The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1910-01-15
BOARD OF ASSESSORS
AND GOVERNOR CLASH
Board Defes the Law Regarding
Assessment Of Telephone and
Telegraph Companies

called the meeting to order.
The following rates were agreed on
ut to-day's session:
Beef cattle, to be assessed $25 per
head.
Stock cattle, s15 per head in all the
counties Of the State with the exception
Of the following where the assessment
will be sls. so per head Nye. Esmeralda.
Lincoln, White Pine and Clark.
Mich cows $25 per head.
Thoroughbred cattle left to the AS
SCISSORS Of the various counties.
suck sheep, IS per head.
Goats, $5 per head.
Buck sheep. % per head.
Persian sheep, %.
Hogs, left with the various Assessors.
Assessors Defy the Law
Carson City, January 11.-Governor
Dickerson, chairman of the Board OF
Revenue. who is presiding over the ses-
sion Of the Board Of Assessors, to-day
had his first clash with the Assessors,
and more clashes are looked for before
the session to an end. The trouble
occurred to-day in regard to the assess
ment Of telephone and telegraph lines
in this State.
When the subject of telephone COM
panies came before the Board of Asses
sors, Assessor Owens of Nye County
moved that the matter Of assessing the
telephone companies and telegraph com.
panies be left to the Assessors of the
various counties. Governor Dickerson
refused to allow this order and stated
that the law made it mandatory for the
entire Board of Assessors, and not the
individual Assessors, to fix the value Of
telephone and telegraph lines. Attorney
General Stoddard, also q member OF the
Board Of Revenue, then read the law in
regard to this to the Assessors. plainly
showing them that the Governor was
correct.
Despite this, Assessor Bradley Of Es.
meralda County moved that the matter
be left to the individual Assessors, but
this was voted down. Then q second
vote was taken on the matter and the
Assessors voted to leave the entire mat.
ter to the individual Assessors and not
to the Board of Assessors, thus acting
directly contrary to the law and to Gov.
sruor Diokorson.
Following the disposal Of the fixing Of
valuations Of telephone companies and
the assessment of the same the matter
Of telegraph systems was taken up. In
this Governor Dickerson again stated
that the Board OF Assessors as IN official
board should fix the valuations, but the
Assessors thought different and over
ruled his action.
Railroad Taxation Discussed
Carson, Nevada. January 10. The
Board Of Assessors were again in SEES.
sion at Carson to-day and a number Of
interesting features developed during
the testimony of Attorney Burke repre-
senting the Central Pacific Company.
Judge Bartine, on behalf Of the Rail.
road Commission Of Nevada, read q
United States Supreme Court decision.
which started something in the session.
This decision was to the effect that
property should be assessed on the
value represented by its income values
and for what it will sell FOR in the open
market"
He stated that the Central Pacific
Railroad had based their income at 10
per cent and received SO, 900 per mile.
or in other words that the Board of As
SCISSORS could assess the Central Pacific
to the extent of $3.50. 600 per mile and
still be under the law.
The Governor asked Attorney Burke,
representing the Central Pacific, what
his position was with that company.
to which Burke replied that he was its
tax attorney. The Governor then asked
him il he knew any reason why the
Central Pacific Railroad should not be
assessed 100000 per mile. whereupon
Burke replied that he was not prepared
to answer that question.
Governor Dickerson then stated that
he thought the railroad was making q
very poor showing. when it knew that
this hearing was to take place and yet
did not send any representatives here
who knsw about the matters and what
value the railroad property in Nevada
was held to be.
The Governor then read several let.
ters from tax commissioners of other
States. and this reading appeared to
make . very favorable impression with
the session. From these letters 1t was
seen that the Northern Pacific Company
was assessed in Wyoming $4,000 per
mile; the o. r. N. in Washington. over
$53 900 per mile in Oregon. $2S. 900 to
10000; in California. double that Of
Nevada; in Utah. the Southern Pa
cifc of the Hartman interests, the same
"a in Nevada. The amount Of the Cen.
trail Pacific Company assessment in this
State 10 els, 800.
The discussion assumed serious and