The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-07-01
DETROIT LAND OWNERS SQUEAL
ING.


Mich, were bursting with indigna-
ton" over the action of the city asses
sors in raising the assessment on their
property to something nearer it's real
value than had ever been the case be-
fore A late number of the Detroit
Journal has come to hand, which not
only confirms the report about the Sin
dignation," but tells of one large prop
erty owner, VIM. G.. Thompson by
name, who declares that he is on the
warpath, where he intends to stay until
he has the political scalp of City Asses
sor Perren, who is the cause of Mr..
Thompson's woes Thompson is mad
clear through. He met Mr.. Perren yes
terday, says the Journal, and the ex-
mayor and land agent began to use I'M
classical combinations of words:
"Say, see here, Perren," he said, in
effect, you raised the valuation of
certain tract of land 100000 last year,
and now l understand you have tackled
on S1OO, 900 more this year? Why
you know we can't stand that. TH see
that you don't remain assessor long,"
"Oh, it is more than 100000" said
Mr.. Perren, with his Enthusiastically
pleasant smile and quiet manner. 1.-THE
exact figures are Sl62, 00O."
Language is inadequate to express
Thompson's state of mind at this frank
statement and his threats of vengeance
against Assessor Perren. 1t takes
nerve to run up against such aggrega-
tions of wealth as the Brush estate,
says the Journal, but Mr. Perren is
equal to any occasion. He told Thomp-
son that the property was assessed at
the same values as surrounding prop
ertys that he knew what it is worth,
and he guessed there ought to be no OBJ
lection to the valuation.
The Journal says that Thompson, at
the time of this colloquy, did not know
the whole truth. There is other prop
erty belonging to the Brush estate, and
Mr.. Thompson did not know when he
met Mr. Perren, that that had also beer
assessed higher than the year before.
Thompson was indignant at the, hun
dred thousand increase on one piece of
property, whereas the assessment on the
entire estate had been raised $500, 600
over last year. One piece of ninety-six
acres was raised from sss,OOO to $751;
900; and Mr. Perren thinks it will
stand.
The journal gives in detail the in
crease in the assessments of large
amount of property in Detroit, and
shows that the total increase will.reach
S12, 900, 900.
James A. Randall, one of the large
property owners affected, takes the
matter philosophically. He owns LOG
vacant lots, which IN 1881 were assessed
at $1,000. This year he will without
kick pay taxes on a valuation of S123,-
100, a jump of 2,4OO per cent. in ten
years, and it is possible that even this
does not represent the full increase in
value that has taken place in those lots
in that time. 1t ought to be great
object lesson for the Detroit people.
The trouble about assessments is not
all on land; some of it is on the water.
Under the law the Detroit assessors
have to tax all vessels registered in that
port. For some years past this law has
been more honored in the breach than
in the observance; but this year Assess
or Perren, evidently not desiring to be
caught by the land owners in an in
fringement of the law, has put the lake
vessels on the tax roll on basis of %
per cent. of their value The ship own
ers are very angry about it, and threat
en- to move to town called Hamtranck,
where they will escape local taxation
altogether One man. who owns YES
sells worth not less. than 1,000,0 900, told
Mr.. Perren that if he did not reduce the
valuation ON them to at most 500, 000
he would move his vessels Immediately
and not pay cent. Mr.. Perren said
that it could not be done, and as the
vessels will go to Hamtranck, Mr.. Per
rem recognizes that Detroit will lose
much OF its shipping because of its fool
ish tax laws: he says he would not tax
vessels if he could help himself, but
what can we assessors do about it?"
The personal property tax advocates
ought to see the moral in the assessors
remark.-The Standard.
PRIVATE ownership of land is the
neither milestone. Material progress is
the upper milestone. Between them,
with an increasing pressure, the work
ing classes are being ground, Progress
-nd Poverty,