The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-12-05
Appears Here for the G.. & O.
Railroad and Wants Its
Taxables in Boston Town
ship Reduced.
AUTHORITIES DO
NOT CONCUR IN 1T
State Tax Commissioners
Were Here to Hear the
View of Frank Porterfield,
Township Trustee.

Henry c. Starr, of Chicago, strolled
into the county assessors office this
morning.
The former so-called political czar of
Richmond was here on business for
his company, or corporation, namely,
the G. & o. of Indiana, with which he
now holds the title of general coun-
sci.
At the meeting were also County
Assessor Mathews, Daniel Link and E.
H. Wolcott, state tax commissioners,
Frank Porterfield, trustee of Boston
township; Wayne township Assessor
Potter, and County Auditor Bowman.
The purpose of the meeting was to
definitely fix the taxable valuation of
the c. & o. railroads property in Bos-
ton township. The meeting was called
at IL o'clock but adjourned at 1915
until the afternoon. This afternoon the
argument, led by Mr.. Porterfield on
the one side, contending that the rail
road yards constructed in the early
spring should be taxed this year, and
Mr.. Starr on the other, saying that the
recently constructed property should
not be assessed until next year, was
continued.
Mr.. Porterfield's contention is that
the company should be taxed for from
$4,000 to $4,000 more than 1t is. Mr..
Porterfield declares that the property
should be taxed because the tracks for
the yards had been laid and connect
ed in the early part of March and that
first of March.
II believe that when farmer builds
a barn and has the material lying on
the ground on the first of March that
he, should be assessed, according to
the state law" said Mr.. PorterfieId,
land l believe that a railroad should
not be exempt from taxation under the
same conditions. don't believe in i'm
posing On the railroad, but it's no more
than fair that it should be forced to
pay the same as an individual"
Wants to Be Shown.
Mr.. Porterfield declared that the as
sessment in Boston township for this
year was identfcally the same as that
for last year. He said that he could
not understand. how this could be when
the company had made a. number Of
improvements.
Mr.. Starr asserted that according to
information given him by the railroad
officials prior to his coming to Rich
mond today, that but 1,400 feet of
track had been laid before the first of
March. He also stated that sixty tons
of steel rails had been placed on the
laid. The sidetracks or yard tracks
are assessed at $4,000 per mile and the
main tracks at $1,000 per mile.
In addition to the six sidings laid in
the Boston yards a large number of
other improvements had been made,
Mr.. Porterfield contending that these
had not been assessed.
Other improvements, such as water
piping and water tank are considered
as personal property and according to
the state-tax commissioners this mat
ter is placed in the hands of the local
assessor.
Mr.. Porterfield, in explaining where
he had received his information as to
the amount spent on these improve
ments said that he was informed by
the contractors
Some section men know more about
a railroad and the cost of this and
that than the president of the road"
Mr.. Starr >retorted.
Just what the tax commissioner
will do in this matter is not known. Mr..
Link stated that he would confer with
l.. B. Jackson, chief of maintenance of
way of the c. & o. in regard to the
cost of the construction.