The morning call., 1891-07-28

man had performed work he should be paid
ray the bremen, he said. up to date, and
| then have them discharged. 1t is wrong to
| withhold their salaries.
supervisor jackson said he was perfectly
willing to sustain the Auditor in his rulings,
| but he thought the Fire Commissioners
| should be heard. He moved that the report
be rejected, which was done, Ebert and
Heyer alone voting in its favor.
LOCAL ASSESSMENTS.
The Finance Committee, through Chair
man Ellert. presented report on the sub
| lect of the State EqualiZers' objections to
| 1892
The report stated that the action recon-
mended to be taken as to the assessments
contained in the assessment book is i'm
practicable. While every disposition ex-
| lists on the part of the board to assist in the
equailZation of the separate assessments, it
mas been the purpose of the Assessor to so
ADJUST the assessments ratably and equita-
| Diy as to afford no just cause for complaint
and 1t was so conceded by the members of
the State board During the limited period
| OF time the present Assessor had been in
offce he had been doing all in his power
TO make proper assessments, but nothing
more could be reasonably expected this fiscal.
year.
SUCH BEING THE CASE.
That being the case it could not follow
that the Board of Supervisors should act as
assessors and go over the assessments on
real estate as contained in fifty volumes, and
ascertain and determine the exact assessable
values In period of two weeks as allowed by
the Political Code. The question of the as
sessments OF personal property for the fiscal
year 1892 is not within the puryiew of the
board.
The attention of the board was called to
the assessments upon estates, the appraise
ment in the courts being in many cases
larger than the assessed values. In this
connection the committee called attention to
the fact that many capitalists invested great
sums in Government bonds and other in-
assessable securities, and these were ac-
counted at their full value in appraisements
made in the Probate Court
The committee showed that an increase OF
81, 1926, 903 in the total of personal property
assessments and 50 BOG 217 in the real estate
had been made by the Assessor over the
values Of the former year. This, IL was
claimed, exhibited a desire on his part to DO
his full duty.
ACCOUNTING FOR A DISPA
In regard to the matter of assessments on
land and mortgages, claimed by the State
EqualiZets to be lower in cases where the
loans are made by savings banks, the COM
mittee reported that this disparity could be
all explained by the fact that the Assessor
has not had sufficient time to thoroughly
examine the properties, tie principle here
totore being to assess all property, incum-
bered or otherwise, proDortiOnaIly, and it is
believed at a much higher rate than pre-
walls in other counties.
In this connection the committee stated
that While 60 per cent is loaned on city
property by these institutions not more than
40 per cent is loaned on property in other
counties, and on this basis property is as
sessed higher in this than in other counties.
In conclusion the report stated that what
ever errors there may be in the assessment
the only injustice that has been done is the
excessive total valuation of the real and per-
sonal property OF the county for the fiscal
year 1891, the truth of which could be veri-
ned by an intelligent inquiry into the value
OF the property OF the city and county.
HOWARD STREET EXTENSION.
The board took up the protest Of property
owners against the confirmation of the re-
port of the Howard-street Extension Com
mission. A large attendance OF prOtestsnts
was on hand, and ii was claimed that there
Is great disparity and injustice in the assess
raised and others lowered. The matter was
referred to the Street Committee.
The professionals were all emphatic takers.
One of them, named c. F. Smith. talked
so much that he was repeatedly
called to order by the Mayor and various
Supervisors. but still he went on in an in
terminable speech. Smith only ceased when
he was informed that lie would be elected il
he did not stop. The board will consider
the subject again on Wednesday morning at
10 o'clock.
a resolution was passed to print provid-
ing for the construction of new steel
bridge over Second street, the city TO pay
two-thirds of the costs and the San Mateo
Railroad Company the other third.
A resolution was pissed authorizing the
Hahnemann College Trustees to erect hos
pital in Block j of outside lands.
The protest Of property-0wners against
the erection OF crematory on the corner of
California and Laurel streets was referred
to the Health and Police Committee.