The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-09-19
The RE-ASSESSMENT
Made by Authority of the City
Council Causes a Kick
THE LIKE OF WHICH HAS NOT BEEN
For a Long Time now in tho commu-
nity...The Work of the Committee
on Equalization aud Appealsto be-
gin this Forenoon.--some of the
criticisms Heard from Victims.

Five million dollars added to the as
sessments for city taxation, at fifty
cents on the hundred dollars, means
$4,000 added to the city taxes. The
ten cent levy on the same amount
would be 5000. To make this hand
some addition without increasing the
levy seems at "first blush" to be con-
Summation devoutly to be wished. The
Democratic city administration took
the first blush view OF it, and the six
men appointed to make the decennial
reappraisement did the rest. The as
SCISSORS north of the creek increased the
valuation OF real estate about s., 4O0,-
900, and those south OF the creek some
what over $l,600,0O0, q total OF over
S5.0O0,00O.
called on the city clerk TO see how their
assessments were affected by the reval-
uers' report. AL day the whole force
in the office, with the city collector and
city receiver at times, was engaged in
showing and explaining the returns.
City Clerk Thoner said last evening
that he dreamed figures all night.
There are some peculiar things IN the
returns. Tho revaluation north OF the
creek was made by D. 2. Phillips, a.
sisted by Joseph Yahn and A. B.White.
Mr., White was sick in bed most OF the
time, but was consulted as to property
he was supposed to know more about
than his associates. South of the creek
the work was done by John Handlan,
Patrick Weir and Jonas Picket.
There has been some earnest "kick-
inn" on the increases, but the worst OF
il Is to be heard yet. The council COM
mittee on equalization and appeals
holds its first session to-day, when pro-
tests and appeals will be considered as
TO assessments in the First ward. Ten
DAYS are allowed the committee to
cover the city. They will be the bust
est ten days any similar body ever
put in. ;,
There are some strange stories told
about the assessments. The compare
sons with last years figures is not fair.
Such revaluations are made under the,
law but once in ten years, so that the
increase OF real estate represents in
crease IN values in ten years. This does
not explain all the matters that have
been criticised, however. One Of the
current reports will be Investigated by
the committee II is that Assessor
Yahn reduced the valuation OF property
belonging to his father from 1920 to
$500, while increasing contiguous
property materially.
One member OF Council claims that
his assessment is grossly out OF proper
ton to that OF others on the same
square, and mentions in this connection
that he voted for another person to be
assessor than the one who was elected
in his district. This sort OF complaint
will also probably take some Of the
committees time.
A matter that has caused a good deal
Of comment illustrates the vagaries OF
the reports. The Reymann brewery
is assessed less than $4,000, while
the Schmulbach brewery is put down
at over $4,000. In this case, one be-
ing north and the other south Of the
creek, OF course the assessments were
made by different men.
1t was said Saturday that an Island
property holder who had materially as
sisted the assessors was left as he was
assessed ten years ago, while neighbors
under the same conditions found ma
terial increase. OF course, these stories,
or charges, will be looked into by the
committee when the ward is reached, if
there IS any person who demands the
inquiry.
i gentleman who knows all about
assessments and relative valuations was
asked last night what he thought of the
retaliation. Some of the assess
ments," he said, ARE just. Many OF
them are grossly out OF proportion to
others under the same conditions. In
cases where fine houses have been built
they make no showing on the list, while
property nearby, not much improved,
is put away up"
II is said that the word went out to
city and state revaluers that the tax
lists must be increased so as to increase
the revenues without raising the levy.
The people whose taxes are affected,
however, will appreciate the increase
just the same