St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-06
EQUALIzING THINGS.
Minneapolis Says She's Inflated, and
Wants Her Assessment Reduced
TO COrrasnOnd With CT pauJ

10 OOffeSpOnu WITH ST. Paul.
There was quite an interesting meeting of the
state board of equalization yesterday morning at
the capitol. In the absence of the governor VIM.
Dawson presided Mr. Dawson stated that the
auditors and assessors of Ramsey ane Hennepin
counties had been invited to be present to con-
slider the relative assessments of the two cities.
The assessments as made as follows:
St. Paul. Minneapolis.
IereohaI .Sl4, 394, 143 S14, 81, 9J9
Real ...............S4 SAG, 49S,740 SO, reg, 408
Mr.. Dawson said that he understood Daniel
Bassett, the Minneapolis member of the board to
claim that Minneapolis real estate was assessed
too high or St. Paul too low, and the county
auditors had been requested to present statements
OF the relative assessments OF the best property.
Auditor Mcdonald, of Hennepin county, pre-
sented the following valuation OF Minneapolis
property per front foot without improvements:
west hotel lot. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. S475
harrison block (corner). .................. 735
Jake Barges' corner .............. $50
Ola Academy OF Music. Observation-Disclosures. $50
Nanderburg block Fourth and Hennepin.. 760
A. hellys grocery, corner. $50
Tribune building. $50
cynulcate DOCK. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. bOO
washington avenue, corner Fourth ay. south 900
He also put down the Nicollet house property
as 81, 1917 per front foot but THIS proved mis-
take, the assessment being S6SS respectively on
Nicolet and Hennepin avenues
Auditor McCardy presented his report of ST.
Panl assessments on some of our best property
as follows:
McQrillan , sud Wabashaw $3.50
Corner Thu ,.... $40
Corner Thi. ta.6 ESQ
Corner Thru Ii t64 $40
Corner Third and ea,l;son Omaha office)... SIS
Merchants hotel, 159 feet on Third. ....... 700
Gillian block, 81 feet on Jackson. ...... SS5
10. F. Drake (Auerbach storel $50
ID. c. Shepard, corner Third and Wacouta. :. 533
Mr.. Dawson thought these figures showed that
the valuation for corresponding property in the
two cities was nearly equal. He considered the
st. Paul assessment up to the selling prices Of
property here.
Mr. Bassett of Minneapolis, said their prices
had been inflated. He said the syndicate block
property had cost $500 and was assessed $500
while some of the owners were willing to sell
now ut $500 with the cost of the improvements
added.
Mr.. Drake suggested that perhaps the property
had been too extensively improved and in that
case the naked land would be worth more than
it is with the Improvements charged up to it.
Mr.. Bassett further said that the West hotel
property assessment at S475 per foot too
high, to which Thos. Cochran said he had just
Joined Minneapolis parties in yaluing the real
estate on which the hotel stands at S35O,OOO for
the purpose of loan, while the assessment
was only 100000.
Mr.. Compton thought as the area of St. Paul
was 20 square miles against 81 square miles in
Minneapolis the relative assessments were fair.
Mr.. E. f. Drake, of St. Paul, made the very
sensible argument that there was no occasion for
all this comparison. The simple question was
whether st. Paul property was too low and that
was all the board had to consider They could
then consider whether Minneapolis was too high,
each being an independent proposition. The
two should not be connected.
The result of the debate was the adoption of q
motion made by Mr.. Poehler, of Sibley county,
that the st. Paul assessment stand as it is.
Mr.. Bassett moved to cut down Minneapolis to
SIS, 100000, which was lost.
Itwas subsequently agreed to further consider
the matter to-day