Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-05-09
THE JEFFERSON CeCSTY Assess
MEST AGAIN.

The Posi- -IxIELITeEScEEi il still groan-
ing in agony of spirit over the Jefferson
county assessment. It wants an invss-
tiQasion, etc. We are willing, II all the
other counties 10 the Territory are IN
ves.igated also. Ii will be found tnas
Sheriff Sheeban has pat far valuation
upon property, according to It's proc
able value. if disposed of at forced
sale. That IL tbs way property ls as
sossed all over the Territory; and We
dare the astuie P.-I. editor TO either
prove to the contrary, or shut up
Port TosrnseEd argus.
The only way we can consider the
challenge above is in connection with
what has gone before. The Arg4s said
that the assessment of 1854 was about
$500. coo. and that the assessor himself
had asserted that be had appraised the
property at only about 20 per cent. OF
its real value. In other words, the prop
erty of jefferson county, according to
this official, Ia worth "a, 800 900 instead
| of <gD0.UUO, as returned by HIM Inc
| Arms added that the property IN the
/ county was actually worth xI,Uo,Uoo,
| instead of $4,000. Ii now asserts tnat
| urouerty ali over the Territory Is assess
"a IN the same fraudulent manner, and
calls upon rs TO ''prove 10 the contrary,
or shut up We can prove to the con
| trarv." 10 the satisfaction of any reas-
onable mind. BY the making OF few
comparisons. In no other county nave
ever. tina, We know of, such extraordin-
ary statements been made CONCERNING
the assessment AZ those lately made In
the Argus. of jefferson county. 1t is
the sworn duty of the assessor to rate
all property 70 md by him. not at ITS
forced sale" value. bnt at its "actuai
cash value" little latitude -, by
omnon consent, allowed that official
in ascertainin9 the "actual cash value,
and he is supposed to use 1t by putting
his official values about - per cent. De
low asking prices at the time OF TUE
assessment. No one ever before adj
vanced the idea that he should put
them so or 80 per cent. below. and 1t Is
simply astounding that II should be al
vaneed now.
In the making of these comparisons,
We will not 90 away from home. The
assessments of 1884 are not yet com
ole g, bat those of 1888 are at hand.
The city of Seattle was valued by the
asses .or last year at S5,6S5,5s5, and the
county OF King at $8.o0l, 200. Those
who know this city, and equally know
jefferson county. will not pretend that
Seattle property last year WAS worth SIX
times as much as is all the property IL
jefferson county this year-Jetferson
county, with its two immense sawmlils
its great iron works, its fine farms, 1T
J fiourishing seat, Port Townsend, etc
No. even the editor of the Argus will, We
believe. claim this. Neither will he
claim that the county of King 'ast year
had property worth ten times as much
"a the property of jefferson this year
No, nor do We believe that he will be sc
rash, when he reflects, as to assert tha
the taxable property in the city of Sc
attic was worth last year between forty
and fifty million dollars, or that of klns
county in the neighborhood of seventy
million dollars, as would have been th'
) case were the property here asses sed al
the Argus says the pro. erty of Jefferson
county is assessed.
Our contemporary will not help hi
assessor by the making of wild asser
tions like the foregoing, nor by the us
of such wit or slang. gross wrons
has been attempted on the Territory
and the best way is to right it with a
little talk as possible. We again cal
] the atten ion of Prosecuting Attorne,
Bradshaw to the matter, and We insis
upon its investigation.