The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1914-07-04
Tax Commission Strongly Endorsed

people that the existing method Of taxation was inadequate and the
want of some other method a needed. Elko County bitterly
fought the measure from the very beginning, but 1t was passed oy
a substantial majority. Last year but little was accomplished oy
the members of the commission owing to the fact that they do not
have the time to investigate conditions
The Elko Free Press man spent Monday of last wee. in Carson
City and was given an opportunity to go over the work OF the com
mission, and while the work is still in its infancy, enough could De
CLEANED to get an idea of whether it was what the people needed
At the time of the meeting of the cattlemen of the State and
the members of the board Of the commission in Reno last Spring,
the statement went forth over the State that the cathemen had
slipped one over on the Tax Commission, and much was said pro
and con, over their agreement The agreement between the Tax
Commission and the cattlemen was that all the cattle In the State
were to be turned in, including yearlings, less % per cent for loss
on the range. 1t was taken out of the bands of the County Assess
ors, and a day was set when each owner should count his stock and
make report Now here n the figures as taken from the Tax Com
mission books, and each reader is left to judge whether the agree
ment was beneficial to ALL
The United States statistics place the number of cattle in Ne
vada at 100000. valued at s34 per head.
In 1913 there ere 161. 900 head of cattle on the assessment
rolls of the different counties throughout the State; stock cattle WAS
valued at $40, the same as this year, 19l4-the only difference be-
ing that in 1913 beef cattle we're assessed at $50. and this year all
cattle take the same valuation, $40. Last year yearliDgs were not
included-they are this year. Up to the present date there have
been reported by the owners to the Tax Commission 225,OOO head
of cattle; the commission knows of III, 900 yet to be reported, and
lit is but fair to believe that there will be at least a so per cent in
crease on the number still to come, so the number of cattle that will
be on the assessment roll throughout the State will be 100000, an
increase over last year of 29, 500.
The value being placed at $40 gives the State an increased val
uation of "a, 100000 from cattle alone. Does this look as if the
cattlemen slipped one over" on the Tax Commission?
Here is what will appeal to the general public: 1t is known
that 10000 head of the 16l,O 900 that were on the roll last year
were owned by the "little fellow" He cannot escape, and this year
but 1000 of the 4OO. 500 head belong to him; the increase is from
the "big cattlemen"
In Elko County last year there we're on the assessment roll
73y 900 head of cattle; already there has been reported $1,000 with
l 900 yet to come, and with the estimated so per cent increase of
the $4,000. makes this years assessment amount to 10000, an in
crease of $4,000.
In the State last year there we're assessed $3.50 sheep; there
has been reported to date S2O. 1000, with 100000 head still to come
| a total of 1 ,12o. ooo-an increase of $4,000. Horses assessed in
1913. $4,000; already reported, $4,000; to come, 1900; total, A.,
900; an increase of 10000. Hogs assessed in 1913, 612o; already
reported, 5000; to come, 3ooo; a total of 12,ooo; an increase of $780,
In Elko County last year 1872 900 sheep were assessed; already
reported for this year, $685. OO; to come, $4,000; total 0 $1,000; an
increase of 2O3, OOO-almost double of what was on the assessment
roll last year. Horses assessed in Elko County last year, 10000;
already reported, II, 900; to come, 1000; total Is. 900, an increase of
5000. Hogs assessed in Elko County last year, $50; already re-
ported 1916; to come, Too; total, 1916, an increase of 1oso.
Commissioner Boyle made the statement before the board of
County Commissioners last Spring that he believed that there were
at least 100000 acres of land in Elko County that were owned and
not on the assessment roll. He still makes the same statement and
has promised to furnish us with the figures next week as Mr.. Taylor,
who has been here for the past month, has not quite finished his
work.
The valuation of the railroads was raised with the exception of
the Western Pacific, and with the recent ruling made by the CON-
mission that the valuation of the roads 8 a whole would be distrib-|
.uted according to the mileage, Elko County will materially benefit
The total. increased valuation of the railroads in the State amounts
to 81. 211 ,o17.
The Tax Commission in 1913 assessed the mines of the State,
on a uniform basis throughout the State. The subsidiary milling
and railroad companies employed in the past to defeat the bullion
tax were in every case eliminated as far as taxation was concerned
and the mines paid on the combined profits Of the mines and mills
Three companies in Southern Nevada paid respectfully $4,000. $685.
900, and SIT 900 in additional taxes for 1911, 1912 and 1913, as al
result of the commissions rulings. The total increase from the
mines for the last year was approximately $4,000. The assessment
of the mines for 1914 will be about 33 per cent higher than for 1913
The question of the State tax rate that is fixed and was based
on the old valuation, hobs up and it looks as if the State treasury
viii Be filed to bursting. But as the Legislature meets about the