The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-04-21
Following Proffer of Assist
ance, State Commission Re-
quests Chief of Department
to Appear and Explain.
A. 7. & S. F. OFFICIALS
CONCLUDE TESTIMONY
Strong Protest Made at Carry
ing Burden of Every IN
crease since 1911 by Chief
Attorney Bledsoe.
tspccInI DIspatch to Evening IIcrnIdl


santa Fc. y. NJ. April 2l.-The
state tax commission this morning
unanimously adopted "a resolution in
viting Mr. r.. T. Cartridge of Topeka.
tax commissioner Of the Santa Fol
railroad, Co appear before the COM
mission on Saturday next TO advise
the commission as TO the machinery
used by the Santa Fe and other rail
roads IN 1919 Ia making its estimates
Of the value of property In the var
iuus counties Of New Mexico. The
resolution was passed following an
offer hy Mr. Tunnel. Of the tax de-
partmcnt Of the railroad, To. render
every assistance In is power To the
tax commission Ia reaching an cquit-
able and complete assessment OF all
property In the state.
Ia more detailed presentation OF
its case to the tax commission this
morning officials of the santa Re told
the commission that II was the feel
ing of the railroad company that the
taxing bodies OF this state IN the past
had not used every means al their
command to secure the listing of all
property. and that the railroads de-
sired to cooperate To that end now,
as they have always been ready to
do. Judge :. +. Bicdsoe of Chicago,
Eeneral attorney. presenting the SAN
Ia Fe's case. declared his belief that
taxation under the existing tax cont
mission law should bc upon the basis
OF actual physical value OF an prop
Crty, regardless OF is nature. lie
advanced the view that la the past
the railroads, and especially the san
a. Fc railroad, have been forced to
hF ttF FIs.h m
valuation as have been made aud IA
addition to the exhaustive reports
which the Santa Fc filed with the
Old state board ut equalization ~
1913 and 1914 he presented figures
tu prove, as he put %. that tho santa
Fc railroad wds DIrryin the banner
ana leading the procession la in
creased taxation
These supplementary figures show
Ing increases were iu condensed form
as follows
la 1911. the rand total Of all
property on tho taA rolls Was {5g.-
2ih,HNl The Santa re- $3.50.
ur ll,t per cent of the total.
In 1919 the santa Fc was yl0.O32,-
1873, nr 10 per cent uf the tutal uf
t12,iaat5f.
In 1913 the total valuation OF all
property, actual. Was $252,a5g.J5i.
tn" santa Fe was yi5.t1S.O2O. 90 -
per cent.
Ia 1914 the total actual valuation
of all property was 42GEGll,Sl1. The
Santa fc wac $50, i55,g20, ur 2J.1 per
cent
Judge Blodsuc pointed out that the
tentative increase proposed by the
hoard Tor this year would bring the
santa Fc's total up to sSG,p05,GSG.
lie introduced further figures 10
show that the i"creusc Of 1913 over
1879 on all classes OF property was
iO.j per cent while the increase uf
the santa Pc was SIS per cent, and
that the Increase uf an property In
1914 over 1913 was per cent while
thh' uf the santa fc was a.7 per cent,
while the proposed increase tor 1913
on the Santa Fc was ll.b6 per cent.
This he said was In the iacc Of the
fact that there had been no Increased
mileage and no important improve
mouts or expenditures OF money
Upon the mileage basis. he showed
that In 1912 the Santa Pc had
1891 miles of track in the state,
assessed at fl0.032. 1873. upon which
Il paid taxes OF s42i,5g7. or 1856 a
mile In 1915 upon l330.7O miles ot
track, assessed al sl6.O1l,O7S cone
third dctGal yalucJ, the santa Fc paid
&GOl, i6S In taxes, or Sij2 a mile
The increase IN mileage. he showed,
for the two years. was l4.o per cent;
the Increase in Assessed valuation 60
per cent the increase in taxes actual
ly paid as per cent, ana the IN
crease in taxes per mile "a per cent
I'VE do not feel that We deserve to
carry the bulk Of the burden of In
crensc, said Judge Blcdsue. "espe-
cially when there was no increase
actually In our value and when other
property was not raised at all We
made no protest against the IN.
crcascs In 1914 because We felt that
the board of equalization YVES doing
the best n could under the conditions
We expected only fair treatment ther
aud We expect only fair treatment
from this commission, We know
the great difficulties which confront
you ana We would not have consented
to carry the burden In the past but
tor our belief that the board was do
inE the best Il could We win mo-
have controversy over our taXei
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