Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-01
BUSINESS ON A BOOM.
Encouraging Returns Made by City
Merchants to the Assessors.
TRADE A-GR0WING.
License Court Judges Secure Some Valu-
able Informations.
TAXES BASED ON SWORN STATEMENTS

The Board of Assessors is being flooded
with returns from city merchants giving
their gross receipts for the past year. These
returns are very encouraging to the tlrm
believer in the steady and rapid growth OF
the Gas City. They show consistent and
fattering increase in all branches OF busi-
ness. Here and there man reports slight
falling off, but such cases are rare. 1. is
difficult as yet to figure just the proportion
OF increase over the preceding year, but it
is thought that the revenue from the busi-
ness tax will exceed that of last year from
Is to 20 per cent.
The assessors are not quite satisfied with
Judge Slagle's decision exonerating manu-
facturers who make their wares outside the
city, but whose offices are in town and where
all their business is transacted. On Satur-
day City Attorney Moreland will hold q
conference with the Assessors, when plan
will be outlined for the purpose of obtain
ing modification of the decision.
License Judges Assist the Assessors.
The Assessors feel very grateful to the
Judges of the License Court for helping
them to obtain the actual figures In tae re-
ceipts of wholesale liquor dealers. The
Judges have made practice of asking each
applicant to state unde oath just what his re-
ce1pts were. Some of these gentlemen tried to
avoid publicity by writing the amount
on a slip Of paper and handing it
to the Judge. On more than one occasion
the Judge has read out the amount. This
method of giving information to the Court does
not necessarily infer, say the Assessors, that
the applicant desires to hoodwink the men
who assess and collect taxes. In many cases it
is done to prevent an applicants competitors
securing Information regarding the formers
business and standing.
The result OF the Judges queries. however,
will be to boost the receipts from the business
tax. The Assessors are watching the License
Court reports. and wherever a man makes a
statement under oath as to his receipts he will
be assessed to that amount. II he objects to
the assessment he can take an affidavit that 1t
is not so much, but will then be confronted
with his sworn statement III court. In that
event the taxpayer will have some difficulty in
explaining away charge of perjury.
More Revenue From Drinks.
The assessors say the increased number Of
saloons will not produce much if any more rev.
enue for the business tax. 1t will merely di-
vide up the trade among more people. But
what may have an effect will be the cutting
down of the bortlers and smaller wholesalers,
If the court should see ut to take such action.
In many places where bottlers are knocked out
the men who want drink but have been ac-
customed to taking It at home will have to 20
to saloon for it. The increase in taxes will
arise from the difference in mIlage. saloon
keepers paying 10 mills, while wholesalers and
bottlers pay but mill on the dollar.
The Allegheny Board of Assessors has a
scrap book almost filled with the proceedings
of the License Court published in THE DIS
PATCH. They intend to make the assessments
for the business tax on the sworn statements
Of the applicants.
Ass,stant Asscssor James p Stnwart ennta
of the matter yesterday as follows; "We ex-
pect to base our assessments Of the liquor busi-
ness on the sworn statements made in the Ii
cense Court, ard 1t will materially increase the
revenue of the city. Most of the figures are
away beyond those given to me. There are sew.
eral instances. however. where our figures are
the largest We have d. Lutz & Sons assessed
at s4O0 000 while they only reported about $780,
0OO to the Court. Our assessment of the Gang.
wiscb Brewing Company is also 10 600 In excess
of tho statement made to the Judges"