La Junta tribune., 1913-01-04

- act, taxes for tnc year 1912
will be $53 .Sg0j3 less than for the
year previous. The assessed valua-
| ton of the county for the year lsl2
I Is sS,7l6.000. Dcducting personal
property exemptions, amounting TO
I si57 100. leaves a net assessment
cf s. .05s. .as9 The net assessment
I for the year 1911 was $500 .56I.
showing decrease in the assess
men, for this year of s6io.56s. The
tax to be collected for the year
1912 aggregates total of S501 .9,5.-
IS. as compared to $56l, sd6.,i for
the year previous. a decrease OF fo3.-
Ss0.53 The total number OF tax
schedules for the year 1912 is 6,i6,,
an Increase over last year OF l6i
The total tax for school purposes
In the twenty two school districts
OF 0tero county for the year 1912 az
grega,es total OF 3its.I35o5. or
over one-third OF the total tax for
all purposes-state. county. munich
pal and even including the irriga.
tion district tax. This is an enor.
nous amount. but IL Is money well
spent. aud credit to the citizenship
Of this county In giving the best OF
I educational facilities for the rising
generation.
Otero county does not seem TO BE-
getting along very amicabiy with
the corporations. On November %.
1912, the county commissioners after
fighting the Santa Fe Tor two yesrs.
asd paytng several. hasdr-d dssaAsS
for atiosnsy'a fees decided - com
promise. The tax Of the Santa Fe
for the year 1910 was 433. .8ss.0.. This
was compromised for S27..SS?s. all
interest and penalties being remit
ted. The tax Of the Santa F. for
the year 1911 was $40. .,S3.75 This
Was compromised for S3S.i55.Sa. the
last payment of $l3.oiA?S. being
m.de on November %. i3i2-afts~
the election.
Now there seems to bc more
trouble In store for Otero county.
The Rocky Ford and Swink sugar
factories turned IN a tax schedule.
ulsow wing = valuation OF sea. 900 for
the year 1912. Assessor Gauger
raised this assessment. after . thor
ouch Investigation Of the holdings
Of the sugar companies. To 1891 900.
This assessment Was arbitrarily re-
duced by the hoard of county com
misston~rs to S33i 900 while sitting
~ . board of equalization. The
sugar companies turned In sched.
wle ~ $1,000 each ~ the value Of
the sugar each factory had IN stock.
Assessor Gauxer raised this valua.
tton eor the Rocky Ford factory 10
s5i $40. and for the swink factory
to 80. .eo0.
Then thcr, Il the Arkansas Valley
Railway. Lixht and Power Company
which 10 now supplying every town
In Otero county With electric light
and power. This company turned In
schedule Giving the valuation Of
its entire holdings In Otcro county
- o33 .eee-on . oneAhird basis n
course. Assessor Gau9er rais~d this
assessment IN $4,000. and that 10
aaes1ee1 valuoGtoa. Otsro eosaty Win
eodcavor IN collect taxes on-os
have another law suit and later ci.
feet . co@proMiss. % In the case
of the Santa -. The assessment of
es3.eo0. bestAcs bsins flied by A..
ses~or Oauger. vas aiso made BY tho
state tax comnisstna. which assesses
all corporations whose business 10 of
On intes.county character Assrssos
raueee's reason for raising the -.
ssssneat a ths Arksaaas Valley
Railway. Light and Power Company
was basrd on The fact that ne had
learned that the company had paid
ei7o.0ee for Tie electric Iisht plants
In IL junta and Rocky Ford and II
had cost eaO.eeo moee 10 erect the
transmission iiae through the coun.
~ H~ also thought the frsnchise
hsh sone taasibIe vaiue. After learn.
ing thess facts he csae 70 he con.
ciusioa that e33.eee. he amosnt u
Ii" sdhsdsee tssRs1 N - TIE vslsa.
ton a shsis estlre hos1iaes In 0tsee
eosaty. wss Wos enoueA. as1 ths ~.
sses0sat was ralss1 - oo3.eoo. WAleA
y ~ valuafiea ~ eeae1y tfsaeus.
~ WI - eGUesos1 - sooDeel losso
-. oasSag - tseostn. WAtle ~
Wso0oong OoD g - he1gh1, ~ ft9At