The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-04-26
w. B. Collins DIsapproves Of Action
OF Assessor In Listing Real
Estate Of the Power
Company.
GROUNDS OF COMPLAINT
Two County Oranges In Letters to
City Protest Against Any
Change In the AS
sessment.

In letter to former Assessor S. H..
Johnston, which has just been made
public, w. B. Collins has registered a
protest against the assessment made
against the Mississippi River Power
company. giving his grounds for his
complaint. The letter follows YER
batim:
| s. H. Johnston, Assessor:
| I, w. B. Collins, a resident citizen
and tax payer of Keokuk, Lee county,
Iowa, protest against your action, at
this time, in listing and assessing, the
real estate of the Mississippi River
Power company, upon the following
| grounds:
i. BY an agreement and pledge on
the part of the citizens Of the city Of
Keoknk and Lee county, Iowa, by rea-
son of the building, by the Mississippi
River Power company, OF the dam and
power plant at the Des Moiner rapids.
said company and it's property was ex-
empted from taxation for twenty years
from January LIST, 1907; there was no
protest to this action OF record.
2. This being an even year, 1916.
real estate Is not ordinarily listed and
assessed, unless it Is not included in
the prior assessment for 1915. The real
estate Of the said company was duly
listed and assessed by you in 1915, and
you knew then as much as you do now
about all Of the property of said COM
pany and by common consent of the
tax payers and citizens Of Lee county
large amount of the property of said
company-the same you now seek to
| list and assess-waS exempt from tax
alton, and you omitted to assess it, and
you were justified in acting thereby,
and I don't think you are now at this
time, under all the circumstances, JUS
titled to list and assess the real estate
of said company, which in 1915 you
omitted. Section 1850, Code 1897, Sui
| ly VS.. Poorbaugh 45 Ia, 453.
| 8. The said property of said COM
pany, that was so exempt and SO de-
cided by you as exempt in 1915, should
not be listed and assessed by you at
this time. Leave that question to the
citizen or officer that thinks different,
to decide upon and act.
4. The company acted In good faith
and also the citizens Of Lee county
acted in equal good faith. Let the COM
pany and people carry out their acts IN
good faith, subject to the action Of the
officer or citizen who thinks different
| ". to assume the responsibility Of their
action.
5. Please file this protest with your
action in the matter, and oblfge
Truly
W. B. COLLINS.
Keokuk Iowa April I, 1916.
Letters From Oranges.
, Letters protesting against any
change being made in the assessment
made against the Mississippi River
Power company, were received today
at the city hall from oranges at
Mount Hamill and Montrose, Ia. They
follow:
Mount Hamill. Ia.
April 25, 1916.
To the Honorable Board of Re
view of Keokuk, Ia:
The members of the jolly
Booster Grange No. 21O6, beIev-
ing that the valuation returned by
the assessor Of Keokuk against the
Mississippi River Power company,
of sixteen millions to be low,
| earnestly protest against any
| further reduction Of said valua-
| ton.
Very truly yours,
J. E. CALDWELL,
Secretary Jolly Booster Grange
No. 2106.
! One from Montrose.
Montrose, la.
! April "a, 1916.
Mayor Lotion,
| Keokuk, Iowa.
| We the officers and members
| 20 Mor+rose Grange No 2131 pro-
test against the exemption Of
taxes of the Mississippi River
! Power company plant.
Remember your oath and equal
] i've the assessment Of corpora
! tons and individuals property
according to value.
By C. e. WRIGHT, Secretary.
! Montrose, la.