Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-01-17

and was equalized in 1841. The sub
Ijects of valuation were still defined by
the act of 1881. The equalized valua-
ton was S99, ,154, ,745. The Grand List
for 1841, embracing this valuation and
the additions for real estate and personal
property, made in the spring of that
year, was 128, ,353,657. The increase in
five years had been $32, ,426, ,261.
A thorough revision of the laws con-
cerning taxation took place in 1876
Important additions were made to the
descriptions of taxable property; exemp-
tions were restricted and defined with
greater precision; rules of appraisement
were prescribed with view to ensure a
closer approximation of valuation to
value; the principle of actual appraise-
ment was for the first time applied to all
objects of taxation to which, in the ma
ture of things, it was applicable; clear di-
rections were given for the annual list
| ing and valuation of lands becoming tax
able for the first time, of improvements,
and of all personal property, new val
uatiop of all real property was directed,
and provisions was made for future val
uations in every sixth year.
The first general valuation required
by this act,being the fourth in the whole
series, was made in 1916, and was equal
lied the same year. The influence of
the wise provisions of the new law was
conspicuous in its results, which for the
first time approximated, though still re-
motely, the actual value Of the real prop
erty in the State The value of that de-
scription of property, as equalized, was
1924, ,495, ,804.
The Grand List of 1347, embracing
this equalized valuation, the spring val
uation of personal property amounting
to S83, ,964 ,430, and the other usual
spring valuations, exhibited an aggre-
gate of $40, 1853, ,160. The increase in
six years had been almost incredible. It
was $2s1, ,409,503.
Before the time for the second valua-
tion under the act of 1916 had arrived,
new Constitution had been adopted
The principle, of that act, extended in its
application to all property whatever,
with some specific exemptions, was now
incorporated into the fundamental law;
and the first General Assembly,under the
new Constitution, provided for a general
valuation and equalization of real prop
erty in 1853, and every sixth year there
after. In pursuance of this act, the
fifth general valuation took place and
was equalized in 1853. The aggregate
of the equalized valuation was s55S, ,725,-
542. The personal property listed the
following spring was valued at $297, :
O61, ,572. The Grand List for 1854, in
cluding with these values those of the
lands and new Improvements listed in
the spring, was 1856, ,929, ,982. The in
fcrease in seven years had been again
startling. It was S456, 166, 1922.
The appraised now more closely ap-
preached the real value, and no such ap-
parently rapid augmentation of the list
could be in future expected.
The sixth valuation took place during
the past year, under an act of the last
4 General Assembly, and its equalization
is not yet completed. According to the
returns made by the County Auditors,
under the act of April last, the aggregate
number of acres taxed is 25, ,314, ,280; the
average value of each acre, $17 48; and
the total value of the whole real property
! S641, ,91S, ,151. The lists of personal
property included in the spring valua-
tions, are not yet made. Should they
show an increase during the year pro-
portioned to that of the real property du-
ring six years, the amount will not be
less than S257 900, 600; and the general
aggregate, assuming that the total valu-
alton of reality will not be reduced by
equalization, will be about 5000, ,000, 900.
The increase for six years will be about
$33, ,00O, 900.
| The Grand List of 1860 will doubtless
show, with reasonable accuracy, the true
amount of taxable property in the State.
Returns of exempt property from all the
counties, except Hamilton and Fayette,
exhibit an aggregate of S10,570, ,858.-
These returns are doubtless imperfect.
The real amount of this description of
property, in all the counties, including
chattels, does not, probably, fall much
short of $50, ,0oO,0 600. The Commits
sioner of Statistics, basing his opinion
! on reports of actual sales, estimates the
entire property in the State at 81 ,050,-
OO0, 900.
The population of the State is nov
about two millions and half Such 8
population, grown up from the twenty
five thousand of sixty years ago, educa
ted, energetic and indefatigable, and pos
sessed of such mass Of means, ereatee
by the skill and industry of two genera
, tions, presents striking picture of prog
ress and power.
I venture to suggest the expediency o
: directing the general valuations of rea
estate, after the next, to be made once il
five years, so that the results obtainet
under Stateauthority, may be easily com
pared with those obtained under Fedora
in the census years; while those obtaine'
by the general valuation in the interme
diate years, and the annual estimates
will supply the means of determining tn
, rate of growth and progress each yea
during the interval between those years
The amount of debts, OF whatever de
scription, State, corporate, commercia
and every other, is now estimated a
s240, 600, 900; but of these not less, prob
ably, than one-third would be cancelle
by payment of other debts embraced i
the same aggregate. The whole existin
debt, constituting real charge upon tn
whole existing property, hardly, if at al
exceeds $160,000, 600; about one sixth 9
its value. IF this sum be compared, nc
merely with the entire property, butwitl
the entire products of the State, which &C
cording to my estimate in 1858, amount
5 ed in 1857 to S261 1867 800, and doubt
less exceeded that sum in 1859, or wit
the probable net products after deduct
, ing the consumption, direct and indirec
, of the people, the qualification aforde
i by the spectacle of our general prosperit,