St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-07-22
TOO HIGH APPRAISAL.
A. J. Willard, Esq, Warns up the Town
Listers.

Listers.
A. j. Willard was the only one who
appeared before the board of civil au-
thOrity Saturday with the complaint
that his property had been unjustly
listed, and he made out so good case
that his petition was granted and his
list was reduced about 5000. After the
board were called to order by E. L..
HOvey, Mr.. Willard took them in
charge, reading to them the provisions
of the law, intimating as he went along
that they either didn't or didn't want
to know its requirements. Then he
drew off the oath which each lister
signed and, not satisfied with this,
stood 'em all up in row and admins
tered the oath to them himself that it
mightube binding.
Evidently satisfied with the pro-
ceedings Thus far he shrugged his
shoulders, pulled down his cuffs, ad-
justed his collar at the back of his
neck, thrust out his right hand and
just reached for those listers. He
hadn't proceeded far before Mr.. Hig-
gins asked if the listers were on trial,
to which their prosecutor promptly
responded in the affirmative. Then
it was proposed that he be limit
ed to half an hour, to which Mr.. Will
lard replied: 81 will talk until 1 get
through, and if you want to shut me
off you can" His main grievance was
that certain property on Maple street
and the land known as Saddleback hill
were unjustly appraised, and he pro-
ceeded to and did show that they were
appraised higher than other property
in the village of greater value, that
the burden of the taxes in the town
rested on the poorer property and not
on the best houses and best land and
that the real estate sales since the last
appraisal proved it. The Patterson
house on Maple street with but two
rods frontage, owned by Mr.. Will lard,
was put at $500, which he compared
with the Balch house on Main street at
$1,000, the C. P. Carpenter house on
Spring street at $14OO, while Mr.. Car
penter's adjoining double lot and house
stood at only $500, and other apprais-
ais showing equal discrepancies be-
tween real values and appraisals. In
support of the claim that the better
property in town had always been I'M
dervalued he read list of real estate
sales of some % or 80 places since the
last appraisal, Q982) showing that in
every instance the property had been
greatly undervalued. The total figures
showed that these pieces of property
listed at $50, 800 at the last appraisal
had been since sold for $133, 900, which
he thought showed that either the lis
ters didn't understand their business
or didn't want to do justice. People
who could live in good houses ought to
pay taxes on their value. Good places
should not be undervalued at the ex-
pense of the poor places.
During this discussion Mr.. Willard
and Mr.. Rollins came very near strik-
ing trade on some real estate in dis
pute but finally Judge Hovey declared
that he had some hay out that needed
attention and N. M. johnson made the
very practical suggestion that Mr.. Will
lard's property might be over valued
after all, and the board adjourned to
Maple street to continue the discussion
on the ground. Here each of the board
present "marked" on the appraisal, the
result being a reduction of some 20 per
cent. in the appraised value.
Rev. l.. l.. Beeman Accepts a Call.
Rev. l.. l.. Beeman has been elected
principal of the East Greenwich, r. L.,
academy and has accepted the posi-
ton. He breaches here next Sunday,
goes to East Greenwich next week to
look over the ground, returns here for
a week or two to pack up, ETC., and
then goes to his new field of labor per-
manently. The academy to which Mr..
Beeman has been called is under the
control of the New England southern
conference and is similar in character
to the Wilbraham academy of Massa-
chusetts and the Montpelier academy
of this state. 1t has between 200 and
300 pupils and a corps of teachers of
IL or more. Mr.. Beeman had no init
nation of the matter until last Thurs
day when he received telegram ask
ing him if he would consider it; yes
terday he received a telegram announc-
ing his election. Bishop Mallalieu and
others who were instrumental in bring
ing about the call West some months
ago, which Mr.. Beeman declined, had
a hand in this matter also. They seem
determined to get him and have now
succeeded. AS pastor of the Metho-
dist church here Mr.. Beeman has made
many friends who will be pleased to
know of his success while regretting
to lose him from st. JOhnsbury. Some
effort is being made to secure Rev. O.
w. Scott, the former principal of the
East Greenwich Academy, to take Mr..
Beeman's place here temporarily.
Granite Work.
Carrick Brothers are opening a new
granite quarry in Barre this week.
Among the orders that they are now
filling are a number of monuments for
Greenwood cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y.
One of these, for Mr.. Beaur of New
York is nearly 81 feet hinh Its hnsa