The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-08-01
IT'S Ia BORIS ARE OVER
The Work of the Boald of
Equalization.
FATE OF KICKING COUNTIES
The Board InexOrabie as Fate-The
Assessment Equalized as Far
as it is Possible.

as III Is EO6slDtes
The Territorial Board of Equalization,
appointed at the last session of the
Legislature, has finished its labors and
adjourned. 7 he final acts of the body
were performed yesterday. The board
has been in session since June 18th
duiing which time it has visited and
had seances in Salt Lake. Davis, Box
Elder, Morgan, Summit. Wasatch.
Utah, Juab, Sanpete, Tooele, Weber
and Cache Counties Concerning the
remaining counties, it was found that
in some cases it was impossible tor wit
nesses to be in attendance, owing TO the
TACT that the proper officials had not re-
ceiYed notice in time to be present, SIN
Juan, Garfield, Rich and PIUte benz
exempted from examination; al
least so far as resident witnesses we're
concerned; the examination III these
cases being made from the asSesSt0 en-
rolls, and II some cases evidence taken
from some one WHO, though not r. 81
dent of the CO Inty in question, Was
fully advised as 10 tie points upon
which
The BOARD DESIRED i LIGHT
10 be- shed. In Salt Lake County
forty-6Ve witnesses were examined; 10
Davis, fifteen: Box Elder, thirteen
Morgan. seven; Summit, fourteen;
WasatCh eight; Utah, twenty
Juab. 1Ine; Sanpete, twenty-seven;
Weber, twenty-three; Cache, eighteen;
Kane, Two; Washington, two; 5eVie'.
three; Emery, two; UinCah, one; Iron
one; Ml!ard two; Beaver. two; GA
railroads and general properties, thir
teen-or total of 246. Ii was the aim
sentative men of the different precincts
in each county, and among those ex-
amined in each coulty were the pro-
bate jIdge, selsctmen, etc. sfhe Board,
az rule, found perfect willingness
on the part Of witnesses 10 answer all
questions put to them, though, as the
chairman said, some of the questions
were such as involved the laying bare
OF Their whole financial sanding, ana
had the sessions been open 10 the
puulic, as it had been claim they
should have been, he thought much
greater difficulty would have been eX-
perierced in obtaining such inform6
lion. "Of course" said Secretary
Hammond, 1--WE could have
COMPELLED THEM TO ANSWER
under any circunsta noes, but in cases
where mans financial standing was
not such as he could desire, we quss-
ton very much if the answers would
have been truthful ones.'
Asked az to how much the reVaDu p
of the Territory would he in
creased. Mr., Luud said the
Board had no means Of ascer-
tanning this, as none OF the assessment
rolls were footed up. He did not, how
ever. look for much Of an inerea e.
"Our mission" ne said. "was not 10
raise revenue for the Territory, but
merely to eoualize the taxes-to see
that each county paid its fair proper
ton, In some instances we found the
assessed value as low as 81 per cent,
and as Salt Lake and other counties
which represent a great deal Of the
wealth of the Territory were 1T about
CEIkdIu sIhDOdIus VIC bEOAShb ~ hlGOi
to bring The others up 10 their standard
than reduce the former to the level OF
the latter Regarding the assess
ment of railways, in, each county
We found wide variance, and
have issued to the boards of such Coun-
ties advisory letters, and, on this, have
lett the matter in their hands-namely
suggesting that the actual value of the
20 a conform IN
THE VALUATION OF OTHER PROPERTY
in the Territory. This we deemed to be
for the best interests Of all, and consjd-
cred that by such a method injustice
would be done to mona"
1t was found that almost universally
throughout the Territory, sheep were
assessed at the valuation OF 81 90 per
head, and no change was thought neces.
sary IN this regard, In regard
to cattles however, there was such
seriousi and awe-insplTlng jun
BILE as to lead the BoaTdssto the
belief that IN this case, at least, order
could not be evolved out OF chaos.
Some Of the counties had assessed on
the basis OF range cattle--others had in
Cluu6C DlUOubu StOCA3 cuO tACIO W0iC DO
many inconsistencies that the Board
despairing, of concluding its labors this
wear. CONCLUDED that the better policy
TO pursue would be to let it alone for
this year. and issue such instructions to
each assessor as will insure uniformity
next year.
THE PROTESTS.
There were any number of protest;
from counties whose value had been
raised. but all were given lair snd i'm