Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-08
FIGHT AT CITY HALL.
Treasurer Denniston Refuses to Allow
Tax generations
GIVEN BY CHIEF ASSESSOR CASE.
Fearful That He Night Lose $60,OOO From
His Own Pocket.
CONFLICT NOT LIKELY TO END SOON

There Is an interesting conflict at City
Hall between the City Controller and Treas
ufer on one side end the Board of Assessors
on the other as t. he effect on the bill in
equity filed last April by D. D. Bruce ani
Joined in by many other property holders
against the assessors and other city officers.
The primary object of the bill was to
strike down the last triennial assessment
on the ground that it had been improperly
made, was excessive, and that the Board
had no legal right to fix valuations on prop
erty except those furnished them in the
duplicates of the County Assessors. Numer-
ous charges of illegal action were made in
the bill, among which was one
that the Board of Assessors, Controller, De-
linquent Tax Collector and City Treasurer
were illegally granting generations of
taxes to the extent of hundreds of thousands
of dollars yearly. The Court was asked,
among other things, to grant an Injunction
restraining the officials from granting any
more generations until the case should be
tried in court
Worried Over the Injunction.
The present conflict is based on the ques-
tion whether this injunction is operative or
not Controller Morrow and City Treas
urer Denniston say 1t is in force, but the
assessors hold the opposite view. No hear
ing has been held in court on the bill filed
by Mr.. Bruce, and it is not likely the case
will come up until late in the present term.
In the meantime the September installment
of city taxes is due, and if unpaid by the
LIST of next month will become delinquent.
Whether legally or not the Assessors have
been granting generations to numerous
taypa for variouQ raaaona hut when the
exoneratien notices are presented to the
Treasurer he refuses to give the usual
credit on the tax books, and the Controller
sustains him by declining to approve the
action of the board.
Delinquent Tax Collector Ford will not
figure in the case until after October 1. On
that date the Treasurer will prepare list
of all those who will have failed to pay their
taxes and will send it to the Delinquent
Collector. 1t is expected the list will con-
tain the Dames of nearly all the property
owners who Joined with D. D. Bruce in the
bill in equity, as we'll as all those who have
been granted generations by the Assessors
since the bill was fled.
Waiting for the Courts Action.
The latter class are refusing to pay be-
cause they claim the Assessors have the
power to release them, and that consequent
~ tne treasurer action cuts no ngure with
them. There are large number joined in
the equity suits who confidently believe
with Mr.. Bruce that the Court will grant
their prayer, and thus put at naught the as
sumption that their taxes are delinquent.
Chief Assessor Case denies that the in
junction asked in the bill of equity has been
granted, and claims the Court will not take
cognizance of his actions until the suits are
heard and decided. He accuses the Con-
troller and Treasurer of violating an agree
ment made some years ago under which, the
present dispute would not have occurred.
City Treasurer Denniston says he would
lose $50, 900 from his own pocket if he hon
ored the generations granted by Case, and
the Court should subsequently grant Mr.
Bruce's appeal As result of the conflict
there is considerable feeling displayed on
both sides, and further developments are
expected.