Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07
DECLINED. THE CASH.
Land Offered to Assessors Below
Their Figures Finds a Market,
BUT TIE DEAL is Nor CLOSED.
Mayor Gourley again Expresses Decided
Views on the Valuations.
ANOTHER LENGTHY LIST OF APPEALS


has been taken at his word and a number
of others will probably receive call before
long. Thomas Phelps, ex-Delinquent Col
lector, on Thursday filed an appeal on his
assessment The assessors had fixed value
of S57, $50 on his q acres on Forward avenue,
and S6,025 on his residence and outbuild-
ings In his appeal Mr.. Phelps declared
this away. too high and offered to give a
commission of 3 per cent to the assessors if
they would sell the whole property for
$50, 900.
Real Estate Agent Burchfeld was wide
awake when he read the appeal in Fridays
DISPATCH. He knew the property was de-
sirable at that figure, and going to William
Howley, the railroad contractor. and j ohm
Steel, of the East End, pointed out to them
the opportunity. Inside of an hour they
appeal and satisfying themselves that the
offer was properly made. Yesterday Agent
Burchfield offered Mr.. Phelps check for
S33 900, it is said, but he declined to close
the deal. 1t is further stated that Mr..
Burchfeld has decided to enter proceedings
to recover his commission, on the ground
that he has fairly earned it.
Mayor Gourley Talks Again.
Although Mayor Gourley has ceased
writing Letters, he is still giving the assess
ment question considerable thought. and he
expressed his views about it in his charac-
teristic manner whenever there is occasion.
In conversation with a couple of gentlemen
yesterday, he said:
'I have heard dozens of men say within
the past week that they intend to sell every
foot of ground they own in this city as
quickly as possible. Some of them are
holders of considerable valuable real estate.
Their determination is the result of the,
heavy taxation in prospect as result of the
increase in valuations all over the city. This
puts serious phase on the matter that few
people have considered. Suppose number
of large tracts of valuable ground in va
rious sections of the city are thrown on
the market by men determined to sell.
What will be the result? Why, there will
be general depression IN values all over
the city that the most economic manage
ment of municipal affairs possible would not
counteract in 15 years. The action of
few would cause a panic, and everyone
would be anxious to sell, and values would
take a downward course, the end of which
could only be conjectured.
For the Betterment of the City.
"Now. there is no reason in the world why
this should be the case. 1t is bad policy
all round. Every effort should be made to
men to own their own homes.
The greater number who own their own
homes, large or small, the greater number
YOU have nho are interested in the city and
its government and the better city you will
have. But men won't buy property if they
are threatened with high taxes. on valua-
tion of their property to its topmost penny.
1 believe that unless the Board of Assessors
make a very radical change in their plans
before completing this assessment they will
have practically paralyzed the growth of
the city and the real estate business. ANY
real estate dealer will tell you that his
business has dropped off within the past
two weeks. The high valuations have
driven it away"
1t seemed yesterday that every owner of
in the Eighteenth ward, and they
are many. had determined his assessment
too high and filed an appeal. Eighteenth
ward property is not high priced, and the
bulk of the holders own small lots and
same. Many of the appeals were only few
dollars less than the assessors figures, and
the saving to the owners, if granted, will be
a trif1e, but the people wanted their rights
and took the only way open to get them.
JOHN Dalzell is an APPELLANT in the Third
ward. He is assessed $36 600 on 30xll0 on
Filth avenue between Grant and Smithfield
streets, but in his appeal states that his lot
has only 20 feet frontage. He accepts the
rate o 81 200 per front foot as the basis of
with the correction in frontage.
Mazurie & Gray assessed SS6 600 on 20Xl00
feet adjoining the above appeal for $24,CO0
valuation.
The Masons Ask Big Cut.
Charles C. Bacr, as President of the Trus-
tees of the Masonic Fund Society, appeals
for a reduction of Masonic Hail. on Fifth
avenue. 1t is assessed at S2S0,00 on 70x12O-
foot lot and 100000 on the six-story stone
building. No objection is made to the latter,
but cut to $4,000 is asked on the lot.
Mrs. Aunie II. Boss asks cut from 81, 400
to S35, 600, 1l34x6o feet on Wood street, be-
tween Fifth avenue and Diamond street.
The Twelfth ward only sent in a few ap-
peals yesterday. j. b. Morgan, assessed
S4S, 500 on l20x4l7 feet on Railroad ana
twenty first streets. asks for cnt to $50 600
though he accepts a valuation of Sl5,25O on
l20xI20 feet on Twenty-first street. Agnes
Mackrell or Schrauple is assessed s9.97s on
two lots fronting IS feet on Smallman street
1T Twenty fourth. She asks reduction to |
10 a foot, claiming her neighbors are only |
assessed at that rate. Adam Climber, 24xl20 |
eet. Smallman near Twenty-ninth street. |
9, 120: appeal, $4,000. William Tape: 3Ox72, |
til street, 81, 200; appeal, S, 500.
John w. Heron, as agent. appeals on be- |
lalf of Mrs. Schenley, on the old Schenley |
in the Eighteenth ward. The |
venue adjoining :he Allegheny Cemetery, |
s assessed at $317, ,29G, the old mansion Mt |
l0, 900 and the cottage and other outbuild-
ngs at $500. An appeal is made for valua-
ion of SS4, ,000 on the land, 1900 on the man.
ion and IS, 900 on other buildings. Mr.. Her
on asks Tor agricultural classification, as
he land is largely made up of deep ravines,
nd even the front part of it is of such char
,ctcr as to be unfit for building purposes.
One Citizen who Is Furious.
Charles Sanders wants to know what is
lone with the city taxes. He is assessed
!, 200 on 9oxllo foot lot on Carnegie avenue
nd s., 400 on 26xl0O feet on Butler street,
vhich he values at $500 and $1,000 respect
vely. He asks: "The general demand in
ur ward is, What is done with the immense
um of taxes collected? Why net give the
itizens their rights, as demanded every
ures published in the daily papers. This
TiIl satisfy every one. and until 1t is done
here will be discomfort. 1t is impossible to
heck the demand.
The Standard Oil Company's Eighteenth
Yard property is assessed at $7l4, 295, includ-
ng their refinerics, tanks barrel factories,
rying k1lns, filling houses. engines and ali
ther machinery Their land lying on both
ides of Butler street, and amounting to 45%
cres, is assessed at $4605S5, which their
ppeal asks to have reduced to $197, ,955. A |
ut OF about $4,000 is also asked on the
etc.
Charles Cornelius is assessed about Sl75, 900
n As acre tract which he purchased from
ohm sawyer at public auction in 1888 for
IA 900. He says it has never been assessed
a lots until now, although it had been laid
ut in plan l5 years ago. There are no
treets open through 1t and there is no JUS
ice in assessing as city lots. He has sold 100
{ the finest of the lots, he says out of the
12 i'll the plan, for from $50 to $401 each, but
n long time and with no interest on de-
srred payments. The reductions asked by