Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-22

Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazett

CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandria Gazette.
LEEsBURG, Va, June 19.-Our court has
adjourned for the term, and has been slgnallzed
by great many reductions in the price OF lands
as assessed two years ago. 1t is probable that
if the reductions at the July and August terms
bear fair proportion to those at the une term,
the reduction iu the assessed value of lands in
the county will not be less than Sl,0O00O0.
The applications generally are confined to men
who own lands to the value Of So 900 or more,
and who can afford to pay the $40 fee Of the
attorneys. The people who own small parcels
of real estate, and whose reduction of tax would
not be much more in three years than the SO,
and whose tracts being small and more saleable,
would probably not be reduced in the same pro-
portion as large and unweldy farms, will have
to bear the additional burdens produced by
this diminution in the aggregate value. 80
that this is another illustration Of the we'll
known fact that poor people support the GOV
eminent out of proportion to their means. 1t
is generally understood that the last legislature
was largely tinctured with the ''rellet'' malady,
and did all that large, we'll educated, good
hammered minority could effect and one OF the
chief ends aimed at and gained by them was
this reassessment 10 one form or another. We'll
how does it affect the debtor class? Rich peo-
pie who dont't want to sell their lands get them
reduced in value BY the court from Is to 20 per
cent. OF course, this gets abroad and affects un-
favorably the value of the lands that are for
sale, and the much bemoaned debtor class"
has the grim satisfaction of knowing that they
have been wounded in the house of their
friends" One of the assessors, who was ex-
amincd as witness, testified that on two mode
rately sized tracts, in which he had an interest,
IL IL &c Of nd Of
cts, paid six per cent on the assessment of
1870; and, when asked by the court whether
the farmers generally made six per cent, signli
cantly remarked that the assessment should
not bear the blame Of bad farming Last year
gentleman owning land assessed at $40 per
acre, without buildings, invested a few hundred
dollars in sheep, and in - months will have
made $500 clear, and this spring invested 10
cattle, and 10 four months will have made $500
on that investment. [ think the tract is about
800 acres and worth $4,000. Another singu-
lar fact has been developed within few days
COL Elijah Y White traded at $40 per acre
his Egypt farm near Mountsville, in Mt. Gilead
township, about II miles from Leesburg, con-
tanning 245 acres, which was assessed two years
ago at $40 per acre, and for which he gave
500. 60 to Col. Geo. T. Rust for his Montre-
sor farm. lying five miles north Of Leesburg, in
the Potomac Valley, and containing lS2 acres,
at $50 per acre. The fact alluded to is that
the very farm, at this very June term, was re-
duced from $50 down to $40 per acre; 10 other
words $50 farm was reduced to $40 farm,
and yet the same week was sold at $50. How
ever, the proof was Enthusiastically clear before
the court that it was worth only $40. So much
for mans judgment. ALIoUIs.
STAFFORD CoUNTY:-A meeting was held