The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-07-21
CURRY'S NEW REPORT.
A Lame Excuse and a Big In
crease in Union bill Tax
abIes.

At the meeting of the County Board
for the Equalization of Taxes yesterday
afternoon, Assessor Robert Curry, OF
Union Township. under the careful
guidance of Commissioner Morgan. made
statements which showed that the Am
erican Cotton Oil Company's plant was
not assessed for one-haf its value. 1t is
probable that the Commissioners will
visit the plant in a body, and, instead of
decreasing the valuation, they may in
crease 1t. This, however. does not alter
the fact that ali the other property in the
town is criminally undervalued.
President Va1 Reipen and Commits
sioners Morgan and Hamilton were pres
ent at the meeting of the Board yesterday
afternoon. So were several assessors.
AS soon as the roll had been called, AS
SCISSOR Curry, whose assessments had ap-
peared so queer the day before. said that
he was ready to make another report.
"Oh, ] don't think you had better report
again today" said President Van Reipen
deprecatingly. "You certainly, from the
showing made yesterday, have great
deal to explain"
"Well. can explain the way I made
many mistake" said the assessor. 81
missed two columns of figures"
81 don't think you had better report to-
QdS1 IGPSaVt0 IOoluOub Wall EOGlUCU.
1.-The Board is in no particular hurry and
desires to give you all the time possible.
81 think it would be well for the AS
SCISSOR to wait q few days" said Commits
sioner Morgan, and the report was not re-
ceived.
MINOR COMPLAINTS.
A communication was received from
G; A. Hollinger, who owns four lots in
West HoDo1en, which he claimed had
been excessively assessed. He said the
property had deprecated in value since
last year, because last year values were
fixed in anticipation of rapid transit,
which had been promised by the North
Hudson County Railroad Company. The
complaint was couched in language which
made the members smile. 1t was re-
ferred.
A Mr.. Schaefer of North Bergen ap-
pc Jared before the Board and said he could
not understand why nine lois which he
owned, had been increased in valuation
at the rate of $50 a year. as the lots were
not worth any more today than they were
five years ago. Assessor Bruce was not
present to explain, and President Van
Reipen in his suave way questioned Mr..
Schaefer as to the real value of the lots
and developed the fact that Mr.. Schaefer
was not greatly injured individual after
all. President Van Reipen remarked that
Assessor Bruce was good Assessor, and
would probably be ready to explain il he
were present.
OUT OF ALL PROPORTION.
Then Commissioner Morgan took up
the brief which ex-senator Brinckerhoff
had left with the Board. in which he
claimed that the American Cotton Oil
Company had not been properly assessed
and began to dissecu it. Assessor Curry
was primed with information. He said
the company had plant worth at
least 81 ,000,00 new tanks had been con
structed during the year, the total valne
of which was over 100000, and forty-six
new and costly engines were in the place.
"The burden of the complaint of the
appears to be not that they have been
been assessed out of all proportion
with the surrounding property"
sThat is as / understand it." said Pres.
ident Van Reipen.
Curry said that last year he was not
allowed to go through the works at all.
"This year Mr.. Brinkerhoff and
another lawyer called at my house." said
he, ''and asked me to reduce the valua-
tion. told them that if they had any
complaint to make they should make it
before this Board.'
II think we had better go up and look
at the plant" said Commissioner Morgan
and the other members agreed. The
Board will inspect the works some day
next week.
Assessor Curry's report yesterday
which was not received by the Board
showed big increase In the valuations oil
the township property, outside of the
American Cotton Oil Company's plant,