The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-10-25
AN OUTRAGE.

We have seen published in hhlf dozen q
papcrs-Chicago and Springhc,d-what pur
ported to be correct lists Of the assessment q
corporations Of this state, as "equalzed" by
the state board of equalization. In that lis
we find the following given as tie regulated
assessment of the corporations of this county
Western Cutlery company. OTTAWA. 9jC
! Ot,awa Glass Co, Ottawa. ....... 81 APO
! Ottawa Gas Light ~ Coke company
Ottawa. .................... .... 17,7OO
| Illinois Starch company, Ottawa. 1899
Ottawa Building & Homestead saving
company, Ottawa G1,399
Harselles Manufacturing company
Marscilcs. ................ 30,404
! MarSelles Land & Water Power com.
! pany, MarsCillcs. ..,.,,... 4t3
| Illinois Agricultural Works, Mar
settles. ...................... 1895
Seneca Bridrc Co, Seneca. ........ 10j2S
UIinois Valley Coal Co.. OglCsby 80. As 963
phnnix Glass Co.. La Sale ..... 1859
La Sale Planning Mill Co., La Sale 1899
Northern Illinois Coal 4 Iron Co, .
La Sale, '.......... ............ l,301, $40
Mathewson & IIegcler Zinc company -
La Sale l92,uU6
Peru Coal Co., Peru.... .;......., 52ll4S
Illinois River Bridge Co, feru.. 800. 41,o'O
The sums set opposite the names of these
corporations respectively are so extraordinary
that we supposed there was some blundcr
about it which would be corrected when the
firurc, came to the county clerk; but those
figures have come, and we find that such are
really the amounts as fixed by the State Board
Of Equalization
Let rs look at these figures Western
Cutlery Company $3.50 The paid up stock
of that company IS really some 100000, and
its property i, worth that. 1t is true, the
company may, in its operations, have con
tractcd debts, but can its debts and credits
be set of against its capital stock? Can any
body explain how, under the revenue law, thi,
is assessed but 1856? "OUuwa
glass Co., SCI 42O;" "PhTniX glass Co, La
Sale, 81 $50" The La Sale glass company
is very much such a concern as that att
Ottawa was in May last costing about the
same and worth about the same Can any
body explain how one is worth 80 times rs
much as the other? Ottawa Bridge Co.,
$3.50" The company offered to sell the
bridge to Ottawa four years ago for $lOO00
in city bonds, and the bridge is worth $4,000
css to-day than it was then, The assessor
returned it. we believe, at $4,000 What
wise noodle in the state board knew that that
was 100000 too low? "OuaWu
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SGl,399' The assessor
had put it in at Sl2, 600 which was iu,f $1,000
more than every cent the association was
worth last May. The property of the associa-
ion consists of the savings of ITS members,
paid in monthly IN from one to five dollar
lribs. As there are about 500 shareholders
Who have paid in a little over 800 month
or about two years, the actual cash thus far
paid into the association ought not to have
,ecn, up TO last May, much over $1,000. /
Add $500 as earnings and $4,000 would
nave been full cash value assessment Of the |
concern Yet the wise heads in the state /
BOARD have discovered this collection of odd /
pennies, in some mysterious way, in two
years, to have rolled up to the amount of
SGl 800. !
What sort Of asses was the state boa,d COM
posed of? Were they drunk, crazy or bought
Up? fla committee Of ten lunatics from the
tate insane asylum should make no
more rational capitalization" than this, they /
;ould be kicked out as incurablc idiots.
We understand the attorney ofthe building .
ssocation is about to enjoin the clerk from
Xtending this tax, and we have no doubt, If
here is in law any possible remedy against
uch inconceivahlc malice or stupidy, the
ssociation will escape this gross injustice
nd palpable robbery
INuEpENnENT az hNTI.M0NNpnIN