Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-05
A HOLLOW MOCKERY
IS THE APPEARANCE OF WEALTH IN
THIS C!Tf
some 'o'' I'll Regard to the Matter of Our
wealth by Member Of the Board OF
Equalization and Appeal-aOney is
Scarce, JeweIry is Scarcer, While
There Isn't Diamond in
the City.

The Board Of Equalization and Appeals
hiss been in session FOR several weeks III
this city engaged in critically examining
the returns OF the assessors. There was
considerable dissatisfaction over the yalua.
tion of realty in every ward in the city, o,
which the REGISTER readers were apprlheu
some two weeks ago. y superficial eSaih!-
nation of the returns OF the personally.
. however, has apparently taken away me
breath from the members OI the board II
has generally been thought that W hee"HE
Was rich place, that lts merchants DanA-
ers brokers and capitalists were wealthy,
list tbeir houses were well furnished, that
their china and silver closets were rePlete
with the best Of Sevres and heaviest Of Gil,
yer. that the rich men al! wore Solu
watches Of the best make and most cIaoo,
rate cases; that the Jewels that gNHtehei
and cOrrUSCGted upon the neck ana on the
fingers Of the wives ami daughters OF Ou'
milliuraireo were diamonds, thai the stores
OF our merchants, liquor dealers All" ""S
uiSt. were filled with valuable wares. that
I our banks had luCre saltrd away ny CORDS
and done business aGgreEatlng millions
annually: all these things We say were
ideas that have been tOndly cherished oy
our people. But il appears that they nave
all been delusiOn and snare. Inere
don't appear To be enough whisky IN any
one store III this town 10 answer the Pu'-
pose, of an ordinary Republican Jumporee'
The Jewels that glitter and corruScate are
nothing more than paste or bri!.lant~ anu
are calculated 10 down the oldest pawn shop
i'm existence. The stores have nothing III
them Of value To speak OF, and III short
Whceling's apparent prosperity l. nor
low mOckerY, and there isn't ten thOu'
sand dollar store or place Of business IN TINS
CITY All these things are certainly true l!
the returns Of the persons who carry on the
trades mentioned, above are correct Dl1'
mOndS money gold watches, Nc,, are al
most strangers 10 the books 81 the asses.
surS and their absence was IN" cause oi
serious alarm Ia the gentlemen VINO hiaNe
been goinE over the~" books Tor several
weeks.
\ prominent citizen, vino i>a member OF
the Board OF ElUalizatjOuand Appeals, was
interviewed last night ami continued The
statements made. lie said.
There has been very great negligence
in this matter. Our richest citizens and our
most prominent business men have been
guilty Of criminal carcIc>>ncsS or di.hon-
c,tv There are but twoor three prominent
huSjuc-s houses which are correctly assess
eel, There i perhaps amll.iun and hall
OF personality that has no, been returned.
by this misrepresentation ami erroneous
assessment one portion oi our citizens
would bear all the taxes and another p0r-
ton breXrmpt land free. The poorer families
OF our citizens have returned on an average
from $500 tu 800. while there ar" many
wealthy men who have luxurious homes
and all the comforts ui lii" and the highest
return by such men is from 81 ,2pl Ia ~ 300.
The matter is not confined alone 80 business
rucll-thcrc i but one bank III the city
which returns what il should. Banks worth
$4,000 and $4,000 return $1,000 and
S2uHO. having invested their assets Tor
day in United States bonds. Many gen
rlemen who have large assets IN the shape
OF deposits in bank. have made no return.
one very great difficulty is the amount OF
whiSkcy which is held in bond. There is
PERHAPS 500 barrels OF whSkey held in
bond in the government store houses in
Louisville and NJ other places OF which the
Wheeling owners have made no return.
One firm, which does Il business OF Sl20,WC
4 year in liquors, is returned ut Sl,fOp.
There i not u horse or mule i'll the city OF
Wheeling which is returned as worth over
so, while il i well-kuown fact that
there are many which could not ne bought
Tor $l,UUV. There is some fine Kentucky
stock in this market returned ~ 500
span
to not know what will y" done in the
matter ultimately The Board meets to-
morrow and the lists will b" gone over.
The parties who have made erroncOu, re-
turns will BE- before the Board to make ey-
plantations and corrections in some shape
nr form. Information has ho.., L~oy,.hs
To- the attention OF the Board that cannot
he ignored. There j. NJ doubt that there
has been ?l"Oo.v1o. possibly $2,Oooo0D that
should have been returned and that
has not been. cannot say what
the Board will do. We are only allowed
ten DAYS. but have been in session eighteen
days. The Board is composed OF business
men. who can hardly take their own tinlr
ior it, duties. but the present state Of al
fairs should b" corrected The matter Is
undergoing LEGAL investigation, the States
attorney and other lawyers being now en-
gagged upon it, The subject will probably
Ia. brought 10 the attention oj Council next
Tuesday night.
II think the Assessors allowed the maj
,r~ ro 20 without an examination The re-
turns were marie in 4 very loose manner
II the parties themselves neglected 20 make
! the returns. the Assessors would Put down
NJ NJ 90, -, .I
Assessors I'D ask "ir'SJ HI''''"nH' ana as