Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-17
SEDGWICK COUNTY.
THE SHOWING OF THE ASSESSORS
RETURNS FOR 1889.
Two Millions of Dollars Of Improvements
in Wichita, and Total Assessed
Valuation in the County
of S17,373, 584.46.

In accordance with the usage of the
EAGLE, which it has pursued annually
for seventeen years, we give this morn
ing tabulated extract of the assessment
rolls of the county of Sedgwick and the
city of Wichita. A number of items
which we have heretofore published in
detail are omitted this year, totals only
being given. Instead of the number of
acres of wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, gar
dens, orchards, ETC., we simply give the
number of acres under cultivation.
Nearly four hundred thousand acres
are under cultivation, close upon one
| half of which vast area is in corn,
| the yield of which at pres
ent promises to be in the aggregate
between six and eight millions of BUSH
els, or if the present humid weather
holds for twenty days longer even a
greater number of bushels than the
highest figure given. Lands and lots
are given in detail so that foreign readers
may learn the average value of each
kind of property. In a county where
two-thirds OF the land is shown to be
under cultivation, with only an average
assessed valne of six dollars and sixty
seven cents and two mills per acre, is a
showing which will interest every man
contemplating an investment in the best
county in southern Kansas.
Keeping in mind that all property is
only returned for taxable purposes at
from one-fourth to one-third actual
value, the grand totals of the
table show Sedgwick county to be
the wealthiest county in the state. The
figures from the other two counties
which claim to be as wealthy have not
yet come to hand, but the indications of
our increase are that Sedgwick county is
the wealthiest county and Wichita the
wealthiest city in Kansas. The personal
property list of Wichita is returned at
upwards of two million of dollars, show
ing the actual value of the city's per-
sonal holdings to be from ten to twelve
millions of dollars.
The total valuation returned for the
county is seventeen and a third millions
of dollars, in exact figures ST, 378, 584.46,
or total actual value of about seventy
millions of dollars. The railroads are
returned for upwards of million
and a quarter. The personal property
returns from the township seem to be in
the aggregate merely nominal Many
farmers own as much personal property
as is returned for an entire township,
The abstract table of personal property
shows that the average value of iall horses
is less than twenty-one dollars, the aver
age value Of sheep forty-six cents, the
average value of grown hogs fraction
over one dollar and a half head, cattle
only little upwards of four dollars
head, wagons less than ten dollars,
pleasure carriages little over twenty,
gold watches eleven dollars, and pianos
sixty-four dollars. All the farmers in
the county, together with all the bust
ness men of eight bright, lively towns,
all together, only pay taxes
on personal property returned
at less than four hundred
thousand dollars, or the entire county,
only on one-fifth of the personal prop
erty paid by this city alone. We guess
our Sedgwick county farmers will hardly
grumble at this.
A third table is appended which gives
the books in which added improvements
buildings for the city are re-
corded. Books ga, "B, &C" sd" and
e show the number of Improvements
made during the year and the amount
which they were assessed, or $193, $50,
the true value of such buildings being
nearly one million of dollars, not count
ing either of the packing houses
HUI dAe SOHipISlSu anu WHICH,
cost upwards of a half a million
of dollars, nor the public buildings, etc.
The total amount Of money expended in
the city for buildings and public inn
as shown by the records, |
for the year ending April l, 1889, was.
in round numbers, two millions of dol
lars, which so far surpasses that of any
other city in the state that no compare
tive statements are given.
The EAGLE Acknowledges its obliga-
tons to Syl Dunkin, our popular and
efficient county clerk, for the tables
which we present our readers this morn
ing.
AN UNREASONABLE SCARE.