Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-08
COST Of A Bic CITY,
officials Preparing Estimates of Their
Expenditures for the Next
Fiscal Year.
TWO MODEST REQUESTS FOR MORE.
Chief Brown Think; He Can Get Alcng if
His Present Appropriation is
Duplicated.
'wO MODEST REQUESTS FOR MORE.
FARMERS BARRED OUT OF PITTSBURG.
Classification of Kueh Of the Real Estate to be Changed
This Year

the fiscal year of 1912.
All the bills up TO date have been paid,
and the Chief now believes that he is in
shape to figure ior next year. The work OF
preparing the estimate will probably con-
sumo the entire week, but when it is finished
it will be submitted to Mayor Goarley, in
accordance with his request.
The Chief docs not expect to ask for more
than he received last Year-S710, O00-and
hopes to be able to get along with little
less than that amount. He feels that the
ranid growth of the city and the need for
stronger police force should be realized by
Councils. but has not vet decided whether
or not he should ask for sufficient money to
enable him to increase its numerical
strength.
Chief Assessor Case and City Treasurer
Denniston have already presented their es-
Inmates 10 the Mayor, and while they want
more money than heretofore. they are very
modest in their demands.
They Need a Little Increase.
Mr.. Case received S16,O 900 for clerk hire
for the current year, and he will have to
squeeze a little to get through without a de-
felt. In view of the fact that the triennual
assessment of real estate occurs next year,
which will entail vast additional amount
OF clerical work. Mr. Case asks for SIS, 900,
an increase of s, ,OG0.
Treasurer Denniston wants $4,000. This
year he received $4,000. The Major, in
making his request for the additional So, 900
states that he wants his Office remodeled to
enable him TO employ two or three extra
clerks during the busy season. He says the
increase in the number of taxpayers, and
the extra work entailed by the numerous
street and sewer improvements renders an
increase in his clerical force absolutely nee
esSarv.
Mayor Gouriey thinks the demands made
by these gentlemen very reasonable. He
recognizes the fact that the triennial assess
ment entails additional work upon the
Assessors force, and In speaking OF the
Treasurer's estimate, he said: Fifteen
years ago, when Mr.. {. L. Macec was
Treasurer, the pay roll of the Office was
S. 400, and it remained at that figure until
this year, when it was raised to $40, 900.
During the past 10 years the population of
Pittsburg has increased 75 cent, so that the
increase asked for appears to be reasonable
and modest"
40 5Iore Farms in Pittsburg.
Assessor Case, in referring to the tricnnial
assessment to be commenced shortly, said
he expected that il would show that there
was very little agricultural land remaining
within the city limits. Persons looking for
good farms need not stop over in Pittsburg.
They must go further afeld, say, to the
suburbs OF Chicago, where the watchful
rooster is not fooled BY the glare of the
electric lights, aud the slunber of the stock
Is not disturbed by the rattle, rumble and
roar of rapid transit
City real estate is divided into three
classes-full, rural and agricultural. The
first Is assessed at its full cost value, the
second at two-thirds and the third at one
half. The Assessor expects that much of
the two latter classes will move up step
and add wonderfully to the receipts of the
city; because not only is the ratio of assess
meut increased, but the cash valuation will
take big jump.
All the real estate in the first 10 wards, in
the Fifteenth, Twenty-fith, Twentv-sixth
Twenty-eighth Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth
wards is assessed at its full value. The
Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Thirty-third and
Thirty-fourth wards have some real estate
The Fourteenth ward looms up big with
cheaply-taxed property, its valuation being,
iul, 81 ,92SOl6; rural, 81, ,521, ,312; agricul-
tural, 81, jS9,I1y The other wards which
make quite showing in this direction are
the Nineteenth, lull, s., AGA O6I; rural,
S4,25l, ,G6S; agricultural, S729, $40; Twen-
tieth, full, So, 406, SO: rural, Sl1, ,S2l, ,543;
agricultural, $685.. zoo; Twenty-frst, tull,
Sl,605, 742; rural, 81, S92, SG3; agricultural,
Tv-op ;,,n
rural, 81, 123, 12S; agricultural, g, 353, ,241.
Parks Pushing Up the Valuation.
Three years have made vast difference in
the value of Pittsburg real estate, and with
the change in the classification of much of the
property large increase in the tax receipts
is confidently expected. The valuation of
the city's real estate last year was S19S, $780,
261, divided as follows: Full, S144 49,, ,O2j;
rural, SAG, $50, ,5l2; agricultural, s., 731, 73O
Mr.. Case, in speaking of the probable
change OF valuation, said: "a large portion
of the real estate in the Fourteenth and
Twenty-second wards was valued as rural
and agricultural. Much OF this property
will move up this year. SchenIey Park has
doomed much OF this property, and it has
been cut up into building lots, and quite a
number OF residences have been erected. If
the proposed bridge across the Nonongahela
at Twenty-fourth street is built, that will
increase the value of much ofths property,
but hardly in time to affect the next assess
Tnent. Then. again, the cIty's growth mas
been SO marvellous and is is building up so
rapidly that it has forced the price of real
estate up in the outskirts There is nothing
very rural or agricultural about Pittsburg
now
Referring to the recent discussion of the
propriety of taxing church property, Mr..
Case said: II believe that all property
should be assessed, and then, if it is neces-
sary, generations could be granted. Yes,
Ii is probable that ii churches were taxed
upon the value of their holdings many of
them would move out of the heart of the
city, where room is valuable and where but
few if any Of the members of their congrega-
tions reside. 1 think there should be no
churches below Grant street. The property
is required for business purposes.
Teaching School Boards Economy.
az school houses were taxed it would
o'ten prevent extravaganza on the part of
schnol boards. There wards in this citv
where they have $4,000 school houses,
while III the ward adjoining, Just as
populous and just as wealthy, the people
as commodious and well-ftted Tor its pur-
pose as the more expensive one. If the
school houses were taxed the boards would
hesitate before putting so much money into
buildings The tax would not be burden
upon the people, as it would merely be tax
ing the money out ofone pocket and putting
1t into another.
Yes, If the churches were moved out