Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-12
MINNEApO LISNEWS
Reported for the Daily Globe
COIN EXCHANGE.

Hard Times:
The GLOBE has no space to devote to the
corn exchange meeting at the council cham
Der last night further than to publish the
bare report of the committee on taxes and
taxation. It is document carefully pre-
pared, and speaks for itself. Let every man
read it and ponder upon its contents. Does
the present tax law pay premium on per-
jury?
REPORT.
GENTLEMEN Your subcommittee on taxa
ton, real and personal, have devoted consider
able time to said subject, and although they
have lately entered the field assigned them
have already CLEANED sufficient to warrant them
in making 4 preliminary report, as follows:
REAL ESTATE.
Your committee iud that while the machine
ry provided by law for the assess
ment and collection of taxes real
estate may be ample, yet it is not in
all respects managed as the law contemplates.
Details on this matter will be given hereafter;
for the present call attention to the fact that
valuations are far from being equal proportions
atey, especially as between small homesteads
and stately mansions. and to the additional
fact that in numerous cases Improvements are
assessed on lots where there none, and in
far more omitted on lots where improvements
have been made. The system of assessing city
property by a board of assessors, instead of by
one assessor, has not proved the success that
was anticipated, but whether owing to the sys-
tenn itself, or the men called upon to carry it
out, we do not know. Certain it is that under
one assessor in 1877 large amounts of property
were assessed that appear to have been over
looked by the board in 1878.
lncidently your committe report that large
amounts of lakes are due the city and county
property for which taxes during late years
have been promptly pad, the owners evidently
supposing their property to have no such in
cumbrance upon it; in many cases property
owners hold receipts for taxes paid where the
official records fail to disclose the fact, showing
on it's face that moneys have been paid into
the treasury and not accounted for-whether
Intentionally otherwise do not care to
consider. In other cases parties claim to have
paid their taxes every year, but have not saved
their receipts and must pay again; that there
are many such cases is beyond question, and
some check should be provided, some system
adopted which will insure the giving of proper
credits to the property owners who pay their
taxes.
EQUALIZATION.
Ia the matter Of equalization we have moth
ing to offer at present, having scarcely consid-
cred the subject. The State board of equaiiza-
ton raised the value OF real estate in Heune-
pin county, outside of the city, l6}s per cent.
the value OF personal properly was also raised
in various amounts in the city and county,
goods and merchandise being raised 331$ per
cent.
ATTACHMENTS.
As compared with previous years, there were
few abatements made 1878; vet attachments
were made which, we think, should not have
Jc fn ntn hot
large numbers Of applications refused,
and that property owners no longer make their
application with the confident assurance for
merly witnessed. In this connection may be
stated that the records show that those who are
best able to pay their taxes have been the most
forward in asking for abatement.
ABUSES.
Your committee was instructed to enquire
into and report as to abuses in the matter of
abatements. That the power to abate has been
abused few will question, and we content our
selves with one of the most fragrant cases, viz:
The journal of the proceedings of the county
commissioners shows that at d meeting held
Dec. 3lst, 1877, all tax except State tax on lots
7 and s, block B, Tuttle's addition to st. An
thony, for the years 1866. 1867, 1868, 1862 1870,
and 1872, were abated on account If incorrect
snd illegal assessment (the owners name not
msentioned), the same being recommended by
Commissioners Edwards and Hedderly (the
committee on taxes). The owner thereupon
paid 1891 State tax into the treasury and re-
deemed the lots, saving $5S0.27 by the opera
ton. 1t subsequently appeared that the prop
erty IN question was the homestead of Commits
sioner Edwards (although in his wife's name),
and that he made the assessment which he af-
forwards discovered was incorrect and lille
gall
PERSONAL ASSESSMENTS
Your committee have devoted considerable
time to the inspection of the personal assess
ment list for 1878, and are forced to the con-
clusion either that large number of our citi-
zens are nearly bankrupt and are IN Justly &C
cused of being wealthy. Or that the assessors
have gone astray. We incline to the latter
theory, and believe assessors should do as the
law contem plates-assess every mans property
instead of allowing him if he so electS) to
assess himself. In this connection it might be
well to make insuianc records public records
allowing assessors access thereto-Jhey might
enable them to get fairer valuation in many
cases. ''Comparisons are odious' at all times,
yet they must at times be made, however i'm
proper, to deal in facts and figures, and allow
others to make com parsons. In casting about
for proper subjects to figure as Representative
men, and with no desire to make invideous
distinctions it occurred to that the list of
'Sdirectors" lately chosen by the board of trade
would serve to point moral and adorn q
es not unlike other members, and other mem
bers not unlike business men generally. The
following SHOWS ,he personal assessments OF
said directors for 1878, d2ducting thereirom
bank stock returned by the banks, but paid
for individually. The names occur in the or
der of their election, the occupation being such
as is given in the board of trade, report:
W.D. Washburn, president of M. & st. l.. rail
road-Assessed for IS, 2O3, including 81 500 in
furniture, Sll0 in gold and silver plate, and
the same amount in diamonds and jewelry
owns 1922 sewing machine, but no money
bonds or shares of bank or railroad stocks. (Sc
far as is known there is no bank ,,r railroad
stock owned in the city,. Washburn Crosby &
Co., and Cole, Washburn & Co. do not seem tc
be assessed.
Richard Chute, president st. Anthony Falls
Water Power Co.-Assessed for $646, of which
$500 is in household and Office furniture anC
300 IN a piano; has moneys, credit, goods
merchandise, jewelry, stocks or other valuables
Neither of the mill companies pay persona
tax.
William Petit, lumber dealer-Assessed fo
1881, including horse worth $685. a 800 COW
and $500 in furniture; no gold silverware o.
jeWelry; no money, stocks or credits. Petit
Robinson Co. are assessed for $3.440).
Isaac Atwater, Attorney-Assessedf for SIS, $50
Of which $500 is furniture, 5000 is money
$4,000 credits, $500 stocks, and 1920 in othe
property.
Dorlllus Morrison. CapltallSt-Assessed 10
81, l34; owns three carriages, but has no horse
has 81 900 IN furniture, but no diamonds o
jewelry, solid Or plated ware bank stock, man
ufacturers' tools or materials; no machiner,
(not even sewing machine), and has neithe
money or credits, but returns $3.50 invested
in ''all other property"
Fl. B. HARDWOOD, Wholesale Dry Goods-As
sessed for $l,2l7, Of which amount $500 is il
furniture and 800 in a piano. (The firm 0
HARDWOOD Il Co. was assessed s. OOO Whic
amount was raised by the State board Of equal
ization to S53, 333-the largest personal assess
ment in the city.
Charles A. Pillsbury mill owner, asseese
for 2574, his horses being worth $500, full
niture 81 200, and piano 5000. &C. A. Pills