The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-09-06

mprovemcnts-the northern part more re
Gently settled and less valuable.
Farming land assessed at from 15 {,
) 30 dollars. Horses assessed at from sc
} to 300 dollars per span. Oxen, from &C
to l26 dollars per yoke; Cows from l2 tc
, 25 dollars; Sheep in aocks, 2 to dollars
come improved stock much higher. AL
live stock assessed without exception as tc
age. Z,
Two towns did not comply with the law
Commerce and White Lake;) the super.
} visors of these towns assuming that the
law would not be enforced generally, did
not attempt to carry it out in all its provis.
ions--the assessment in the first however
was high enough, in the latter too low, and
was increased by the board. Elsewhere,
i the the law was generally and cheerfully
\ compiled with; know of but or 5 instan-
ces of refusal to take the oath; one of them
IN his own town, for which he should pros
ecute.
Mr.. Eastman, of Ottowa, stated that the
aggregate valuation of this county is in
creased two and three-fourths fold; it is
very new, under less improvement than
almost any other-most of lands are pine,
which is in fact instead of source of
wealth to it, an injury; they are for the
most part, owned and cut off for lumber
by non residents, and the proceeds carried
out ofthe State. Out of about l2 or more
large mill proprietors, eight or ten reside
out of the State, and carry the profits of
their business to other States, leaving the
lands stripped of everything that gives
them value. The law was generally and
fully complied with. Three towns, how
ever, assessed wild lands at 25 dollars
per acre; the Board raised these assess
ments to so dollars; none assessed less in
the county. There were but two refusals
to take oath but little difficulty in these
cases, to arrive at correct estimates. There
is but little personal property to asses, ex-
cept logs and lumber, one half Of it out of
the way when assessment taken. Popula-
ton floating. Steam mills assessed at
from 1000 to 1900 dollars.
Horses @ 100 to IT'S dollars per pair.
Oxen o. 60 to l2O dollars per yoke.
Cows "a 10 to 25 dollars.
Mr.. Turner, of Saginaw, said that the
aggregate valuation of this county had in
creased nearly four times over that of | 85I
1t is principally numbering district, and
It's agricultural improvements are extreme
ly limited. The Supervisors of this coun-
ty adopted uniformly the same rules in as
sessing, and intended to carry out the new
law faithfully. Assessed real estate ac-
cording to location and quality, averaging
dollars per acre throughout the county
Saw mills assessed from 1000 to $4,000 |
each. With regard to personal property,
it was the determination of the assessors to
put 1t at its reat value. OF stock, have but
little compared with other counties, the
most of it, being the horses and oxen used
by the by the lumbeImen, which, at the
time OF assessment, are in poor order and
deprecated in value. Oxen were valued
at from 80 to 100 dollars per yoke, horses
at from so dollars upward; (ponies at
less. Our principa, personal property
consists of lumber and logs, but of these
here are at the time of the assessment
comparatively but little on hand, the latter
Deingat that time mostly on their way down
he river from the counties south and north,
and the former having been principally
shipped off before. Logs were assessed
1t from 3 to dollars per M. Under the
Did system of assessing, The old counties !
had the advantage of the new, and the :
burden of taxation fell with undue weight
ipon the latter.
In old counties, where there is great 5
wealth, much capital is necessarily out Of 7
ight-in the newer there is but little, and {
,ut little concealed-in the first case it is 2
iifficult to get at the property of the cti- S
ens-in the latter is easy. The results of {
he late assessments under the new law, il
which was intended to obviate this, show
his opinion to be correct We have now, a
S heretofore, assessed every thing, and
hough the older counties have increased
heir valuation, yet the old disparity is v
ot entirely done away with; for in the lat
err 1t is obvious from the returns, and the O
ature of the circumstances, that much |,
ersonal property has escaped assessment.
Mr.. l.. Parsons, of Shiawassee, stated n
ne aggregate valuation of this County to be
lcreased over 3 times. Supervisors fixed e.
o basis of valuation, but left il to the best
idgement of each, always keeping in
lew the objects of the law, which it was
etermined should be carried out Real
state was assessed, so that wild lands OF
verage about 8 dollars per acre; improved,
about 3 dollars. Wheat, growing, was a,
as adding to the value of farms "
Generally, Horses were assessed at from D;
TO 100 dollars each. Ia
Oxen from so to 80 dollars per yoke. d,
3 years old 25 to 80 dollars. tb
Some Horses were appraised as high as CT
% dollars-oxena at 100 dollars-but few, d,
owevcr. HH lT
The law was intended TO be faithfully ca
of no resistance to it w
atements generally sworn to-knows of VI
, refusal but in one or two cases, but in ST
ese full correct statements of property pc
ere given, though not under oath. ty
Mr. Chamberlain, of st. Clair. The ag- es
'egate of our county is increased over al
rec times: formerly, wild lands were as rs