Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-07-08
ASSESSMENT GRUMBLERS.
I From the Chicago Times.l

numerous institution. He is to be
seen in great force daily at the town
offices of the three divisions of the
city. He is interviewed by the
assessor, by the supervisor, and then
by every member of the board in
turn. He has great deal of
grievance just now. The real estate
he ownes belongs to his wife's family,
and in any case isn't worth the
taxes. He would be a happier
man to let it go and to be sold
and to be quit of it, AMI as for the
i justice of the assessment, he can
give any number of instances in
which neigh bors' property, rented,
remunerative, and worth twice as
much as his corner, is assessed away
down compared with his tax.
Those gratifying possessions gen.
orally classed as tpersonal proper
ty' also send to the assessors offices
an eager and motley crowd of repre-
sentative 'ekickers." THAT piano"
is hired one, and is not the property
Of his wife, as was represented to
the deputy assessor by the wretched
and ignorant help who gave answers
to the supplementary questions asked
after the assessor was supposed to
have left the premises, and as to watch
es, the only time piece in the family
was held in trust for distant relative
at Leadville, except an old alarm
clock that belonged to the cook, who,
being a married woman, could claim
it as an exempt. So one excuse after
another is used to the assessors by
the dozens and scores Of applicants,
all anxious to get some slight abate-
of the assessment made on both real
and personal property in each of the
three divisions of the city.
The result of the assessment as
far as heard from up to last evening,
however is unusually satisfactory
Only twenty-six complaints were
registered on yesterday with Mr..
Frank Drake, the assessor of the
South division. and of these the larg-
est number were for Attachments COM
paratiyely insignificant. The princi-
pal objection made on yesterday was
by George NJ. Pullman, who claimed
that his residence, assessed at $50,
900, was assessed about $40, 600 too
high
An error which credited Mr.. B. NJ
Shafhner with personal property to
the extent of $4,000 was so rectifed
that it was made to read $3.50. The
borad of review was in session all
on yesterday, AMI it will continue to
review complaints in cases throughout
the week.
The west-side board of review was
likewise in session on yesterday, but
few complaints were received, and none
of any consequence.
The assessor of this division is
waiting patiently for number of firms
to make their returns so that he may
complete his books. IF they do not
do SO by to-day, at the farthest, the
result will not be remuneratively gra t.
flying to them.
The North-town board met again on
yesterday as board of reveiw and
received some complaints, but none of
any special notice, except in the case
of the trustees Of the property belong
ing to the Soldiers home. The
officers of the home, or more properly
of the property which used to be the
home, claim that 1T IS exempt on &C
count Of being part of a public and
government charity. The assessor on
the contrary holds that since all the
inmates of the home have been trans
ferred to the Soldiers home at Mil
waukee, the property has ceased to be
devoted to the purposes of public
charity. The case is not yet decided.
The North-side board of review will
sit from day to day until Saturday
next, on which day it will be adjourn
de until the following Thursday, when
all final adjustments will be made.