The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1910-10-26

-.rs eoualired az $F'sRo
4 nsl M. thus railroads were
j Fss al less than 10 per
1885,, helr value, while ether
/ a's Vas being assessed az
1 % 10 rs per cent
/ n" ,s : 81 1905 created q
j ne s ss.l,,n The law was
81 osl' ~ Joseph II yesterday
1 rsaies henchman Of the rail
Z - vas appointed on the
FsaA Il was not the ~
rn . N the legislature 10 giVe
lspe. .n,,.slon authority 20 issue
r. 4 other taxing officials, Ae
g. "a the understanding 81
/ kls.. suSers Of the legislature the
v x The commission were al
49, nslv After the commission
vs., ,,ssrlssd It's members, read
~ ~ law concluded that they
y ss,..,ry movers only For TIVE
~ Isey made no efforts 20 ex'
mandatory powers. Lhey
g .aviee but issued no orders
~ sewmlss.oners advised as.
-. a. Increase the assessed
a nliroads In January
=. nv attended state eonven
tAs nsseSsors az Olympia
.-,ea this policy upon the as
..ss here. The assesaora ~
4 - sAs matter 20 a committee
committee reported. rec.
.slnr anlform assessment
/ -.s,,,,ads IN al counties AZ the
NaSsifss8 a mile for first class
IA $50 g mile for second
- -. -,.ss ard 1880 a mile for
- -. .,.ss nnads They requested
j ~ commission 20 classify the
j ..sss Which the commission
,.s,sstea 10 do
- al Of the assessors attehoeu
:. ,e~yeutson. So the tax com
80 transmitted im classified.
y ~ roads 10 al the ASSESS.
"a ralled attention TO tho &C
x - convention Tho CON
$50 also urged All assessors %
- Il property on SO per cent
L hsss 1900
4. s,r.ed scale Of values.
,sssssorx. those Of sHoho.
-. - s,exens counties. decided
4. :. ,srssd values for railrnad
-. sssrocsrtienately eelo~ the
- 4 ~hieh TREY were assess
- ssr agOpersy, 50 they adopted
.l,s~ male. The assessor o.
s..ss~sk county assesses the
60 srrhern main lire at ssos
mgnss Instead q si4.25o ine
r.ee scale. The assessor OF
esssss county assessed the 500
ne rsss q Nortnerr branch OF
h Great Northern. Third class
hs Al sio.S6o a mile insssad Of
fNa These assessments ~ere
III lsss shan 20 ger cert o. the
nss Of the roads "a ns~ officially
ssrminea. Bst trey Increased
a taxes Of tse Great Northern
m.sas b. ssTe $4,000 IN eaeh
ssay
AsAs railroads resisted ira
rzseass and sent into court.
hhns . its attorneys advanced
b. swalng propositions One
w aT sne tar commission. with
Es hrag found Il out. possessed
esNsf % give mandatory orders
) msawx The other was that
a. mnmJssloa. without knowing
A szs ksasd orders establishing
4 o. usss1fs convention scale
slxa xasfs we're binding upof
i D. Rzezessg
TAsw plsadlngs In the Stew
4 rs e1snsy case we're passed
ssz< BY bulge Sullivan Of Spo-
sars sssnty. who decided for
4 ~ raligca6. The Snohonish
sssztY case was passed upon
b. Assss Black Of that county,
rs sscice1 for the county.
ks Eases were appealed and
i ~ Supreme court. In an opin-
ar ~ Ruckin, held ~lth the
aifsss company. These ap-
sals sers argued for the rail-
nas eemesny In the supreme
aars BY N. J. Gordon.
i n Stevens county case was
fHBed The SnohomiSh county
ne Ksat back TO Judge Black
! w. irsed L on the facts 10 ascer
! ~ FAsthsr the commission had
- aetzally issued such orders
senbsrs Of the tar commission ap
faFst IN the trial az witnesses
q testified that they had never
ssazed that they possessed man
fy powers over assessors. that
~ had never. up to that time. de
naassd The value OF railroad prop
4 r., nat they had never intended
i = ana aad never issued orders tc
assessors establishing a value
assessment purposes judge
ssss found sith the county and
4 &'H the railroad eompsny. In
eFasnee with this testimony
- 'aiircsd again appealed and
= supreme court reversed Black
sHns that the railroads. taxes
sasced as prayed for by the
knpsny.
assae decisions aroused a de
- q astoniahment on the part
TAX commissioners and
- taxing officials amounting tc
.ssfnaiion. Many theories werg
-nesd privately IN an effort q
Ayinl for them
ave. ne Stevens county case
4 settled Gordon rendered the
aier Of the county a draft n
800 o. the c0mpany'a taxes
- Fas returned dishonored
sne company paid these taxes
ssssoad time.
/ a1 me same time. the sum
1 = 1898, Gordon. representing
] r ,.iifoad company. settled b.
4 .-'a'ign' a damage suit brought
/ 49, ~ James sparrow against ths