The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-09
assistant Attorney General ssy' L !.
ii Iowa and Power Company
Claims Location Is
illinois.
RIVER CHANNEL ISSUE


nas Moines Register and Leader:
Eurlass the Mississippi River Power
.cmnany at Keokuk can prove that its
scver house is In Illinois instead Of
ysova It will have to pay taxes in
Iva on a valuation of $4,000. 900.
The ruling OF G. A. Robbins, assist
~ attorney general. given at an in
,ormal meeting Of the executive coun-
n Yesterday is to the effect that the
s,.nt ia in Iowa and should be taxed
here.
,.ny. however, Is not satisfied with
mis- holding. It proposes to continue
4 fight against the higher taxation.
The opposing force also proposes to
amt. according to statements made
q the council.
Dispute 40 to Channel.
Tho entire proposition depends up
- vhere the Iowa-Illinois state line
= Keokuk runs along the Mississippi
Jyer Iowa claims everything to the
.hsnnel Since the new lock has
Seen built on the Iowa side, there is
dispute as to where the channel Is.
Tha mower company claims that the
eecter OF the lock Is the state line.
F The power house Is located east OF
M lock. and therefore the company
| claims It is in Illinois.
c. A. Robbins does not take this
view. He says the Iowa line follows
he natural river channel and not the
| channel provided by the building OF
| the power dam. He says that the Mis-
sissippi river was navigated by big
boats before the government con-
structed the old canal and locks at
Keokuk. The old time pilots took
their boats over the rapids.
Would Follow Natural Channel.
There was a well defined channel at
that time. It is probable that the
executive council may call one of the
old time pilots to Des Moines to tes-
tify with regard to where the natural
channel was at the point where the
dam has been built. 1t Is the claim
Of the assessor at Keokuk that the
natural channel through the rapids
at Keokuk was nearer the Illinois
shore than the Iowa shore. therefore
more than half the KeOkuk dam and
power house OF the Mississippi River
Power company should be taxed In
Iowa.
According to the Keolxuk assessor.
the power dam has been assessed In
Illinois for about one mile of ITS
length. Iowa has claimed all the
rest OF the dam and power facilities
for taxation.
Business Men Back Of Company.
Assessor Johnston Of Keokuk put
the valuation of the power company
at 100000. On refusal of the pow
& company to make a statement, the
assessment fixed by the assesso: was
doubled. The law has provision by
which this is done in case OF refusal.
A number OF business men Of Keok,ik
are backing the power company in its
claim. They are /. asking the state
executive council to fix the value OF
the property Of the company at $780,
900 for taxation. Johnston has pro-
tested against this and has started
action to prevent. II possible, a re-
duction being made in his figures.
Since he took the action against the
company he has become ex-assessor.
Someone else now has his job.
4
Attorney Defines Assessor.
Attorney Hollingsworth OF Keokuk
appeared for the state executive coun-
Gil yesterday to explain the situation.
he maintains that. the assessors fig
ure of SS,O00,000 should stand. He
says that outside Of few business
men in Keokuk that town stands solid
lor the higher assessment.
The executive council members de-
clare they will follow the ruling OF
ne attorney generals department In
NE matter. Therefore 1t Is up to the
keokuk power company to show that
rs property is not in Iowa, or pay the
Ak. officials say. The states share of
he tax would be $4,000.
Blew Open the Safe.
NORTH CHIT r ICOsTHE I'll Au1 q