The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-02
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
The Reduction Of San FrantistO's
Assessments Considered. !.
SEVERAL WITNESSES ARE EXiNIiED.
Thomas Magee Presents Carefully Prepared Stats
ties 10 Show That The Taxes Are
.Tso High:
SEVERAL WITNESSES ARE EXlMIiED.
Special to THE MORNING CAIN

/: SACRAMENTO, Sept. Mayor Sander
son, Supervisors Ellert and Burling, or the
Finance Committee, and Assessor Slebe,
aerompanied by several Of his deputies, APP
neared before the State Board of Equaliza-
ton at O clock this morning for the pur-
poseof asking a reduction IN the assess
ment-rOll Of San Francisco. All the men,
beers of the board were present. President
M0rehouse presiding.
The representatives of the city came
armed with great deal of data, showing
the equality and legality OF their assess
ment Last year the total was ssh, 000,Q GOO.
This year it has been increased by the
Assessor about S40.000.000 Last year the
board increased San francisco 80 per cent
or SIS, 900, which, as Equalizer Swan has
pointed out, is more than the total assess
ment of twenty other counties he can
name. Notwithstanding the Increase this
year. San Francisco has been summoned,
with ten other counties, to show cause why
its valuation should not be raised. The
meeting this morning was held to heaI this
and the application for reduction.
Mayor Sanderson made the opening state
nlent on behalf of the city. lie protested
against any increase. and wanted the board
To consider reduction.
Deputy Assessor Edgar Briggs. then be-
gan TO explain the assessment on the lines
SET forth by the Mayor, but ne was inter-
rupted by suggestion by Supervisor Ellert
that evidence should be taken first in favor
of a reduction afterward the Assessor could
combat an increase. This caused long
discussion. -.
. John Hoescl. expert Of the Finance Com
mitter, was called. He gave some data
gathered in Alameda ana Santa Clara cOun-
ties. One was an assessment or tne prop
erty Of the Spring V alley Water Company,
I: amounting 10 S2lS, eco, on land Tor which
the company has been offered $4,000, 0O0
This caused another prGtracted discussion
Mnrehouse and Beamer: doubted whether
such comparisons could be brought 10
Conclusion unless the same comparisons
were made III San Eraneisc0. .:
- Swan thought tie evidence ought to go IN
I AID lie. conSi dered.- He had no. doubt any
comparison would rebound TO the beneitof
the city.
F. H0esch was. finally permitted to proceed.
The Oakland Waterfront Company prop
erty is assessed. Tor S120, 500 and IS worth
$1,000. 600; the Pacific. Iron and Nail Com
pany is assessed $50, Geo and nioEtSaged Tor
S100000 and the mortgage assessed Tor
S60, 0u0. Hoesch gave circumstances OF un-
equal valuations. -. =.
+ H0esch's data: elected considerable: de-
bate and large number of questions were
asked him by members of the board. These
illustrated mainly his methods Of figuring
out results. Hoeseh turned his: figures over
to the secretary. ~.
Supervisor Burliug presented an interest
ing table complied from the report Of the
State board for 1891, showing the assess
inert of personal property in 4olo. Ala
me :, Monterey, SonOma and San Fran
cisco counties. each Of which Is represented
in the board. 1t gave the valuations placed
on cattle, goats, watches, Saving machines.
horses, mules, etc. in every in stance show
ing that in San Francisco the average was
higher, - --
Chairman Morehouse said these averages
were supplied by the assessors. and the
board is not responsible fer THEM. They
were. moreover, very nnreiiabte.~.
|. At II: 80 the board took recess to await
+ the coming of Thomas Magee. 49,