Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-07-23
DISQUIETED TAXPAYERS.
APPEALS HEARD BY THE BOARD OF
CIVIL AUTHORITY.
General Dissatisfaction Expressed with
the Quadrennial ApprAisal-Only Six
Cases Ready for Hearing
No Decisions Made.

The Board of Civil Authority held
meeting Friday for the purpose of hear
ing appeals from the quadrennial apprais
al of real estate by the assessors All of
the members of the Board were present
Mayor Woodbury. presiding. The oath was
administered to the members of the Board
by City Clerk Pease. In calling the Board
to order the mayor said there appeared to
be widespread dissatisfaction with the
appraisal of real estate but only small
portion of those dissatisfied had appealed
to the board. He said the question was
whether it would be an injustice to those
who had not appealed to lower the APP
praisal of those who had appealed.
Alderman Sutton expressed the opinion
that each case would have to be considered
on its merits. He would like to apply
some arbitrary rule to the appeals, but he
knew of none
Alderman Kelly thought the assessors
should sit with the Board so that informa-
ton could be obtained from them in rela-
ton to questionable points.
Alderman Englesby WAS in favor of
having the assessors inside the railing. He
thought it each case was taken up on its
merits it would take all next week to dis
pose OF them.
Carolus Noyes, Esq, questioned how
much power the Board had in the matter
to be an important one. He thou0ht the
Board should have the authority to refer
she appraisal back to the assessors for
equalization and adjustment.
Assessor Brownell said that without try
ing to justify the assessors as to the
amount of the appraisal he would saw that
they had tried to make a fair and e0ual
appraisal and he thought the Board could
act with difficulty as the evidence was &c
pdrtG.
Mayor Woodbury. was of the opinion
that the evidence of those who had priey-
ances would not be ca Durte The tir-
ures made by the assessors was their rvi
deuce.
A number of cases not heito ready fo,,
hearing .Ju,lpe Wales said If yonld he ,rnIi
to call over the cnses and henrthe rxcnsns
sothnt those whose cnses we're nor r,1,Il.
might 20 home. Every man shonI6 be
given fair chance before this board. A
GREAT many did not understand tbe u,at
terand if not ready tonight they should
be gwen another 0pDOrt1initv
The list was then called over and if WAS
found that ONLY six appeals were ready
for herring. The first case taken mn was
that nf Arlmckle * Co.'s block Which
was assessed at 500 Mr. Arhuck 10
claimed the property was not worth more
than ;l300O. but if the other pronertv in the
vicinity was appraised as high ACCORDING
lv the firm vould he WILING to lar thn ~,
DraIsal stand AS it was. a G Whittr.
more who onneured for Arhnckla a. 70
thonlrht the 6oard shomld consider what tbs
Dronertv WAS actually wort and NOT what
The pr0perty was worth To Arbnckle <.
Co
The next pnnenl WIS that of Angnst,s
parr Ipoe" in Md' tl,aI % Ausus.us
was nnpra,.ed ut sG56o He sud he had
tried for a number of wears to seI If for
$4,000 and could not. He thoupht il was
worth 5000 ar Mt the most S5500 N0
John Casbon appealed from tbe an.
praisaI of his two houses at the corner If
College and Champlain streets which
were assessed at $1,000 He thonGbt s.ttou
all they were worth
Carolus Moves. ESQ. appeared in behalf
oraised at $500 and whose i"t az va" ann 49,
tree Point. containing twenty acres was
put in at $500.
Hon. w G. Shaw aDnealed i'm bah.lf of
O. S. Dodds. whose PROPERTY on the north
side Of First street was assessed at SGn6n
Mr.. Dodds claimed that he naid onlv Stoo
Tor the land and he had invested in i'm.
Droyements. including the soan fart 1,,
building. about S3lOO He SAID he coIIid
not sell The Dr0perty for S3500 O0Ol'
Cant Dsn Won nresented tho onnaol
of the Hpineherg estate from tho .nnnroiS
al of the American Hotel nronprtv at So
500. He sand il had been on the MARKET
for wears for So, 900 and no one would take
it. 1t was formerly assessed at 500 100
The Heinehero resideI'Ce Was mi r. NJ
s440O and he thought il would NOT sell f"r
$500, the price they ask for il.
w. +. Hendee appealed i'm behalf of Fl
l.. Dodge. whose house at the cornrr IF
Church and King streets is appraised at
$500 and his house on Nnple street ~
1880.
The next appeal taken ND WAS that Of
Ferdinand Beech, whose home is On the
north side of Maple street, was apnraised
at s65OO. Mr.. Beach SAID that he had otTared
the property for sale for $4,000 and he asked
fignres rba na%f apnoa ,uoe 20 Itfose
Beach, ESD for WHOM Messrs w Wales ~
Wales appeared. His pronertv on the
corner of College and Centre streets ,vne
appraised at 10000. his block on
the east side of ST PAM street
lust north of the SAVINGS hank ~ sfS ooo
and hi> blocks on the orIhaast cornar ~
Church and Bank streets 5000 Mr.
I1-aLl ..i|tI SNiNN =" ,FvOOO' wi