Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-12-10
Northern Pacific
Sues County
DISPUTE OVER TAXES IS CAUSE
SEEKS COURT ACTION FOR
REIMBURSEMENT

Boise, Idaho. Dec. 6.-Clearwater
Fcounty, Oren d. Crockett, county
Treasurer and Joseph Kaufman,
county auditor, were made defend
ants in a suit in equity by the Nor
thern Pacific Railroad Co. on the
[charge of illegal and fraudulent pro-
ceedings in assessing taxes. The
complaint asks that the county, ct
/ al, be restrained from foreclosing
on the certificates of delinquency or
from issuing deeds to land in dis
pute, or interfering with title, use
or possession of the lands. Request
is also made that the alleged illegal
and unjust taxes levied in 1917.
1918, 1919 and 1920 be Cancelled
and the company's land released
from lien thereon.
The suit comes as a climax to
long g-drawn out dispute between
Railway, which has history wor-
thy of going into at this time. It
will be remembered that the rail-
roads under the old land grant, Sc
cured from the federal government
every alternating section twenty
miles on either side of their right of
way. In 1917 there were approx
mately $4,000 acres of such rail-
road grant lands lying in ranges 8,
8, 10. II, II, 13, IA and Is. in
Clearwater county on the westerly
side of the N. P. right of way,
which had not been patented for
obvious reasons. They form the
basis of the dispute. The citizens
of Clearwater county in that year
held public meeting in regard to
having these lands patented, there
by throwing them open to taxation.
The county paid the expenses of one
Mr.. Compton, who went to Wash
ington. D. c. to bring the matter
before federal officials, who forced
the railway company to patent the
/ lands
But 10000 acres were patented
in 1917 in time enough to be as
sessed for taxation that year. the
remainder being assessed in 1918.
The first assessment made against
these lands was made by assessor
Hinckley at $3.50 per acre. The
railway company refused to pay the
taxes but offered Oren D. Crockett,
then county treasurer. an amount
based on valuation of SO cents
per acre. which they thought reas-
enable, instead of paying the
amount required by the county's
officials. The treasurer refused
the check and the railway company
has refused to pay the taxes on
these lands ever since.
In 1918 the county board OF
equalization cut the valuation OF
the $4,000 acres to 800 per acre
and still the company has refused to
pay the taxes, objecting to the as
sessment as being too high and re-
peatedly requesting that It be re-
duced to so cents per acre. The as
sessment has remained fixed Mt 81 90
per acre since 1918 and as the 1917
taxes have not been paid and the
three-year limit Is up the county
treasurer served notice on the rail-
way that the lands would be decided
to the county In January. which
action has finally brought on the
suit. Just recently the board OF
county commissioners agreed to cut
the railway company's taxes In
1917 to basis of 800 per acre
assessment. provided the company
paid all It's taxes, which evidently
They have refused to do, asking for
readjustment on the 1918. 1919
and 1920 taxes In addition.
II Is the general opinion OF the
county officials that the s1.00 per
acre assessment is just The land
IN dispute lies within the boundary
OF the Clearwater National Forest,
and taking their basis Of a cruise on
every alternating section under Its
jurisdiction. there are hundreds OF
million feet of timber on the rail-
roads property. However, some
Oh 1t has been burned off. County
assessor Harlan states that there Is
probably some of the railroad land
mat should be assessed at only 30
eehts per acre, but that there Is
a'so some assessed too low at $1.0O