Wichita eagle., 1889-03-15
THE BOOKS CLOSED.
THE CITY COUNCIL RESOLVES TO
ACCEPT THE REPORT OF
APPRAISERS.
No Kicks on Appraiser ents for Sewer
Taxes now in Order-Yester-
days Meeting Final on
the Question.

Uerday at o CLOCK TO near grievances on
assessment made for sewer taxes. The ap-
praisers had worked hard on the matter
but of course the task was SO great that it
was scarcely expected to be free of mis-
takes The council is booked for a meta
morphosis Unto board of examiners and
appeal as long as complaints are made;
but when the board opened business there
were no parties on hand complaining.
Roll cali showed Healy. English, Buck
eridge, Pratt, johnson. Stone, Glaze and
Allison present. with Mayor Allen in the
chair. There was general discussion
over the books, or rather general investi-
CATION; each member of the council look
ing up his own property in particular and
examining the books for other people in
general.
| The board making the appraisement
consists of J. D. Hutchipgs, j. c. Redfleld
and G. B. Campbell They agreed upon
the basis Of valuation at 80 per cent of val
uation of lots without improvements. The
New York corner, on this basis was put
| down S13, 900, and all others valued rela-
| lively. Tine total appraisement is S14.664, =
! SIS, or, for the sewer district, about $780,
900 more that the city assessor appraised
the whole city. The valuation being
higher makes the increase, but, of course
if the proper proportion is made; it will be
an equitable basis for assessment.
The board are very well satisfied with
the result of starting out with
high valuation. And it is some
pieces of property is down for S25 lower
valuation would have decreased this and
made it more troublesome to handle in
proportioning the assessment.
Mr.. Healy stated that the lot on the
southwest corner of Douglas and Law
renee is assessed at $4,000 and if the lot
was of regular size it was too much, If
forty foot front the assessment is all right.
Mr.. Allison stated that lot was forty
foot front and City Attorney Dyer stated
he got the information from city engineer
that it is a lot of regular size.
The city clerk stated it would be cheaper
! to let it go and remit yearly to the owners
the excess in case there is any excess.
The clerk read the following resolution:
Be it resolved by the mayor and coun-
cilmen of the city of Wichita, That the
valuation as reported and returned by the
appraisers of the sewer assessment OF sew
er district No. /, contained in their books,
number one, two, three and four as now
adjusted by the mayor and council, be,
and the same is hereby fixed, confirmed
and adopted.
Mr. Healy moved thu resolution be
adopted and was seconded by Buckeridge.
The roll call showed the resolution carried
unanimously.
1t is thought the city clerk will have a
picnic hearing the kicks on the
of fnya
time for kicking when it would avail any
thing has closed. The basis Of valuation
and assessment has been adopted and the
next thing is to figure on taxes. Not a
single change was made from the report of
the appraisers
AFTER THE MEETING.
One Of the leading members of the coun-
Gil, after the meeting, said he was afraid
the council had acted rather hastily in
shutting off the chance for kicks at one
meeting. He thought the general under
standing that some days, at least,
would be given property owners to look up
the valuation Of their property and give
reasons for Il change in case they
should think change should be made.
He insisted that the council finding no
one ready to kick at the first meeting had
the legal right to proceed to the next step
shutting OFT all chances for that feature,
but he was little afraid many would
claim they had not been given time to in
vestigate, and prefer charges of haste
against the council. At no previous step
had it been possible to insist on such
charge with any hope OF being sustained
by public opinion and little more time on
this would establish for the council repu-
tation of being conservative always on the
great work of devising and putting in
sewer system.
He seemed to think at the commence
ment of the meeting and no one seemed to
think they would close the matter yester-
day but expected to have one or two more.
He was fully of the belief, however, that
the board of appraisers had done excellent
work and that comparatively few cases
could be established of any injustice done
in valuations.