The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-10-19

The reason the rate is so low in Baltimore
county is because large part Of the territory
was annexed to the city, and the city paid to
the county a large sum Of money for county
nroperty in the annexed districts. The money
received from the city was used for current
expenses, thereby reducing the levy. Inc
levy will go up next year, and the rate tins
year is not fair comparison
With Baltimore county out of the list Car
roll is the lowest taxed county in the state.
Oar peighbor 10 the south, Howard county,
is taxed a, 60 cents on the 500, and Freder-
lex. on the west, at 20 cents on the SIoo-
The rates in other Western Maryland eoun-
ties are-washington Sc cents on the $780,
AIlegauy 81, Montgomery 92i and Garrett
sl.Os.
TIE assessment in Carroll is not higher
than in other counties, as has been asserted,
and not above the saleable value Of property
as was shown last week.
In Washington county but few properties
have been sold the present year. A eorres-
pondent Of the ADVOCATE, who has been IN
vestieating the matter Of assessmeut and sales,
says-"R is aert to Impossible 70 sell farm
Of f5o or more acres al anything like It's sap-
posed ralue."
In Frederick county very few property sales
have been made this year. for the reason, there
As elsewhere, that light crops and low prices,
on the one hand, and the alluremenis to IN
vesters Of ssatared mortgages and stock spec.
ulations. have depressed real estate values
There. as in Carrcll, occasionally tract OF
land is purchased for less than is assessment
As an instance. the farm Of the late Jacob
Nusbaum. in Linganore district, lol acres,
was purchased by Samuel keefer for $500,
and il .pas assessed at Si7OO.
In Calvert county, where the tax rate is
s7f on 500. property has no saieable value
practically, because it is next to impossible
to sell at all. On this point We quote from
letter in the Cssleerf Journal Of October 5ih !;
Mr.. Editor Your last issue informs US
that the late Mr.. N. B. Hance's farm OF sl4i
acres subiect 10 widows dover, sold Tor -
$50 90 and was bought by Messrs. Frank OF
Baltimore This land 65 years ago sold tor Just
double that amount. Thirty years ago II sold
cor inst three times that money. Eere then
there Is a depreciation in value OF one hun
dred per cent. in 65 years and oiZO0 per cent
in the last thirty years. With the
present income from land, it viii only be
few wears when the tax collector will have 70
sell out nearly all the farms IN Calvert Tor
taxes. say nearly all the farms, for some
very few land owners have resources lnde'
pendent Of Their lands But such Is not the
ease with the overwhelming majority. And
when these lands are put up for taxes, who
is to buy them? The farmer class viii be too
poor to buy.
In st. Mary's county, where the tax rate il
81 cents on the 500, almost any assessment
would be above the saleable value Of land, for
it is next TO impossible to sell an average farm
at any price. The writer knows of a number
of farms that have been on the market for
about sixteen years. In Charles, with tax
rate of % cents on the 500, and Prince
Georges, with rate Of %, the condition IS
nearly as bad.
As to the assessment in Prince Georges
county, a letter from gentleman at Upper
Marlboro, received yesterday, says farms
in this county are assessed far above the hg-
ures they would bring at trustees sale. This
is exemplified in the case Of mortgages
sale made here on Tuesday Of this week.
The farm contained BOG acres and is located
in a desirable portion of the county, in sight
Of railroad. It was assessed at fraction
over SIC, 900, and brought $500.