Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1886-04-01
RorTENNRs3 IN 1870

The Faulkton Times has the following
in its last issue and it will be well for our
county com nissioners to make note OF it
I'VE clip the following from the North
western, published at Belvidere, Illinois,
the home of sfr, Ames
Mr.. George Is. Apes returned recently
from six months stay in Dakota, where
he has been looking after his stock and
land interests. He says that the Dakota
boom has gradually faded away and that
many of the settlers would leave il they
could Crops have been light. money Is
scarce. more are leaving this season than
are going iate the territory. Ames Il Co.
have about 6uD cattle on their ranch IN
Haad ceuLty
The cattle ranch of Ames. Wheeler Il
Co. Is IN northern Hand county. near the
south line of Faulk county. Last Spring
said company erected temporary ranch
IN Faulk county. Personal property is
assessed to date May lst.. and the head of
Ames, Wheeler & Co. was assessed in
Faux county where it was at the date of
assessment.
The herd was assessed TO Anes, Wheeler
q Co. in Hand county as j; was W, II
known to he hig permanent home and
ranch II is believed to be true beyond
dispute or doubt that Mr. Ames was plan
ming 90 avoid taxation. the company was
assessed in both counties and Mr.. Ames
appeared before the commissioners of
Faux county asking the cincella tion
Of their personal property assessed on the
ground that it had heen assessed in Hand
county. 1t is supposed that a similar up
| plication was made Of the Hand county
Board on the ground that 1t had been as
assed in Foulk county, and II both coun-
| ties had cancelled the assessment, Ames.
! Wheeler & Co. would have escaped tax
alton. Neither county cancelled the as
sessment The next step of Mr.. Ames
Was to see how much he could get the as
sess,aent reduced. With this object in
view Mr.. Ames appeared before our coun-
ty commissioners while sitting as beard
ef equalization and made affidavit that
the number of cattle owied ty him. June
II, did not exceed 225 head" aad the
board reduced the assessment OF Ames,
Wheeler & Co. to 225 head Of cattle
about one third the number in the herd.
The number Of cattle owned by Mr..
Ames Individually ON June IL could have
no possible reference, legally TO the pos
sessions Of Ames, Wheeler 4 Co. on May
lst, the date Of assessment, and the sfft.
dayit Of Mr. Ames was in no hammer com.
petent ground for changing the assessment
of Amss, Wheeler & Co. any more thar
that Of any other firm in Dakota. Mr.
Amss is reported to US as say ing or boast
ing that he had thus saved 500, almosi
the exact tax on 450 head, tthe balance
of the herdl, at the valuation hxsd ane
taxes levied.
Such is the character OF this trickine
uhyster who makes the lying and llbeiou'
report OF Dakota quoted nom the Norta'
western"
Since reading the above We have learned
that the assessment in that township La'
been OF q singular kind. Farmers in tha
township claim that assessor DoutLe.
made his headquarters with Amss. Wheel
. er & Co. apd worked insurance business
more assiduously than he did the assess
ors business. But We presume he had I
right TO work the insurance business n
the same time if he wants TO, provided th'
extra time taken up Is not put in with hi
bill. But aside f.om what is 'currentl.
reported we observe the county book
display few facts concerning assessmen
in this township, one Of which Wa max
mention. Ames, Wheeler 4 Co. occup
N. Z. II and N. w. 40 on which are larg
improvements. particularly cattle shed
containing some $4,000 feet of lumber
The total assessed valuation Of thes
clsims is s4s5, while farmer adjoining
wm. I. Rsyns,ds. on N. w. II, has or