Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-07-27
WORK OF RE-ASSEsSMENT.
Valuable Information Concerning the
Reimbursement of Property i'm West
Virginia.

Valuable Information Concerning the
Reinforcement Of Property i'm West
virginia.
THE REGISTER, always alive to the
interests ofthe people of West Virginia,
has ordered its correspondents in the
various counties of the State to:gather
some interesting information concern
ing the re-assessment of property that Is
now going on. Interviews with all the
assessors of the State will be published
from time to time, and in them the fol-
lowing questions will be considered:
The increase or decrease in the valua-
ton of real estate; irregularities
in the present valuation with
specimen cases of such; land escaping
taxation; whether the greatest increase
is found in farming, mineral or timber
lands; the disposition of the people to
secure uniform appraisement Of real
estate; also some views upon the condi-
ton Of the crops, the live stock and the
elements of prosperity generally. The
series of interviews will form most
valuable feature of the paper, and will
be read with interest by all citizens Of
the State.
Below we present number that have
just been received.
THE REGISTER correspondent in
Preston county called upon Mr.. J. w.
Guseman, assessor of the First district
OF Preston county, ond obtained the fol-
lowing:
O. What will be the probable in
crease or decrease in the valuation of
real estate in your district?
A. This question can not answer
satisfactorially, as / have from twelve
to fifteen days work yet to do. l am
satisfied that the increase will be con-
siderable.
Q. Have you found many Irregular
tiles in the present valuation?
A. / have in numerous cases. For
instance found one tract of land on the
B. & o. X. r. assessed at S4.62 per acre,
and the tract adjoining II at $50, a
third tract at $3.50. These tracts are
valued for their mineral wealth, and al
lay with the same access to the b. & o.
r. R., and all have the same veins of
coal.
The tract assessed at S4.62 per acre, Is
far superior to agricultural purposes
and contains over 500 acres, upon
which is situated small town. This
false valuation is not to be blamed upon
my predecessors who valued the land,
as the County Court reduced the valu-
alton from SIP to S4.62 per acre.
i found this week q very peculiar
case. There were several tracts of land
owned by one firm, and upon one of
those tracts was steam saw mill and
several dwelling houses, stables and
other buildings, which escaped taxa
ton.
have been informed by the Assessor
that it had been an error in putting the
building up on the wrong tract as sew
eral Of the tracts corner near the build
ing, and the parties interested applied
to the County Court, had the improve
ments stricked from the handbook,
thereby saving aboutSS7 yearly on their
taxes.
/ find in several cases where parties
apply to the County Court for a redue-
ton on their land, that the valuations
is reduced and put on other tracts
with which they are unacquainted.
@. Have you found any tracts Of land
which were not previously on the land
books, and thus escaping taxation?
A. / found one tract in Reno dis