Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-21
ASSESSMENTS HIGH,
The Increase in Valuations
Causes a Stir Among
Taxpayers.
S0UTHSIDERS WILL SUE.
Heavy Inroads Will Be Made on the
Rural Class, and the
AGRICULTURAL TO GO ENTIRELY.
Mayor Gourley Says the Whole City Tax
System Is Wrong.
SOUTHSIDERS WILL SUE.
AGRICULTURAL TO GO ENTIRELY.
Mayor Gourley Says the Whole City Tax
System Is Wrong.
MANY PROTESTS FROM ELLSWORTH


pushed and jostled into the narrow space
provided for taxpayers, who come to appeal
from the figures fixed upon their property
BY the assessors were largely representa-
tive of the rural wards of the East End.
They, and some of the Southside wards will
be the ones to suffer the heaviest from the
decision of the Board of Assessors to
practically wipe out the classifcations here
tofore known as rural and agricultural.
If this decision is carried into effect in
stead of an assessment on one-half or two
thirds the real value, according as the prop
erty was classified, there will be horizon
tai increase in taxable valuation. The in-
crease affects not only the owner of fine
residence and broad lawn, or of large
tract of unimproved land on the outskirts
of the city, but also affects the numerous
owners Of small, unpretentious homes in
the same locality. Out in the Twentieth
ward, along Ellsworth and Fifth avenues,
and various other streets where handsome
residences are numerous, the increase in
values made BY the assessors viii run be-
tween 200 and 300 per cent over the last tri-
ennial assessment.
assessed as 1t Would Sell.
The valuation this time is taken on the
full front foot price of the ground and will
be assessed at that figure. Among the ap-
peals entered yesterday was one of John r.
Mckinley, owning a piece of ground 1S0x265
feet at Ellsworth and Morewood avenues,
upon which the assessors fixed the figures
at S37, 900. In his appeal the owner states
that the ground has been used for a pasture,
and that s27, 900 is a big figure for it.
Many of the appellants yesterday were in
them were not backward in stating their be-
lief that the people controlling the city
government were causing the increase in
taxable valuation with the object of increas-
ing the tax receipts, while appearing to re-
duce taxation by lessening the millage.
The people of the Twenty-sixth ward were
vigorous in their expressions also,
and it was stated that unless
the assessors would wipe out the agricul-
tural classification and assess all property
on improved streets in the city at its full
cash value, citizens Of that ward would con-
test their assessments in the courts. The
city officials who favor this plan, in arguing
with those opposing it, claim that owners of
should not complain that they are now to be
assessed for the full value of their land
when they have escaped that estimate SO
long in the past. On the other hand those
interested retort that if all the "rural'' or
agricultural property was put on the
market the value of vacant property gener-
ally would go down to far less than the
figures named by the assessors and that con-
sequently it is not fair way of fixing the
precise cash value on such land.
Not Confined to One Glass.
But while the increase in the rural wards
is great there is a general increase all over
the city. Chief Assessor Case says that it
will average about % per cent over the city.
In one downtown ward, in which the ap-
peals have all been considered and reduc-
tions accordingly made By the assessors, the
increase only amounts to 13 per cent, but he
says it will so far exceed this in some
other wards as to make an average
of %. The valuations were fixed by the
assessors, who have been working on the
matter for more than year. While under
the law they could not announce their fig
ures until the books of the county assessors
came in from the wards, still they have paid
little or no attention to these books, because
they argue that the county assessors. in
order to keep the favor of the voters in
their respective wards, hold the valuations
down entirely too low.
Mayor Gourley says the classification of
property, as has been predicted, is a farce,
and would be ended quickly. He says there
is little rural property in the city, and none
and portions of the
Twenty-frst, Twenty-third,
and one or two Southside wards, he says
there is ''rural' property, but in no others,
and il should be so assessed. "Where peo- |
pie have paved streets, city water, lights |
and police and fire protection, he said yester-
day, they should pay the same rate of taxes |
as the people downtown, no matter what |
part Of the city they may live in. Ibelieve |
the whole scheme of taxation in this city is |
wrong, but it is difficult thing to propose |
a better one. But, without better one,
this could be improved by taxing heaviest |
those who have plenty and can bear it, and |
giving the working people the advantage of |
any classification measures that may be |
adopted. Lately, it appears to me, the ad-
vantage has been given the other way"
Little Hope for the Agricultural.
A member of the Board of Assessors said |
last night: "We have not yet settled the
matter, but 1 believe the agricultural class |
lfcation will be wiped out entirely and the
for instance, portions of |
the Twenty-third and possibly one or two of
the Southside wards We have been SO
busy with the e0dJustment of the assess |
ments on the appeals that came in, that we |
have not had time to determine the class |
ifcation. But it will be done soon, and |
the change will be radical
"People get mixed on the preliminary |
he continued, etand imagine |
that the valuations we send out on tran
scripts are fixed absolutely. The fact is,
final action is not taken until after all ap-
peals are heard and the board goes over the
entire work again. We always make allow
ance on appeals, unless there is good rea-
original assessments may indicate an in |
crease of 40 or so per cent in the valuation,
It will not net much over 25 per cent, if !
hat. The only wards canvassed by the |
board the second time are the Seventh, |
Ninth, Tenth, Fifteenth, Twenty fourth,
rwenty-ffth and Twenty-eighth. The first
will be finished tomorrow"
The appeals filed yesterday came from the |
Fourth, Eleventh. Sixteenth, Twentieth,
Twenty-third and Twenty
ninth wards. The Eleventh and Sixteenth
wards produced the greatest number.
Among the Fourth ward appeals was one
rom Henry Phipps on a number of Penn
lvenue properties, between Garrison alley
Ind Tenth street. One lot, 30x16O, was
assessed at SAG, 800 but, he appeals to have it
,nly S42, 900. Three lots, 24x11O, assessed
1t S2S, ,23O, were not appealed, but he calls
attention to four two-story brick houses
IN them, which should not be
assessed because they will be torn
lown April 1. 7. c. jenkins appeals
rom an assessment of S274, 500 on the COX