Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-24
The Enormous Revenues Annually
Turned Into the City and County
Funds by the Big Estates.
HEAVY TRIBUTE FOR FACTORIES.
Fancy Prices Paid by Manufacturers for
the Privilege of Living in
Pittsburg.
GLTMPSES ATTHE IRON cITY's.wEALTH
Less Than Forty Business Firms Drop Half Mill
ion Into the Golfers

Before the War of the Rebellion the person
who paid 800 money tax was rated as a very
solid man. and in those days there was con-
siderably rnote-at least in proportion-of
what might termed primitive Christian
fty than at ant. Many thousands of
Western Per. y mans had grave doubts
whether any man l right to accumulate
more than would keen himself and wife out
OF the poorhouse in I'll cir age and give each
child a 'setting-out' when married Three
hundred dollars was considered in the rural
districts a fair setting out, many people
holding that the remainder of his earnings
curing a life OF activity should be de-
voted to the ca1se of foreign missions.
Some Christians, however, thought man
might conscientiously defer the claims of
the happy Hottentots until he had secured
5000 for himself and family as they thought
a family could scarce maintain itself in
comfort on less. Beyond that sum, how
ever they had grave doubts whether any
one had right to his earnings, as he was
The Lords steward. In the rural districts
in those days religion occupied peoples at
rentiOn rather more than it does now, and
politics rather less.
Old-Tine Figures Are Not in 1t.
To-day in Pittsburg the man who pays
taxes each year equal to what the old-timers
thought a competence for family is no
great shakes financially, and 5000 year
tax is paid by many more people than gener-
ally supposed. There are q considerable
number of families that only pay 80 cents
year direct tax, and the millions required
10 run the two cities, boroughs and county
cut heavily into the revenues of some of
the wealthy people. Unless you get
the figures from the parties themselves,
however. it Is a difficult task TO ascertain
she exact amount Of each, one tax being
paid to one official at City Hall, another to
another. another to the State, and another
20 the county: and then there is water tax,
special school tax, occupation tax. mercan-
tile license and other State tax, business
tax. etc. in addition to that on realty. While
city tn NAV be Is mills and county 3 mills
You cannot add one-fifth of the former
county tax, as city assessors may make one
valuation and county assessors another, the
latter generally being lower than the former
II will he thus seen that il would be days
work to find out how much one extensive
property owner, with property scattered in
haIfthe wards in the city, does pay unless
you could get the amount from himself, and
le viii not always tell.
Men Who Carry Big Burdens.
I'm running over the list one finds people
Who pay from $500 to 5000 city tax on real
estate quite plentifully sprin1led. lawyers,
merchants and manufacturers names for
rle most part, but also a considerable num-
Der OT people whose wealth is mainly in
houses and lots. Occasionally you are as
-oli-bel in scanning the lists to find some
people O rite wealthy whom you did not ex-
poet TO ind so, and others poor whom you
thought to be rich. You are reminded of the
preacher who went to heaven, in a dream,
and had his expectations turned topsy furry
when hunting for acquaintanceS in st.
Peters register, missing some he had eX-
urctcd to find, and finding others he
hadn't.
One-of the first large estates that attracts
attention is that of Mrs. Schenley. Many
people suppose that it pays the largest land
tax u. any in the city, but such i not the
case. as very much of ii is in such shape,
owing to the peculiar views of Mrs Schen-
ley. or her adv Sers, that il is not
nearly 50 valuable as it might
easily and speedily be made. Many
of the leaseholders have not the induce
l-eur TO make improvements that they
might have and were the proprietress resid-
iug here 80 a. to understand the situation
fully it is probable that some portions of
her vast property would be broken up by
lulicious sales 50 as to-enhance the value of
the remainder.
4 Portion of Mrs. SchenIey's Tax.
William 4. Heron x Sons agency pays
city tax on the realty of S54,7 ,7O7 "a Mr.. John
Kelly states that this part of the manage
1uent entails a vast amount of work, as
3easeholders must pay the taxes and the
city refuses to collect from them, so the
agency must do it. All the taxes, water
tents, etc. paid in this estate run well up
toward 100000. but owing to its having fewer
buildings il pays less in proportion than the
Denny estate.
The city realty tax paid by the Denny es-
state this wear Is $50. .iG7 IS.
The aggregate paid by banks on realty is
large sum, but generally not above $1,000