The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-02-26
COMMISSIONERS
AND ASSESSMENTS.
A LIVELY MEETING OF CITr-
zENS LAST NIGHT.
THE COUNTY SOLICITOR PRESENT
Warm Debates Over What Should
be Taken as the Actual Value
Of Properties in Making
Assessments.

AL95OS5ll0ubb.
County Solicitor Jimmy Minogue
dropped into q hornets nest last night.
He attended the meeting Of the citizens in
the Council Chamber. When he entered
the room his face beamed with good nature
and smiles Half an hour later his "phy-
siog' looked like the setting sun, prest
beads Of sweat stood upon his brow and
the smiles we're replaced by stern, ham
mer-and-tongs expression. The cause of
the change was the discovery by Mr..
Mnogue thst the citizens of Shenandoah
did not agree with him and the County
Commissioners on the method by which
the triennisl assessment should be msde
this year. Mr.. Minogue spoke for some
time and made some excellent points. vet
there we're times when his arguments were
not accepted by the meeting as logical.
The meeting last night was not as large
as the previous one, yet the taxpsying
public was well represented. Several
members Of the committee of thirteen we're
among the absent ones. All the assessors
we're present. S, A. Beddal was made
chairman and w. j. Watkins, of the
HERALD, secretary.
M. P. Fowler was the first speaker. He
outlined the work of the committee ap-
pointed TO revise the work of the assessors
and declared that nothing had been left
undone to present fair and equitable
assessment return to the county commits
sioners He paid special compliment To
S. A. Beddall from whom, he said, the
committee received invaluable assistance in
sscertaining the ownership ana location Of
properties,
Alter Il few remarks Mr. Beddall intro
duced the County Solicitor. Mr. M.nogue
answered d question saying that several
assessors have made their reports to the
County Commissioners, but they are not
satisfactory, becsuse the assessments sre.uot
considered high enough.
Mr.. Beddall called to mind point made
By r. A, Glover to the effect that Sheusr.
doab is purely coal town That In
mineral wealth is being rapidly exhsuste5
and the place will eventually be left with
out any and the place should not be assesse-
on the basis Of other towns in which ii
real estate promises TO enhance in value
1t has been the custom of the County
| Commissioners to reduce the assessments
on coal lands, but leave the assessments on
private properties as made by the assessors
Mr.. Mnogue took the Fl OF again he
said the assessment. of the past have beer
no assessments. The books uf the asses
sors are full Of Irregularities n man is
6t TO be an ssse u unless pe deYot,s some
time TO it, Il require time and this has
not been done. lt is this that has forced
itself upon the .mmissioners and they
made up their minds to equslze and re
adjust the assessments. "If the character
OF your property is not permanent" con-
tinued Mr.. Minogue, referring to the
statements regarding the undermining of
properties in town, 'your assessment is not
permanent. 1t is only for three years If
your valuation decreases in three years,
your assessment will be decreased The
basis Of an assessment is the actual ualue of
a thing You must get the actual value of
the thing rs it is. The reason the
commissioners thought it best 30
| loleN ,AuD aeeo'tAcuL 10 LAo hNtAA-
value Of properties was to reduce the
rate of mills. l have no doubt that if we
had the actual value and thorough
assessment we could run the county for two
mills on the dollar, where it is seven now.
An ordinary assessment would give us at
least three mills. The farmers and poor
people are assessed at full value. You
have property in this town which is not
assessed at one-hal. its value l know
, property in this town assessed at $50 900
that is making $4,000 in one year. Ash
land is Just as bad l was & little astonished
at Shenandoah when 1 heard Of the stand
it had taken 1t is better to submit and do
the best we can, and then we will all come
in under the same rule, If the citizens
will unite and help us make an assessment
there will be an honest effort Of the Com
missioners to stand by you. The present
Commissioners will not listen to mob law,
violence, or the threats OF corporations
am authorized to say that they have made
up their minds to do what is right between
man and man." In conclusion Mr.
Minogue stated that the assessors are
bound to take their instructions from the
Commissioners and if they don't do their
duty they are guilty Of a crime nis-
demeanor.
A statement that the selling figure of a
property is not a test of value created =
breeze. If a man puts up house at a
l