, the capitalization of their net
earnings. and the physical value of
their property, added them together
and divided by three. On this one.
third valuation the assessments were
made. The tax agents Of the rail-
roads claim that II the roads are to
be taxed on their intangible value as
well as their tangible value, the same
method should be employed in taxing
other corporations in the state.
The assessors present at the meet
ing were: A. r. Fischer, Weld coun.
ty; ]. A. Decker, Boulder; Stewart c
Case, Larimer county; E. 7. Vannoy
Morgan county, and B. ]. Ragatz, Lo
gan county. Their several assess.
ments on beet sugar factories showed
marked variation, but after pro-
longed discussion they finally agreed
upon the basis suggested by Governor
John F. Shafroth, on condition that
the assessors of other counties con-
tanning beet sugar factories would
agree to 1t also. c. w. Waterman,
attorney for the Great Western Sugar
company. appeared before to- board
at its afternoon session and showed
reasons why the company thinks Its
assessment is high enough at present
and should not be raised.
At it's morning session the board OF
equalization passed the usual tax levy
of mills on the total value OF all
property in the state and then passed
a special levy of lis mill as author
lied by senate bill 1872, introduced by
Senator Cassidy at the last legisla-
ture, to pay the interest on the $780,
900 worth OF bonds issued to pay the
cost of suppressing the insurrection
in Cripple Creek.
The board also adopted new
standard abstract of assessment de-
vised by State Auditor Roady Kene-
hen, which will be used in future by
the assessors in all the counties OF
the state. The new abstract specifies
all kinds of property in minute detail.
classifying land, for example, into I'M
proved fruit land, irrigated land, nat
ural hay land, dry farming land. graz
ing land, productive coal land, non
productive coal land, oil land. mineral
land, mining claims. and town and
city lots. Other property is specif1ed
in detail the same way. with the idea
of giving the auditor an absolutely
definite knowledge of the character
of the property assessed.