Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-14
APPEALS BEING REHEARD.
Question of Classification Proves the
Stumbling Block.
EAST ENDERS CLAIM TO BE RURAL.
schenley Estate Agent Wants a Big Cut
Made in Valuation.
TALKING ABOUT THE EQUITY SUIT

mentS that nave lalled TO please and to
ward off any more equity suits. To that
end they have granted rehearings in num-
Der Of cases where appeals were not satis-
iacJorily acted upon, and they expect to
keep it up for some time to come.
Yesterday mornings hearing was an in
tereSting one. Attorneys Bruce and Shields
were on hand for their clients, notwithstand-
ing the claim in their bill in equity that the
BOARD OF Assessors had no legal existence.
During the hearing, while Mr.. Shields was
exercising his privilege of fcross-examination
oft he assessors, Chief Assessor Case could
nor resist the temptation 10 ask:
ny. Shields, your presence here is sur
prise TO ME. 1t is somewhat unusual for an
attorney to appear before board which he
claims has no legal existence, is it not?'
The banter was not taken up by the at
torney and it ended there, but his discom-
future was enjoyed by the others present.
Assessors Satisfy Many Appellants.
The rehearings thus far granted have
been taken under consideration in most
cases, though in few decisions have been
rendered. In all cases decided the assessors
have shown a determination to stand by
their classification system and, generally, to
their valuations The bulk of the appeals
are on the classification. In a number of
instances the assessors have simply talked
The appeals over with appellants and con-
WINGED them of their fairness and equity,
sending them away satisfied. 1t is only
when the appellant has an attorney acting
for him that it is impossible to get such an
easy settlement.
Charles J. Clarke whose handsome resi-
dence on Forbes street attracts so much at
Jention, was one of the applicants for a re-
hearing yesterday, being represented by
Bruce & Shields. Mr.. Clarke's original as
sessment had been $500, 531, of which $685.
Isl was on his "a acres of residence
grounds, S24,O on two acres on Niagara
street, S26, 200 on residence and otEer build
ings and $50, go on the q acre tract bounded
b. Fifth and Graft avenues and Forbes
street
Made Very Slight Reduction.
His first appeal fixed the value of the
residence ground at S1O9, 600, buildings at
S24, POO. Niagara street land at SIS, 900 and
the Fifth avenue tract he raised TO $50, 600,
Tor which sum he offered to SELL TIE As
SCISSORS then changed his assessment, making
4 reduction on part as rural as follows:
Seven and one-fourth-acre tract, Sl12, 900;
residence, grounds and buildings, S2l, 200;
.togdrsq -street, two acres, S1S,0O0; Fifth
avenue tract, $50. 600, making the total as
sessment S1S2, 900, or considerably less than
the ori ginal assessment on the residence
ground alone But even this was not salts
factory TO Mr. Clarke. AT the hearing yes
1erdav the Assessors declined to take any
more OF the land figures, but on the testi-
monv produced struck off 81 800 more on |
ourbuildings making the total assessment |
$780, 200. Whether this will be satisfactory |
or not has not neen determined.
j. B. Murdoch, assessed full on 1561137 |
feet on Fifth avenue near ST. Pierre street, |
wants a rural classification at valuation of |
SIG 900.
John T. and A Murdoch, assessed |
S2-O 24O on 81. 81 acres west of Shady Lane,
want a big reduction in valuation, though |
their classification has been made agri-
cultural
Refused to Concede Rural Assessments.
Z. NJ. Ferguson's appeal for rehearing
was also based on classification. On his |
numerous properties on Morewo ood Bid /
well, Ellsworth, Fifth and Anderson |
avenues his original assessment footed up
500, SOS, but his appeal was for reduction
TO S24S, 511. The assessors made a few cuts
on his assessment. On 21s acres at Fifth
and NOrewood avenues, figured at S53, go,
they made cut to $50, 600 an acre; lot |
l85x21O. in rear of Bidwell street, was cut
from SO, 125 TO s., 300. A number of other
changes were made, but the property was
nearly all clasSed as full taxable and Mr..
Ferguson demands rural
ID. j. Bruce's property consists of 1,042
acres running from Fifth to Wilkins ave-
nues, and 5ls acres on Wightman and
Wilkins streets In 1891 the former was
assessed at S11, $50. but the original assess
ment this wear reduced it to IS, 1886. The |.
last named piece was assessed at s., 125 in
1891 and S3O,75O this year. On his appeal
7 he valuations were fixed at s., 900 an acre
on the first and S6, 600 an acre on the second
piece, half full taxable and half rural class.
Appeal From the SchenIey Estate.
Mrs Mary F. ScLenley's original assess
menJ in the Fourteenth ward was a little
over s, $50, 600, and the bulk of it was
classified as iull taxable, but her representa-
tives here by appeal succeeded in getting it
cut down several hundred thousand and
having most Of it classified as rural and
agricultural. This, however, is not salts
factory, and they want the assessment made
the same as in 1889, or about 10 per cent
lower. On Mrs. Schenley's Eighteenth
ward property she was originally assessed
at 1884, $50 this year. On the 1O53 acre
tract on stanton avenue the value fixed was
S317, ,296, but the agents figured it as worth
only SS4, 600 and got compromise reduc-
ton. They are still unsatisfied, however,
and although they don t figure in the equity
filed on Thursday they expect
to &c; further reduction as result OF the
Tehearings.
Other large owners of property who,
through their attorneys, have been granted
rehearings were j. w, L. j. and w. A.
Heron, of the Thirteenth ward; Jos.
John Dawson, Mrs. E NJ. Wat
son and Mrs. b. Maeder, of the Fourteenth
ward; Sarah c. King, Chas. Lockhart, L.
". Aienold, Of the Nineteenth ward.
Appeals From the Big twentieth.
In the Twentieth ward Mary c. Bruce,
W. 5. Mcintosh, E. Groetzinger, DR.. LIE
NIoyne, Ida NJ. Scott, I. B. Moreland, NJ.
i. Woodward, Jacob kurtz, Mrs. E. B.
Wolfe, Mary Hackett, C. b. Seeley, Jos.
and a. Lexteman, E j. Allen, G. C. Hart
man, a. NJ. Guthrie, w. Il. Mooney, John
heirs and the Harrison heirs ap-
peal, as do Jas j. Ricketts,, E. Succop, the
1lurdOcks, Mary LOughrey, j. B. and r.
.. Phillips, Geo. Haller, B. Douglas, VIM.
Hamilton, j. b. Ferguson, A S. Murray, |
NJ. A. Horne, VIM. Coleman heirs, Mrs. T.
Myers. Mrs n. Bradley and II. C. Frick,
Of the Twenty y-second ward; B. F. Ferree and
w. II. Finley, OF the Twenty-frst; Philip
Hoffman ahd Kirk Bigham, of the Thirty
second, and d. w. C. Bidwell, of the
A rehearlng has been ar