Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-26
MORE VEXED POINTS
On the City Assessments Submitted
10 Attorney Moreland.
CASE TRIES A LITTLE SARCASM.
An Attempt TO Add to the List of Unta1able
Properties
EJgs FOURTEENTH WARD ApPFALs

| The RoH-d of Assessors are after mo re in
formation. Yesterday Chief Assessor Case
addressed letter to City Attorney More
lana, a,king for the law on the eaoneration
Of chuica and school property from taxa
tion and incidentally making reply to some
Of the points introduced by the City At
tcracy ID his recent communication to the
Board o.. .he subject of rural classification.
Fram What could be learned of the asses
sor's Contamination it has rather sarcastic
tone, but .he City Attorney declined to sub
NIT il for publication until he has prepared
rsoly.
!ihe Question of exoneration of church or
the U.suiiee Convent property. but before
the mstser is settled it is expected some
fac5s VIII be brought out to show what an
immease amount of property in this city is
exempted from taxes. Few people have
ary -dga of the number of un-
taxed properties which belong to churches,
psblic ard private schools and other insti-
tutions OF a more OF less public character.
It u Questionable if many of them are
properly exempt from taxes under the law,
bet the, have paid none for years, although
some which are more than self-sustaining, are
owned largely by men OF wealth and are not
IL ths ns.ure of charitable institutions.
Proposed Additions to the List.
Is is not chargeable to the present Board
o; Assessors that these properties are on
the list Or untaxables Some were put on
the ;ist many years ago, and since the list
hoe. kxz Il, he
there has 0een an attempt to get several
otherr added to it, among them the Ursu-
he Convent and the Shadyside Academy
properties. Both are fine, valuable proper
ties. Wills +. McCook. Esq, as attorney for
the convent owners. made the request of the
kssesscra some months ago. The request
was mad. on the ground that the institution,
While beng self-sustafning and charging
t11s-on fes to pupils, was of a charitable
nature, because the proceeds are not used
by she owners, but are turned back into the
treasnrv for the benefit of the institution.
The -Assessors declined to admit the concern
to the free list, but finally placed the matter
be ore the City Attorney for an opinion.
his reply in effect was that if the asses
sors hal satisfied themselves that the situ-
alton ws.s IS represented by the attorney for
ing the exemption. Tho Board, it seems
has OeeI unable to decide, and under the
pressure shat is being brought to bear to
have tbs matter settled they want an expo
sitton 1t She law on the subject.
Ine lsS is complicated on tins point, ac-
eofdi'.s' to the City Attorney and there
have been number of decisions of the
SupreIce Court that seem to have further
tc.:aiet, g. The last decision of importance
wss tIat in the Lafayette College case,
Uhe . II vas decided that as the proceeds OF
tno Institution were used for its benefit en-
ttrs'y sDd there were no profits divided 1t
was charitable institu tion and all the
properly including the professors and stu
DC Dts i,Nules, was exempt.
TtrA
to nreeens the law points surrounding the
suhtec. N complete form and will have the
opir iol. rr-dy early next week.
h.nE Fourteenth Ward Appeals.
The APPEALS came in numerousIy from the
TcpEseersh ward residents yesterday, the
nupioor fled being the largest of any day
since -bGt ward has been opened. The
asseasois finished the revision Of the Four
te@1th yard yesterday. 1t shows but little
change from the original assessment figures
And &c Is understood the same policy is to be
followed in all the downtown wards the
BosId balng determined to hold up their
original Ei!;ures as fully as possible.
Tle Forth ward reductions are as fol-
lows.
On Fsy.:.te street. between Tenth and
Garrison alley 50-foot depths have been re-
duoed &c s23O, 90-foot to s275, and 7O-foot to
SIG
o'B::ss, alley lots are cut to $40 per front
ai'eg ic-;t.ot depths to 800 per foot.
On stat' street from Robert Arthurs line
To DGG.iasre way, on left side reduced as
friiowr: Mary B. Laughlin. s., $50 per front
hos. EleH c. speer, 81, 800: A. III. Bissell,
81 .eS9; anton Lutz, 200; A. W; Black, 81, $50;
j. H NIeller, 81, 100; John Walker, 81, ,050.
.. Proper is worth less as it approaches the
:, ridge this is based on John Walkers sale''
pe nc:. which appears on the revision
Tho nun' Der of appeals that came in from
tie Fourteenth ward yesterday was the
LARGEST OF any day since that ward has been
opened
Is assessed s23,220 on five acres on Second
aver 20 near Sylvan avenue, and s. 500 on
bui.Giigs, but only asks for rural classifica-
tior., accepting the valuation.
W. D. " ,od Is assessed at sI07,515 on his
two ao"o- on Forbes street; appeal, $100, ,000
On Ior ,+'I2H feet, on Forbes street. as.
sess ID Al s3a 20s his valuation S2S, 900. Total
Sill, ,723; appeal, $l59,O0O
ysn.s Hundred Thousand Or |
Ea1.eI Mckee appeals for the Samuel |
g2,G se) OF 1871 acres on Forbes near Halket |
street, shich he considers high valuation |
for 5s .at,on purposes.
D. 2. Murdoch, assessed s20,34 on 169xI37 |
feet ol E'ISh avenue, appeals for a cut to |
sl6, a9i. ana Demands to be in the rural class. |
Jhnios 2. speer accepts a valuation of $751;
SOC ON y, acres, and $lS,29S on a 135x260 foot |
lot OF Cart avenue, provided his neighbors
,re s.se -sed at same rate.
Charles J. Clarke's total assessment is
b302.a6t sna his appeal is for valuation of |
,2l9 go. I'D considers that very liberal. His
ri n@fes ct Forbes street and Craft avenue
are 81 + down at $195, SSH appeal, sl09, ,0O0 The
,raot bonded by Fifth avenue, Forbes
,tre1s and Craft avenue is assessed 500 25O,
but ie rA,ses it to 500 600 and offers to sell at
kos figures. Two acres at Niagara and
bsreets are assessed $24, ,000 appeal,
rs JG2. HI dwelling is assessed at Sl5, 600 and
yTee nhousas at S5, ,000 which he accepts.
y illta.n Loeffier, 44x127, Forbes and Mey-
nr street., assessed at sS,372: appeal, S., $40;
lis ) ssIl "a Forbes street, adjoining, s6,006
.ppoa!, S4j25. He says the ponderous noise
II tao PIX Sburg Traction power house and
tho At1 cod and electric line makes this
,ro cry less valuable than that on blocks
Ibe--o ard below him.
jean Ee,nR's lot, 50x142, on Craig street, is
Iss essex a. 1900. He accepts the valuation,
tut Nal.ts 81 the rural class because he says
hat par a Craig street is unimproved, and
2 est Of Craig street is practically nothing
,ut farr land.
Gherles aeyrans executors appeal for
nc frcD ss, 500 to 900 ON lot SO146 feet on
rif.I areIue, between Spring and Wyan-
!o'te streets, and from $l2, 400 to $500 on
ax270 I.0F on Boquet, between Grazier
t,e0G ana Sylvan avenue.