The daily sentinel., 1912-02-13
SAYS MESA COUNTY TAX
|. IS UNJUST TENDERS
50 PER CENT
With Nearly $4,000 in God Railroad Representatives Call on
County Treasurer Canon Today and Want to Settle First
Half Of TaxeS-Charge That Assessment DisCrinl-
inatiOn Is Made-Mr Canon Declines.
THREE RAILROADS AND THE EXPRESS COMPANY MAKE PROTEST

Shortly after noon today James
Corey of Denver, tax agent for The
Denver & Rio Grande railway syS-
TEN; H. w. Conard of Denver, chief
clerk to the general manager and tax
agent for the Colorado Midland rail-
way, and w. d. Halpin of Mack, as
sistant secretary-treasurer of The
Uintah Railway company, accompan-
led by Orson Adams, president of The
Mesa County National Bank of this
city, visited the office of Benton Can
on, county treasurer of this county.
The three railway officials stated
to Mr.. Canon that they desired to
make an unconditional tender to him
OF the sum of SIG, ,51S.41, which sum
President Adams OF the bank, had
with him in gold coin. The railway
officials announced that they wish to
make this tender as settlement in
full of the first half of the 1911 tax
es now due the county from the Den
yer & Rio Grande, The Rio Grande
junction railroad, the Colorado Mid
land railroad, the Uintah railroad and
the Globe Express Company.
The gentlemen then explained to
Treasurer Canon that this sum rep
resented sixty per cent of the total
Ol The llISt mail VI tuc tdAco
charged against them by the county
of Mesa.
THE railroad companies and the
express company are assessed on a
valuation of 33 u, per cent in Mesa
county by the state board of equali-
zation. Yet the county assessor in
making valuations on other property
IN this county has made assessments
on valuation of 20 per cent in all
or nearly all cases. Therefore the
assessments are not equalized, the
railroads and the express company
are called upon to pay upon much
higher rate of assessment valuation.
This increase over the assessment on
other property we hold is unfair and
unjust. We further contend that
our property should not be assessed
on higher valuation than other
property. We are assessed for 1911
taxes on a 331s per cent basis, other
assessments are made on 20 per
cent basis. To place us on the same
assessment basis a reduction of 40
per cent should be made in our tax
es. We are ready to tender to the
county 60 per cent of the amount
charged against us as taxes for the
first half and do now make this ten
DER
The above statement was made by
one of the officials. The gold coin
was then rendered to Mr.. Canon and
he having no authority to accept the
same in settlement of the taxes as
his duty is to collect the taxes as GER
titled to by the proper officials, de-
clined to accept the tender, after Civ
ing the gentlemen an acknowledge
ment that the tender had been made
4 TO him.
The following represents 60 per
cent of the first half of the taxes due
from the respective companies, being
the sum offered the county treasurer
in gold today:
Denver & Rio Grande R. R.-s9 ,30S.67
Rio Grande Junction r. r.. 4,951.9
Colorado Midland r. R.. 69S.4S
Uintah X. R.--------------- l,4T6.41
Globe Express co.. S2.94
Messrs. Corey, Conard and Halpin
reached Grand Junction today at
noon.
This afternoon, following the max
ing of the tender to Treasurer Canon
the gentlemen were interviewed by.
Continued on page A..