Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-04
AID. THOMAS EXPLANATION.
His Facts Dissected - Something
about Property Appraisement.


Editor Morning Net0s: Alderman d. K.
Thomas takes up the cudgsl in behalf OF
the course pursued by Council towards
the landowners of the new southern eX-
tension, and brings to public notice "a
few facts" to sustain his declarations. |
do not question these facts, nor do wish
in any manner 10 impugn the appraise-
ments made by Messre. Lamar, Blair,
tlsnnery, Gordon and Dale. The charge
made as coming from the lot-owneT MIR.
Alfred Kent was that the "appraise-
men" of Alderman Thomas lot was
nearly twice as much in proportion,
not that Mr.. Thomas was paid twice as
much. Ny recollection of Mr.. Kent's
statement to me at the time this Canal
street opening was being pushed was
this: That the amount offered to him
Mr.. KENT was scarcely half as much
in proportion to the amount of ground
taken as was allotted to Mr.. Thomas.
and that he Mr.. Kent) bad told them
plainly that he would not submit to any
such Injustice" That the final settle
meht was a far more satisfactory one to
both the Alderman and his lot-owning
neighbor appears from the record pub
lished by Alderman Thomas.
But Alderman Thomas statement
covers up the truth instead of explaining
it.
The original appraisement no ade By the
assessors gave to Alderman Thomas. $3.50 80
And to A. Kent. ............. 255 %
This appraisement did not satisfy Al
derman Thomas, and he kicked and de-
manded a much larger figure, finally
settling with the city at S44S u, more
than three times as much as the value
placed by the appraisers upon the land
taken from him.
uh vhn y
been willing TO accept the appraisers
figures, if Alderman Thomas and others
had done so, found that the appraisement
OF his land taken remained at $3.50 whilst
Alderman Thomas figures had been
trebled (see the Alderman's figures in his
card of yesterday. that is, raised from
Sl39 90 to S44S IL, at the Alderman's own
demand, MIR. Kent also k.cked and got his
figures raised to $685., AS Alderman Thomas
states, but does not state that it was in
consequence OF the Alderman's example.
Others followed the same example. Now,
II the reader will allow for the time be-
tween theappraisers' return and the final
adjustment of Mr.. Kent's allowance of
$3.50 there Will be found an exact time
when the two figures stood thus;
Alfred Kent: original appraisement. 1926 %
Alderman Thomas increased figures al
lowed at mis- own demand. ....-...... AS q
This was the time when Mr.. Kent made
his statement to me, and he told what was
the actual truth at the time, his (Kent's)
larger allowance being made afterward.
Now, as Mr.. Thomas has gone out of his
way to make a very serious charge
against my truthfulness. take up the
cudgel presented by him and make the
following direct charge against himself:
That the figures at which these settle
ments and every other one made on the
same extravagant basis were made, were
a direct plunder or the city treasury to
the amount above the real value OF the
land taken, and will illustrate the Alder.
mans case from the records of the Su-
perior Court and City Treasury.
On Feb. 10, 1891, Joseph A. Winkler
conveyed to Daniel r. Thomss the west
ern portion of lot No. l. North Oglethorpe
w&rd, running 246 feet from Indian street
10 Canal street, and being about 40 feet
on Indian street and 1876 feet on
Canal street. with the improvements
thereon, for $4,000. These improvements
are noted on the record as having been
burned afterward, but a previous assess
ment recorded them at $500, which would
leave $1,000 for the lot.
The later assessment for the entire lot
(l6S4) is $500. Discarding this altogether
and accepting $1,000 as the cost of the lot,
and taking Dlr. Thomas statement that
the city cut into 1t 15x46.6, the city took
one-seventeenth( LII OF the lot, less than
500 In value of the land taken. for which
the appraisers to whom the Alderman
pOnderously refers to mash me, / sup
pose, allowed him $139 90.
Alderman Thomas evidently thinks that
Alderman Thomas should be well paid for
any land of his taken for public streets.
l will have more to say about him in
connection with the new extension.
LOUIS A. FALLIGANT.