Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-20
nazGtrf
MONDAY EVENING, JULY -.
LOCAL NEWS.

.ho Middle Atlantic States generally fair
q" ,rith occasional light local rains along the
"t'. his evening, variable winds, nearly STA
ro',' ~. ,cmnerature. Continued warm weather
md catcd for tomorrow.
TIE ASSESSMENT CAsEs.-As the appLl-
.ats far reduced assessments are so nunIer-
~. Judge Meade to-day in passing upon
,,rrc number Of cases heretofore submitted,
:" o.vnIanation Of his action in reduc'
49,, The assessment Ill nearly every
:, stance. after quoting the language OF
,ba Iaw-"The assessor shall proceed
~ examine all the lands and lots with the
;,onrovcments thereon and ascertain ana
oss..s the cash ,Taiuc thereof"-saId Inns
In,y the assessor has performed, aoun'
~, honestly and with the approval OF MS
Ta., Judgment. He has, however, lncrea:',
81 the assessment generally as compared
with the last state assessment oi Iooo, VI
win the citv assessment, in some instances
from one 10 three hundred per cent. Many
''o,.,:,s uroiest against this increased as
t,s.mcnt, and ask for relief III inc moue
tine law provides by an appear 10 lh!"
court. Assuming that the last assessments
State and for city purposes, WERE as
, rule, fair, and correctly represent
Il the Mdcoblc cash rmHc OIL property,
10 Justify an increased valuation, 1t must
o,,rar that there has heen "n increase III
values since that time. Is sllch Inc "c,
Nv oh>ervaticn and Information l. 10 lno
contrary. Values have been depressed ioi
some t;tnc 20 hat lots III inns cry, "hetne4
vacant or improved, Will moi rolnihand INC
uricrs tLry did n few years hack, save III
rNrtuilonni eases, ~ wiiHrS'eu NY ''tI''
SUES Whai. thca, i the o"rasioh io' 'i'.
increase ia Tho assessment: no S'H'o
nercs.i irs, viii not justify IL, great ~ t''ej
n,,y h.. for they can only be reviewed by
fair assessment Oi property al prices t"''
s..r Inc :raiizei at cash sales and win an
;nc,,.o... in the rair Of taxation as the de-
m,n1s of The Slsic may require, anu OF
,his necessity it is not for the assessor or
,,uri I'd Judge An over assessment l. I'M
fir rniu.I aud oppressive, rs 1t imposes
i,x mon li...i.inu, values that have no sun
,,.c,.-anl 30 not exist in fact, and thnS
i,Iivi.,rai4 arr "n:np"lic1 TO have more
,nAu ...,ir i.,ir r:ororlnn Of the bn'thens OF
.uv,.ruurut :..aiu over assessments, he
-c!,.- being liz ust 10 The property owner,
,.r in every view iHofrcdiIm. The poor
,4nun, b,iid ar own houses: they are the
tenants nr these who Do. Increase the as
,,-.,rrrt a.c,e The real cash value, anu
what i The result an increase i'll the rents,
aud tho tenant inevitably has the increase
I, nay. or else the property is held without
n:f,;i, or idle IN The hands of its owner, and
,hus the in,!urcmcnt TO build as an invest.
n,rut j. deserved and the city l. completed.
II Ln.; been urged that 4 rental OF ten per
cent. would indicate the fair assessment oi
Dropcliy. 4 little reelection satisfies me
that thu; rule will not hold goc,! III this city
IT least Take for instance. Il house as
.csaed u! $4,000. the rent Al ten per cent
would be 5000 or $40 per month. How
many tenants ia; such houses could he found
in his ti;v? Ia would be safe To FAY not
one. As have said, the poor caaEot build
houses, nor will the wcl-to-do, unless the
outlay promises good paving Investment,
such as would jus;:f" the venture. Would
ten ser cat ap' lv 100 much IL Justify the
nix 10 cover !u!.ir~l upon investment ana
and gradual wear aul decay Of property?
think not aad then there IS heeidca to be-
provided for uut III the rents the taxes
Stale snd ci,v-lwo dollars and forty cents
rr4n the hundred dollars (tnnu@h III itself
=: !. fen. assessment to alarm an,i drive oil
.rrs,t& for homes and good Investments,
iuNay-E:lhin9 cf insurance. incidental and
constantly recurring repairs aad losses
:tan, failure Ia collect rents or 10 rent mt
all All these things are tn he considered :;
- thnlr mast hc a liberal percentages allow
al 10 Undue: capital To seek precarIoliS m
gc.tmcrt in houses TO he rented: otherwise
this is indeed finished city, aud the in
Spring noise OF the builder viii he heard no
more in our midst. These reasons persuade
me that aS 4 policy, rs low an assessment as
fair valuation would justify would be wise,
hut wish "policy' the assessor has nothing
10 do: his duty is clear to ASSESS property
At It's 'cnSh rafuC,' as near rs no can get ut
it, and mine is none the less imperative
where there is an appeal from his decision,
without regard TO questions of policy, to re-
dlce. increase, or sustain the assessments
complained of al the evidence rs TO the sale.
able cash value Of the property may require.
Each case must rest upon lis own merits, rs
will be made to appear by the evidence be-
fo,o the court The simple fact of an increase
III the assessment will not Of itself justify a
reduction Of the assessment. There may be
good cause for it improvements may have
bcen since added, local causes may have en-
HANGED its value or the former assessment
may have been too low. The cridence in
each case must determine the present cash
value, whether it sustains, increases or di-
mnshes the present assessment"
The PosToFFICE-At eleven o'clock yes
terlay morning Major w. w. Herbert us
Sumrd lie duties of Postmaster Of this city,
and formally took charge of the office, Mr..
ID. A. Windsor, the retiring postmaster,
turning over the effects of the Office to his
successor and receiving receipts, &c, there
for. After the transfer had been made, Ma
Herbert appointed his assistants, making
the following changes in the clerical force OF
The office: Benton Chinn, mailing clerk,
vice j T. Lash; Martin Power, delivery
clerk. vice Il. Henry Simpson, and Amos
7. Fisher, stamping clerk, vice J. M. X.
Ware colored. No change was made in the
first assistants place, and it is understood
that Mr.. Thomas Burroughs, the present in
cumhent, will continue in that position till
Major Herbert becomes thoroughly &C
qIninted with the business Of the office. The
salaries Of the officers are rs follows: Post
master, 50 200; assistant, $1,lO0; mailing
clerk, $3.50 delivery clerk, 5000 stamping
=. u,ba Ia rice IF tho yyare