Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-04-23
sess neysrds.

Our vineyardists must look to the
matter OF vineyard assessments. In
Napa and Sonoma counties the people
are moving in earnest. At meeting Of
the Winegrowers' Association of st. He
lena, called to protest against the in
creased taxation of vineyards. the Presi-
dent, Mr.. Chas. Krug. read the follow
ing important letter, that should be con-
sidered by the vineyardists of this coun-
ty;
GIrs ELLEN, Sonoma Co.,
April Och, 1884.
TO Charles Krug, 81. Helena
DEAR SIR--Mr. Shaw and Mr.. Hamil-
ton have just been here and requested
Inc to write to you and ascertain the
feeling in st. Helena on the arbitrary in
crease on the value Of all bearing vine
yard land Of 800 per acre on bearing
vineyard. In reality we vineyard men
pay higher taxes than any other class OF
farmers, owing to the horses, imple.
ments, improvements, etc, necessitated
by vine culture and wine making, and
most Of us have to pay what we deem
double taxation-a personal property
tax ON wine.
No other class of farmers have the
samo expense for returns, or the same
risks of simply having no crop whatever,
and it seems to us that this is question
that should be tested by law. In st.
Helena you have well organized club.
presume the most active and energetic
viticultural club in the State; and we
feel deeply interested in knowing what
the feelings of your members are on this
question. 1t seems natural that fruit
and grapes should be classed as grow
ing crops, and it does to US seem un-
natural that the very nen-fruit and
wine growers-who are doing more than
any others to increase the value of land
in the State, to add to the prosperity of
California, should have unjust and ex.
cessive burden imposed on them.
Should you, Of st. Helena, propose to
take hold Of this question, we think it
should be made general one, and oil
interested assessed at SO much per ton
or per acre to share legal expenses, and
We certainly wish to stand in and bear
our own share.
The order of the assessor here is 500
per re on bearing vineyards, in addition
to the value of the land and the value
of other improvements thereon.
Very truly yours,
J. Fl. DRUMMoND.
After reading the letter the Associa-
ton gave the following expression Of
opinion:
Members present united in the opin-
ion that il was gross injustice to as
sess all vineyards as improvements apart
from the land at 500 per acre, as vine
yards varied so much according to loca-
tion--hill vineyards. for instance, not
be ng half So renunerative as those on
rich valley lands.
1t was thought just as reasonable to
assess all land at the same price as to
make no discrimination In viney ards.
On motion it was resolved as the sense
of the club:
That we believe it to be wrong to as
sess bearing vineyards at the same value;
that graded system of assessment
should be formed, taking into eonsidera-
tion the kind of land aud its location and
the variety and bearing quality of the
Vines.
The above from the San Francisco
Merchant of the 18th shows what is be-
ing done in the two leading vine coun-
ties of the central part Of the State, and
that our grape growers should come to-
gether in Los Angeles and see that they
have a fair assessment. Tie quicker it
is done the better.