Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-18
STATE EQUALIzING BOARD,
Tuesday Afternoons Session.


Nichols, The president, at two o'clock. Mr.
Z. Z. Robinson Of Island Pond, the member
from Essex county, having arrived, presented
his credentials and was sworn In.
On motion of Mr.. Pollard OF Windsor
himself Mr.. Gilett of Chiltenden and Mr..
Hovey OF Caledonia were appointed commit
tee by the clair, to select county which
should be taken as u standard of valuation,
In comparison with which the others should
be raised or lowered
The secretary reported the percentage of
increased lin the valuation of the several coun-
ties, as compared with the valuation of 1878,
to be as follows Addison, "A per cent
Bennington, 90 Caledonia, 80; Chittenden
425 Essex, 2s; Franklin, 80; Grand Isle,
4s. Lamoille, 40; Orange, sly Orleans,
35t; Rutland, 49, Washington, 85 3.5 {;
Windham, 40; Windsor, 2S.
Enquiry being made as To whether the
board had the power to change the valuation
of railroad beds made by the State ap-
praisers, the chair gave II as his opinion that
the board had not
Inc committee reported in favor OF max
ing the valuation Of Addison the standard,
The report was adopted.
| :. The valuations of the real estate OF AID.
Olson and bennington counties were left I'm.
changed = Addison, Ss,G72, 1884; Ben
nington S5,453, 55l.24
Mr. j. q. lovcy presented the claims of
Caledonia couny for the tender consideration
OF the board. The board was not veiy mcr-
| cii'I, however, and, after some debate,
raised the valuation 033, 029 - two ter
cent.
| Chittenden County.
| The consideration of Chittenden coun-
W created Il breeze. Mr. Gil,e,t
made very fair statement of the
soil, the quality Of the farms, and
the different kinds Of real estate in the coun.
W, and moved that the report of the county
convention, which fixed the valuation of the
real estate In the county at $40, SOL SIT. 10,
be accepted. Mr. Hovey of Caledonia NOV
cd, as an amendment, that ii be raised seven
per cent. While Mr.. Gillett was speaking
and, IN fact, all day Mr.. Edward Van Sick.
len OF South Burlington had been busy 'lobby-
ing with the members of the board and urg-
ing that the valuation of Chiltenden county
DC raised. lie was sitting near Mr.. Hovey,
when the latter made his motion
70 raise seven per cent, and Mr..
Gil.tt rather thought that he was the
real author. This lascd his ire, and he pro-
cecded to give the board description of Mr..
Van Sicklcn's personal traits the revcrs. of
complimentary, hut which was exceedingly
raty. Mr. Van Sicklrn requested permission
to reply, which was denied since he was not
a member of the board Mr.. Gllelt. iuds
ing that The board was bound to raise the val
uatlon to some extent, had named as an
amendment to the amendment of Mr.. Hovcy
that i've per ccit lie the ratio. This amend
lnent was adopted and the valuation of Chit.
tenden county was raised five per cent.
Wednesday Forenoon.
The board met ut niue a. M, and, in the
absence of the president, Mr.. North of Adj
ulson presided until tea O'Clock when DR..
Nichols arrived.
Essex County.
The case of Essex county was presented to
the board by the pr, sid'.nt pro tenn lis val
uaion, rs reported by the County Equal
izing Board, is Sl,7l3,905. Mr.. X ibnsop
adore sed the board AMI gave a most melsp.
choly account of the condition of Essex
county. Her fore sis Were stripped, her clear
ed land was an arid waste and everything
was going to the "drmniton bow-wows." A
marble statue cou'd hardly help she ldine
Tears to hear slr. RobinSon's account of his
u"'h"S Piu'V. ite HhbNtu lHit lnt VALUATION
be reduced % pr cent The stony hearted
board, however, were not in the least moved
by his pathetic appeal. Mr.. Pollard, Mr..
Hovey nnd MIR. Chaplin opposed reduction
anu the motion was lost, 1t was then
voted to let the valuation of the County
Equalizlng Board stand unatered.
Franklin County.
Franklin county having been pre- sen,ed to
johnson lnI IA, Il. |
MIR. Robinson in his description of the mis-. |
cradle state into which his county had fallen |
lhere had been NJ new Industries establish |
ed during the last four years the farms had
run OUT, and even the marshes which once |
produced 'hucklcbcrries, had ceased to
yield that cn,icing fruit. Many of the farms
were so saniy that they were gra .ualy
blowing away. Nevertheless he was willing |
that Franklin county should stand as the |
county equalzng board had left it-S7, 7s7,-
26o. A. 1t turned out after some debate that |
through some neglect the valuation of
the railroad depOls and grounds in the |
county had been omitted from, the table of
valuations as made up by the county equal |
ization convention, aud the cas-. Of Franklin |
county was laid upon the table Subse-
quently, Messrs. North, Carney and Robin
son were appointed Il committee to consider |
the errors in the franklin county valuation
and all matters relating to the appraisal of |
railroads were also referred to this commit
tee. Mr.. johnson stated that the value of
the railroad property left ont was in the
neighborhood Of s2OO,OOO
Grand Isle. "
Mr. Marvin of Alburgh took quite cheer.
ful view OF his county; hut claimed that on
account oil the absence of railroads the farm
ers on the islands had To sell their butter for
ten cents pound less and their fat steers ut
lew dollars less than il they lived ON the
man land still he was willing that the valua-
ton should remain MS the county euual,zing
convention put It's POI ,0G4 40. The board
so voted.
LamOiIle County.
Mr. Wilcox surpassed Mr.. Robinson in pa.
hos and gloom. According to his dcscrip-
lion of 'spunky" Llmoille, an observer from
The top of Mansfield Mountain could see
nothing but desolation, except on the Chit
Londen county side, wltre You beheld I'M
earthly Paradise. But in Lamoie county,
he soil was barreu the vegetation blighied
and the homes dilapl,iated. Nothing could
be produced, and the inhabitants, resigned
10 thri: fate, only asked that the State Board
should reduce their valuation 81, Ala, 0S5-
en per cent. Notwiihs anIng MIR. Wilcox's
~ 'ieh'hs oppcai, tHf Uldiu TcItcitu MS
notion, and also another one, which he made, |
the valuation five per cent And,
% add insult to injury, they then on motion
Of MIR. Hovey of Caledonia ra's ID the valuation
i've percent. Mr.. Wilcox seemed dazed at this
>arbarity, and sad nothing for an hour, (
when he asked 10 have the vote reconsidered
ipon the ground thu, IN. president had made |
mistake in his announcement of the vote.
No reconsideration WAS granted and the
A Al 4 ! I