Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-25
SYSTEM ADVOCATES THAT MAY
be APPLIED UNDER ANY
STATE LAW.
TOWN Lors AND BUILDINGS
ASSESSED SEPARATELY
Suit Against State Executive Council
10 30 Called soon-Issuss Have Been
Made Up-Northwsstsrn Proves u -
Possible to Effect Economics in op'
Grating Department. 4.
colo, 70 q;;ine.-Republican.

Special to Times-Repubncah.
Des Moines, March e5.-An interest
ing matter was presented to the per-
sons attending the state tax convention
here last week by w. w. Pollock. OF
Cleveland, o. He represented tirm
engaged in, appraisal work OF all kinds,
but he spokt ON whah he called the
"Somers unit system of realty valua-
ton. 1t is something that can be ap-
piled under any state laws, ana 1T mas
been tried out in number OF ONO
cities. 1t Isl an attempt at scelntiflc
basis of fixing valuation for town lots
and city property. The land is valued
separately from the improvements
basis is reached by estima ting the val
ue of an alley lot OF given frontage ana
average depth, and then computing the
value of all other lots in that block as
compared with this estimate. The esti-
mate is finally on front foot basis.
1t is declared that the svstcm ends the
great discrepancy common in fixing
valuations.
There was much inquiry among the
delegates to the state tax convention
as to what has become Of the lawsuit
of the League of Iowa Municipalities
against Governor Carroll and his as
sociates for alleged fraud and collision
in the erroneous valuation of railroad
and other property for taxation in
Iowa and conspiracy to fail to properly
adjust the real estate valuations re-
ported from the counties. The suit is
before the district court here and the
papers have been filed watch make up
the issues. The state is ready for de-
tense and will take the position that
the governor anh his associates were
exercising right Of judgment and de-
cision that can not be reviewed by a
court; besides it is now too late to go
back and start over again the assess
ment and tax collection work for this
year which is now practically COM
pleted. The case will be called by the
court as soon as certain trials now in
progress are concluded, which will
probably be two weeks more.
TIL Chicago & Northwestern rail-
road has demonstrated tina. 1t is posi-
BILE to effect economies in management
to reduce the operating expenses. The
report of that company has just been
filed with the state, the first of the re-
ports Of big companies 1t shows that
the gross receipts of the company on
Iowa business in 1910 were $16,994,-
396.46, and in 1911 they were $16,9SO.-
1923, loss of $4,000 in revenue But
in 1910 the net earnings were $685.
$3.50 and the last year these earnings
were $3,60S,017.01, ansincrease Of $780,
900 and over. The net earnings Of the
system were $21,74s.19105. The COM
paid paid taxes in Iowa aggregating
51S,207.45.
In the Clarke Warren senatorial dis
trict there is to be a contest fer the
republican nomination for senator to
succeed Proudfoot between Mayor Carl
Dare, of Osceola, and Representative
Crist, of the same county Mr.. Crist
fathered one of the corporation public
utilities bills in the last legislature.
]. H. Anderson, of the Indianola
Herald, will again be candidate for
the legislature from Warren, and there
will be opposition. Mr.. Anderson
served two terms with credit