The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-02-25
8 MILLION CUT FROM
RAILWAY VALUATION
BY TAX COMMISSION
Unusual Conditions Produced by
the War Causes Pleas Of Traffic
Lines TO be Needed Other Re-
auctions Are Made,

santa 70. y. NJ. Feb. 25.--in-
stead OF $ttIj7O.3NG. the increases IN
valuations on railway property IN
New Mexico in 1915 VIII hc approNi-
mately between 8. 1nU.Uuu ana So
100000. After HAVING spent -four days
In listening to arguments Of railroad
counsel ana In consideration and de
liberation in executive session ycs,er.
day the state tax commission an
nounced general reductions ON rail
road property from the figures set
some time ago. TN, transportation
| Zines based their claims for reductions
or the report OF the Interstate CONF
mcrCe Commit ion which fixed the
cost of reeonstruction of the prop
erty OF the Santa Fc railway in New
Mexico, not i|nclndiuE right OF way
ana rolling stock M St1, 0O0,0 0V. Sub
tracing ~ per cent allowed Tor de-
probation, the prop,rt, present ace
tuBl valuation from the viewpoint 81
reconstruction cost would De St2,-
0O0. 010
The railroads cited the unusual
conditions brought thuut boy the war
az Teusons opposed 90 large increases
In valuations. Thpy stated that u
the states increased the lines taxes,
the roads would have lust that much
less income on which % pay federal
taxes. while only the santa fe cuult.
cite Interstate commerce commission
figures, the various roads argued that
conditions would be- relatively the
same AS applied a. them Il was
shown that New MpNico's valuation
was high on u mileage basis M com
pared to all the other states. with the
exception of Arizona.
The commission. after much delhi
Grafton, decided ON reductions. feel
ing hat they should be made In Wow
Of the showing presented. particular
~ the commerce commissions report
and war conditions. lnnsmuch as the
reductions. while sweeping. still have
a large increase over the lg15 yalua-
tions, the railroads will bring in a
larger volume OF uNntion than ever
before. Ia the case Of the Santa Sc
the valuations will be approximately
h same rs last year while AN the
other lines have been raised.
Santa re Valuation.
For the santa Fe valuations were
finally fiNct as follows ON q per mile
basis, Main line $4,000. Bclcu cut
Of $4,000. Pccos valley line north
of Carlsbad y2l.2ea. pecos valley
south of Carlsbad $4,000. coast lines
$4,000, l;io Grande division $50. 600
other lines as follows ~ paso and
Southwestern 100000. reduction ol
about $4,000 Southern Pacific StS.25t
a reduction of about $4,000; Chicago
Rock Island N Pacific $4,000. q re-
duction of approximately $1,000; ben.
yer a Rio Graude Sii.G3O, HpproNi.
mately unchanged, New Mexico Cen.
tral $4,000, q reduction OF $1,000.
In practically every Instance whcr,
a reduction was made the final Fix.
urcs are AN increase over last year
The New Mexico central, Tor example
pays on just twice the valuation OF
last year
The commission cut of SaS. O0i
from the Valuation of the Mountain
I states Telephone and Telegraph con
pony's property. which Is still &i0O.O Oi
higher thar last yoar az Over one mil
| lion. Tho Western Union Telegraph
company wns reduced 100000, loav
ing an increase Of S50.000 over las
! year, az approximately $4,000 tn,
Postal Telegraph and cable com
pany's request for q reduction VII
I refused and the valuation left "a
SliY. OuO. u WIS shown that m
"ompany's wire rs largely copper
! bringing rs valuation 60 higher figurt
than compautcs using other kinds o
wire.
A reduction was granted In the val
untiou of IN, Albuquerque city Flee
trio rumpau, leaving the figure stn
about 500 por mile above last year
The final valuation fixed on th'
property Of the Trinidad F.lectri,
Transmissiou and Gas company
though reduced i- $4,000 above las
year
V. v. Stey,u. represented the Pos
tai. g. g. NrCIintnok the Western
Union and b IT, Hnmcr the Noun
tain state company.