The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-04-12
Board of Equalization Fixes
Tax Valuation of the Com
pany at $150,000.
PRESENT ASSESSED
VALUE is ONLY $4,000
City Officials Say Property Of Mo
Public Utilities Company Worth
100000.

The assessed valuation of the Mis-
souri, Public Utilities Co., which fur
nishes the city with gas, water anc
electricity, was raised yesterday from
$4,000 to $150,O00 by the County
Board of Equalization after City At
torney Wilson Balm and other city off.
cials had appeared before the board
and asked that the valuation be in.
creased to 100000. The City Attor.
ney was accompanied by Mayor Hirsch
|, and City Assessor Huters, who argued
for the increase of the taxable prop.
erty of the utilities company.
The increase was asked for after 6
careful examination had been made OF
the property owned by the Missouri
Public Utilities Co. in the Cape. II
was estimated by experts that the
equipment of the company, exclusive
of the value of the real estate and the
generating plant in North Cape, was
worth 100000.
Basing their arguments on these
figures, the city officials asked the
Board of Equalization to assess the
Missouri Public Utilities Co. at $780,
900, or 40 per cent of the estimated
value of the property and equipment
of the concern.
The Missouri Public Utilities Co.,
according to the official records, has
been assessed at only $4,000. 1t was
pointed out by the city officials that
this amount would about cover the as
sessed valuation of the real estate
owned by the company, which is-now
assessed at $4,000.
In arguing for the increase, City
Attorney Balm explained that the value
of the water and gas pipes, the water,
gas and electric meters, the water
plugs, the copper wire, and the entire
plant equipment of the company would
easily reach the 100000 mark. This
sum would also include the assessed
valuation Of the plant in which the gss
and electricity is generated.
After considering the matter for
some time, the members of the Board
Of Equalization agreed to raise the as
sessed valuation Of the company to
one-haf Of the amount the city Off
cials asked for. The same city officials
will again appear before the Board
of Equalization to ask for an increase
of the assessed valuation of the real
estate owned by the Missouri Public
Utilities Co. The present valuation is
$4,000, but the city officials maintain
that this is about one-tenth of the ac-
tual value Of the real estate property
Of the company. They will ask to
raise the assessed valuation to Sic, 1000
on the real estate property of the COM
pany.
In the event the officers of the Pub
lie Utilities Co. protest against this
increase, hearing will lbe given them
before the Board Of Equalization for
! which the date will be set later. City
Attorney Balm said last night that he
expected the company to fight the in
crease of its tax valuation, but added
that the city would insist that the rul-
ing of the Board of Equalization be
upheld.
A. NJ. Tinsley, general manager Of
the Public Utilities Co., said last night
when informed of the increase of the
tax valuation Of the company's prop.
erty, that the action of the Board OF
Equalization would undoubtedly be
contested. The increase is unreason.
ably excessive, he said. and could moi
be accepted by the company.