Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-15
TAXATION AND FEES.
County Commissioners From all
Over the State in Session Here.
NEARLY TWO HUNDRED PRESENT.
Many Suggestions offered for Changes in
Revenue Laws.
IMPORTANT BUSINESS ON FOR TODAY

The sixth annual convention of the
County Commissioners of Pennsylvania Be-
gan in this city yesterday and will con-
tInue to-day Tomorrow an excursion will
he taken on the City of Pittsburg The
convention sits in Orphans Court No. in
t.Ie Court House
The morning session began at IL o'clock,
and was short one. Robert E. Mercer, of
Allegheny county, called the meeting to
order There were present about $50 Com
. missioners, clerks and solicitors Others
came in during the afternoon, and there are
oily three or four counties unrepresented.
Mr. Mercer, as Chairman of the Executive
Committee, nominated the following per-
sons for permanent officers: President S.
W. Shaw, of Westmoreland county; Vice
Presidents, George L. Mahan, of Bucks,
sd Thomas II. Bailey, of Tioga; Secre-
retaries, 2. w. Seibert, of Allegheny;
James NJ Rogers, of Delaware; George S.
l},.ne, of Lancaster: E s McNaul, of
Clinton, and Z w. Crawford. of Lawrence.
Mr. Shaw assumed the chair, and the Vice
Presidents sat on either side of him. The
roll of counties was then called.
An address of welcome was delivered by
S H. Geyer, solicitor for the Allegheny
county board, and the President announced
the following committee on resolutions:
George A. Lane, of Lancaster; John F.
Brasius, of Clinton; Thomas L. Barrah, of
Beaver; John G. Cameron, of Indiana;
George f. Churchill, of Erie; w. j. Wood
cock, of Blair, and S. K Anders, of Mont
gomery. 1t was decided that resolutions
should be read by their titles and sent to
the committee. Many resolutions were
presented, and a recess was taken for lunch
con.
After the Hard-worked Stenographer.
At the afternoon session fully 200 were
present There was not great amount of
business disposed of, as few resolutions had
been acted on and returned by the Commit
tee on Resolutions.
The first resolution reported read as
fellows:
Resolved, That the act of Assembly of
lSS7, page l99 relating to the pay of tran
scribing stenographers notes in the trial OF
civil cases be amended so as to make the
parties pay for the same unless an affidavit
be made by one of the parties stating that
they are unable to pay, when the Judge of
the court shall order the same at the eN-
l,ense OF the county at the final determine
Iion of the suit.
The resolution came from Erie county,
and quite discussion followed. 1t was
argued that the stenographer's expenses
were frequently thrown on the counties
when the parties were abundantly able to
pav them. The resolution was adopted
A resolution was offered from Lehigh
county urging that general act be passed
fixing the salary of the District Attorney
in counties, and it was referred TO the COM
mittee.
Trying to Improve Assessments.
A resolution affirmatiyely recommended
by the committee, providing for a change
in the law governing the assessment of
property for the purpose of taxation, Gre
ated lengthy discussion. Theodore Korn-
man, County Attorney of Cumberland
county, was the father of the measure. He
argued that under the present system there
could be no equal taxation. In borough
having five wards, there might be two
or three of the assessors fully com
petent to pass on the value of
property, while the others would be utterly
incompetent. He knew of a case where
vacant lot in certain town, worth $4,000
had been assessed at 81, 200, while an ad-
joining piece of property not worth over
81, 900 had been assessed for twice that
amount because there was small house on it.
Mr. Kornman thought assessors ought to
be appointed by court, and that there
should be a board of assessors in each
county, He thought it was putting too
much on the commissioners to make them
Sit as assessors or equalizers. 1t had worked
well in Allegheny county. The commission
ers eQualized the work of the various
assessors, increasing at a uniform percent
age all the property in q ward or township
where the assessor was too low. Others
took similar view, holding that the work
OF the assessors could not be improved as
long as human judgment was liable to err
The resolution was voted down.
To Stir Up Real Estate Agents.
A resolution from Butler county, recon-
nlending an act fixing stenographers' salaries
at s. day and 10 cents per folio for trans
cribing notes, was presented and referred to
the committee.
In consideration of the difficulty in fol-
lowing the ownership of properties, through
DELAYS by real estate agents in making
transfers when selling property. q resolu-
tion was adopted, asking the Legislature to
pass an act making it obligatory upon real
estate agents make their transfers and
have deeds filed within six weeks after each
sale, and also requiring recorders to refuse
TO accept deeds Tor record unless they bear
the stamp of the County Commissioners,
certifying that transfer has been made.
A resolution was passed asking the Legis- |
lature to revise a former act making taxes |
the first lien on real estate.
A resolution asking that the Baker |
ballot law be amended SO that the County |
Commissioners may use their judgment in |
the selection of additional compartments |
when such are required was presented and |
referred to the committee.
A resolution providing that the County
Commissioners be empowered to employ |
additional counsel in tine prosecution of |
capital cases, whenever thought advisable
or necessary, was presented and voted upon.
After it had been declared passed, the point
was raised that it had not been before the
Committee on Resolutions. The measure
was then declared out OF order and sent to
the committee.
IT is best to break up catarrhal cold in
its early stages by using DR.. d. Jayne's Ex-