, 1876-10-01


ventions in this county have made excellent
selections for the State Board OF Equallza-
ton. in the persons Of JOHN WENTWORTH and
SAMUEL B. CHASE. If the Third District will
select Mr.. DEn1CKsoN, or some one equally
experienced and energetic, this county VIII
be represented at the next meeting OF the
Board by strength it has heretofore not
had. The Board consists of nineteen men,
bers, and yet the three districts OF cook
County, electing about one-sixth OF the
Board. are assessed upon one-tourth OF the
taxable property of the State, MIR. WENT
WORTH and Mr. CHASE, as well as alr. DER
1oKsos, as owners Of large properties are
personally familiar with the condition and
values of such property, and capable OF pre-
sentine the equities and justice Of fair ao-
nortionment of taxation. This county has
been the victim of the State Board for many
wears. Chicago has been looked upon as
| foir subject to be plundered, and We regret
| to say that, outside our OWL representatives,
the members of the Board have been pretty
unanimous in piling up assessments against
this city.
An instance Of this kind took place at a
| recent meeting. The return of TIC assess
ments for lands was referred to one commlt-
tee, that Of personal property to another'
| and town and city lots to q third, In order to
ennalize the assessments as between coun-
ties. The Committee on Town and City
Lots prepared d report, which was agreed to
UNANIMOUSLY, and the report was laid over
and examined by other members OF the
Board. Not an objection was heard or men
toned. This report was referred to Tue
General Committee to be Incorporated IN the
general report. On Sunday some members
of the General Committee met and deter
mined to add $30,o00,0oo to the assessed
value Of the town and city lots IN Cooa
County, and, of course, to reduce the assess
ment upon the town and city lots IN the res
of the State. This General Committee hat
really no Jurisdiction over this subject; ther
province was to equalize the reports Of tn
special committees, and not to enter into tn
details of either. But the chance to reduc
the valuation in their own districts by add
inc largely to that Of Chicngo proved ire
sist,ble to the country members; so the add
ton vas voted, in defiance Of al1 justice, an
, in violation of the Boards own rules.
The result Of this last addition, carried q
: the last hour of the session, leaves the value
ton Of the improved town and city lots !
Illinois in the following shape:
Average value Of lots in Cook County ISL eo
. | Average value Of lots in whole state 2 2o
Ayerage value Of lots outside Cook County: 81
Tie average value of the improved lots
: Illinois, outside of Cook County, is assume
to be, for taxable purposes, S34S, while
Cook County they are to be taxed at an a
erage value Of $1,000. A consequence
! this is, that, on the item of improved to"
lots, Cook County is assessed at 50 per Gel
u u of the whole property Of that kind IN II
b State while the other 10l counties combine
T. are assessed at only IS per cent.
10 The total assessment for this county
IL lands, lots, and personal property Will
about $210, 100000, against S23o, ,ooo,o
% last wear. To this is to be added the d
l. tributive share of taxable railroad proper
ID and capital stock, which will increase t
4 whole to about $21s, 1000, 900, which will
u the basis for county taxation.
10 The aggregate tax to be collected und
the levy for county purposes, apart from
J, terest on debt existing before 1870, Will
OF about 81, 70o,o 900, which will not leave
~ very large margin for expenditures on
Us ourt-House,- the ordinary current expenf
" of the county nearly reaching that sum.