South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-20
FOUR MILLIONS
INCREASE. SHOWN
IN VALUATIONS
Total of All Classes of CorpO-
rate Property EvaIuated by
State Board Is $274,766,-
778-Steam Roads Gain.
Special to The News-Times.

Special TO The News Times.
INDIANAPOLIS, May 20. - Every
class of corporate property in Indiana
that is evaluated for taxation purposes
by the state board of tax commission
ers, with the exception OF electric
railroads and transportation COM
panies, showed heavy increases in
their total values III Indiana in the
1915 summary of the work of the
state board, completed today. The
total increase in the taxation values of
all classes of property eValuated by the
board was $4.S63,3S4 over the total Of
last year, the combined totals of the
classes in question amounting this
year TO 274,766,77S. OF the increase
over 1914, the steam railroads re-
corded the heaviest gain. For 1913
the total value of steam railroad prop
erty for taxation purposes, as fixed by
the board throughout the state, was
$212, 2,129,563, as against a total Of
$20S, S,941,570 in 1914, or an increase
for the year of $3,1S7,993
The total lin of all classes of prop
erty this year. however, failed to reach
the high mark set for a years gain
in 1914, when the increase over the
1919 total was $6,075,394.
The total loss of the electric roads
of the state for the year may be at
tributed TO several reasons, the state
officials believe, among them being
possible inroadS OF jitney bus service
in some cities, though this probably
is a more or less negligible consider
alton this year. a big part OF the
loss came in the Indianapolis prop
critics and resulted because of a split
ting of the mileage reports OF the
Indianapolis companies, because OF
conditions. made necessary by state
regulation. The total loss OF this class
of property was $1SS,347 over the
1914 total.
The evaluations made by the board,
which concludes its present spring ses-
sion next Monday, now will be dis
tributed TO the various counties Tor
application of the local tax rates ana
collection by the county officers.
The state board this year IS COM
posed of Homer L. Cook, secretary or
state; Dale J. Crittenberger, audltor
of state (rlembers eX OfhciO); James
A Houck and Eben II. WOlcott, In
dianapolis, and DR.. T D. Scales OF
RoonVille. The entire compilations
of the boards work was done by Ed
ward Stenger, official clerk TO the
board.
Work Has Taken Months.
The consummation Of the stipend
ous task OF evaluating the various
classes of property. including steam
and electric roads, telephone com
panies. express companies, telegraph
companies. sleeping car companies
nine line companies and tranSporta-
son companies. has taken months OF
earnest work by the state BODY
AS in the past few years JIle ChleA
aim of the state board this year was
,1o a
the best of their ability, with the ante
dated taxation valuation system WillcL
is placed in the HANDS OF Ihe oo''i u
by the Indiana statutes
The changes in the valuations OF
nroperties in all the classes eNaluaIeu,
in great part, were due TO the DoaIu
rnaTobers' desire TO eoualiZe property
assessments wherever poSslDle ~, iIi aS
counties and the initial valuation %
the big corporate properties OF IIS
state which extend into pracucally All
counties Of the state in some way OF
oDother. was used as the opening
wedge in this new attempt 10 make
more uniform all the taxation Nalua-
ton that is accomplished III li0
Sought for Uniformity.
In some cases valuations were raised
md i'm others lowered, with the ldea
of uniforrnit,- and equalization upper
most in the minds Of the board mem
hers This system has been IN vogue
foI several sessions Of the board ana
is bringing about results. Board mem
bars this year believe they nave sue
ceeded in evaluating the properueS
within their purview III as hTdiiy "
,',,tForn, manner throughout the va
,.to,ls counties as in any previous year
OF group OF years. 60 +ba
prior TO the adjournment OF the
hoard next Monday it is barely pos
sthIe that a slight change or two may
he made in the valuation OF some
nroperty. but the figures given OUT
TODAY viii stand as the proDapl Gen Gen
,'alTations After appeals are heard
INC changes will be made, but they
never AFFECT the total results ma
4nrfa11v