The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-08-19
WORK OF RE.AssEssMENT.
MR.. John w. Guseman's Re-
port from Preston.

Mr.. John w. Guseman's Re.
port from Preston.
Wheeling Register.
The Register correspondent in
Preston county called upon Mr.. j. w.
Guseman, assessor of the First dis
trict of Preston county and obtained
the following:
Q. What will be the probable in
crease or decrease in the valuation of
real estate in your district?
A. This question l can not an
swer satisfactorily as have from ten
to fifteen days work yet to do. i am
satisfied that the increase will be
considerable.
@. Have you found and irregular
tiles in the present valuation?
A. ! have in numerous cases. For
instance / found one tract of land on
the b. d. O. II. r. assessed at $4.52
per acre, and the tract adjoining it
at 1920, third tract at $3.50.
These tracts are valued for their min
eral wealth, and all lay with the
same access to the b. IL O. r. r. and
all have the same veins of coal.
The tract assessed at $4.62 per
acre, is far superior for agricultural
purposes and contains over l,500
acres, upon which is situated a small
town. This false valuation is not to
be blamed upon any of my predeces-
sors who valued the land, as the coun-
ty court reduced the valuation from
| $12 to $4.62 per acre.
7 found this week very peculiar
case. There were several tracts own
ed by one firm, and upon one of those
tracts was steam saw mill and sew
eral dwelling houses, stables and
other buildings, which escaped taxa
! ton.
/ have been informed by the asses
sor that it had been an error in put
ting the building upon the wrong
tract, as several Of the tracts corner
near the building and the parties in
terested applied to the County Court,
had the improvements stricken from
the land book, thereby saving about
/ pOf yearly OH blltll tdAcS.
/ find in several cases where par
ties apply to the County Court for a
reduction on their land, that the val
nations is reduced and put on other
tracts with which they are unac-
quainted.
@. Have you found any tracts of
| land which were not previously on
the land books, and thus escaping
taxation?
A. Ihave found one tract in Reno
district, owned by parties in New
York. containing about 600 acres, not
on the books. i find in my daily
travels numerous small tracts and
many buildings that have escaped
taxation.
@. In what class of lands-wheth-
err farming, mineral or timber-do
you find the greatest increase9
A. In timber and mineral lands
and small tracts that have been i'm
proved in the last eight years.
@. How have the people Of your
district met your efforts to secure a
uniform appraisement of the real es-
tate?
A. / have no trouble in the matter.
1t is true that nearly all the land
holders claim that their property is
assessed to its full value, but this is
account of the very high taxes levied
in this county. The tax ''for county
purposes" is 80 cents on every 800,
40 cents on every 800 for roads and
60 to 70 cents in different districts
for school purposes.
@. In what condition nave you
found the crops, the live stock, and
the elements Of prosperity generally?
A. Wheat was supposed to be
good before cutting, but the grains
are now found to be considerably
swiveled Live stock is doing well
and demands fair price. Grass is
a very prosperous crop.
From Romney, Hampshire county,
our correspondent sends the follow
ing, which is the substance Of talk
with Mr.. James Sheetz, the assessor
for the first district of that county.
The assessor said: have just gotten
through riding and .havenot re-
duced my assessment to books.
/ can not tell with certainty, but
think the valuation of real estate has
increased 5 to 10 per cent. have
found quite number of Irregular
ties in the present valuation. One
case there were two undivided shares
in tract of land, one about double
the other. In many instances there
are very unequal valuations in the
same neighborhood, but the principal
difficulty has been in the miserable
condition Of the land books. There
have been but few transfers for 10 to
IA years. In nearly half the cases
lands have changed hands many
times without being transferred, and
/ have found great difficulty in ascer-
tanning what land to value. 1t has
been very difficult for me to trace
each to the name the land could be
found in. In few instances l have
found lands escaping taxation. One
large tract of 500 acres near the
Minorol counfv limo hoe uavar haan