The record-union., 1893-08-17
ANOTHER COUNTY HEARD FROM.
Fresno Frets and MADEIRA Whines
Over the Assessment.
The State Board of Equalization Lis
tens With Equanimity to Argu--
ments In Favor of Reduction.

The State Board of Equalization listened
yesterday morning to the arguments of
Assessor Hutchinson of Fresno County,
as to why the assessment of the county
should not be raised.
He stated that certain lands had been
cut down by the Supervisors on account
of the water from the heavy rains cover
ing them, and the spage water from irri-
eating bitches filling them so that no
crops can be harvested on them this year.
He had reduced his assessment on vines
for good reasons. The reduction on real
estate is mainly on the additions Of town
lots, etc., around the towns, which sells
this year for far less than it was assessed
for last year.
Mr.. Beamer asked why, when the
Fresno lands would raise far better and
more alfalfa than the lands around Wood
land will, the latter were assessed for SO
per acre while the Fresno lands were as
sessed at only S25, and was answered that
the land would not sell for anything like
Holo land would and hay fetches low
prices.
The vines produced very little last year
and town lots of last year are now as
sessed as acreage, there being no sale for
ln6Ll. lie udQ raised Ll6 assessment OF
land formerly used for grazing but
which is now being farmed.
The crops are as good as ever, but there
Is at present no sale for anything. There
are about 26, 900 acres of raisin grapes and
no market for them. The high valuations
on land were based on the raisin product.
In answer TO Mr., Beamer, Mr.. Hutch
inson said that be considered the assess
ment of Miller d Lux on 225, 700 acres of
land, which was assessed at S74l, 900, or
an average of about s. 30 per acre, was
u just one. He thought there were tracts
OF land as large in the county, in other
hands, that would average at about the
same rate. There is much land that on
account OF its character cannot be irri-
gated; 1t is too Waxy. He did not think
the riparian rights of Miller IL Lux de-
prived any settlers back of them of any
privileges or took any water from them.
W hen he raised the assessment on
them some years ago both his witnesses
and theirs swore before the Boards of
Supervisors that great deal of the land
was not worth more than 70 cents an
acre.
He had assessed alfalfa and believed he
was the first Assessor who had done so
Much of the alfalfa of Miller x Lux was
In Merced County, but was not assessed.
A long explanation was given by him
OF his modes of ascertaining values.
Although there are assessed only IS, 500
for improvements on the 225, 700 acres he
thought that was all the improvements
were worth, as all the buildings were
really poor, although being kept white
washed they looked very well. He had
not gone over the place for a number OF
years.
Mr.. Morehouse thought an Assessor
should not assess property for eight or
ten years in succession without making
an Investigation OF the actual condition
OF affairs, aud know of his own personal
knowledge what changes and improve
ments were being made.
Mr.. Hutchinson said that he endeav-
ored to keep posted, through the investi-
CATION OF his deputies. In the case of
irrigating bitches OF private parties he
merged the value of the ditch into those
Of the lands and assessed the latter ac-
cordingly.
The assessment of his county was diff
1erent from that of any other county in
the State on account of the fluctuations in
values and for other reasons. He had all
these things to take into consideration in
liking values. lie instanced forty-acre
tract which had ridge in the middle OF
IT, one side OF which would raise nothing
while the other had gradually become a
swamp through the use of irrigation Oh
the higher land near by. There were
several such instances.
The reduction of values for this year
had been made by him for reasons that
seemed valid to him They have been
made too high in the past, the effects OF
the boom several years ago. The assess
ments during the boom doubled up every
year until from SS,0O0000 it rolled up to
S40,000,000. He felt at the time that the
increase was too rapid, but had to make
1t so as to compare with other counties,
Among other figures in the assessment
roll of the county are some which give an
idea of the magnitude of the raisin indus
try. The roll shows for 1888 the number
of trays in use to be 2,773, ,S96. which are
valued at $685. ,34l.
Firearms are assessed at SlI. 1896 as
against sl2,6S0 last year, the decrease be-
ing attributed to the arms sent to Folsom
Tor the use of George Sontag.