The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-01-25

OOO; side tracks, $26O0.
The session was rather interesting in
its closing hours. for, while the matter
of equalization of assessment was under
consideration at the conclusion of the
seance over that bugaboo. "Contraot.
patented and other lands" Governor
Oddie took the floor and reiterated the
the well known fact that the general
fund is running behind at the rate of
$3.50. 900 year and has been dong so
for the past three years.
Refrenchment In Sight
He said that the incoming Legis ature
would doubtless cause retrenchment, {,
but he did not believe that anything
like that amount could be cut off from
the States annual expenses. The ouly
solution he could present for the prob.
lem was the raising of valuations.
Judge II. +. Bartine, who is acting as
adviser to the Governor during this
session, on account of the unavoidable
absence of Attorney General Thatcher,
spoke along similar lines. He said that
in the l4years last past the State valua-
tions had grown from $23. 900, 900 TO
s91 100000. He told. however. OF the
loss in revenue due TO the cessation of
gambling by mandate of law.
In defense of his own position he re.
lated that in the past three years the
public utility corporations had been
raised $l2. 900. 600 in valuation.
Said Judge Rartine: "rhe railroads
and other public service corporations
are not the greatest tax dodgers in the
State" He insisted that farm lands,
particularly those producing alfalfa,
are valued at entirely too low figure
lt was the advice Of the judge that
valuations Of farm lands be raised about
30 per cent
Governor Oddie agreed in the main
with the plan suggested by Judge Bar.
tine and said that the several Assessors
needed assistance and support from the
Board.
Jake Eggers. the State Controller, is
never lacking in fireworks, and he was
certainly not found wanting in the
present occasion. He said in brief:
"Since 1907 the State has created
lot of new Offices. which with principals
and assistants have entailed an expense
.qual to that which the State is now
iuding itself running behind. Among
them are the State Police. Railroad aud
Public Commission, Mine Inspector aud
co say nothing of the Publicity Com.
mission"
Mr.. Eggers did not approximate the
entire cost of the Aew offices created but
ne said that before the incoming Legis
lature gets through with its work il
will be necessary to bond the State
again in order.to pay off the solons and
attaches.
State Not Bankrupt
Attention was called by Mr.. Eggers
TO the fact that the State as State is
not bankrupt, although its general fund
is shot to pieces. He told of the millions
of dollars owing to Nevada from the
United States and the States of Mas
sachusetts and Idaho. through.the pur-
chase Of interest bearing bonds out Of
the school fund.
He said. however. that the general
fund is in such shape that either more
revenu must be provided and decreas,
in expenditure. or Nevada would be
compelled to shut up shop as State.
This brought the Assessors. one by
one. to their feet. and a good. old-fash
ioned experience meeting was held. As
ssesor Ingalls, of Esmeralda was the
tirst TO be recognized by the chair. He
said that il would be impossible, unde,
existing conditions. for him to raise an
,ther cent for the support of the State
above that turned in last year.
Assessor Malley OF Tonopah informed
the Board that in some instances he had
property assessed for more than it could
be sold for.
Assessor Whitehead of Clark regretted
very much that he could not raise the
total of his roll aud told the reason why.
Other Assessors were on their feet one
after another, telling how they hal put
up the valuations aud said that they aid
not know how they could possibly make
an increase.
This caused the Governor to suggest
that the Assessors put forth an heroic
effort to ''level up" and thus give relief
to the over taxed. while, at the same
time, assessing those who were under
valued up to something near their pro-
portionate figures.
At the conclusion of this experience
meeting Hugh II. Brown of Tonopah,
chairman of the tax commission CON-