St. Paul daily globe., 1893-08-12
EQUALIZERS EXCITED.
SOME RED-HoT EXCHANGES occur
BETWEEN MEMBERS.
AUDITOR BURNS THE CAUSE.

Messrs. LayaIlee and Warren Take
Decided Exceptions to Meth
ods Pursued - Burns Stands
for Going Down the Line"
but Suddenly Changes Front
Notes OF Action Taken.
The meeting of the board of euGaiiza-
tion was attended yesterday by large
collection of citizens, who had been
cited to appear and show cause whv
their personal property valuations
should not be largely Increased. After
waiting some time in vain for the as
SCISSOR TO appear in response to the les
o uti0n of the board Oh the previous
day, the meeting proceeded to business
w'th Aid. Van Slyile in the chair.
! Neither the mayor nor assessor put i'll
appearance, although the board was in
session uutu after o'clock.
The session was quite animated, and
tlteIe WAS considerable friction among
the members, started by the auditor,
| VINO made several statements to the
| crowded room TO the effect that he
could not see why certain persons were
| summoned before the board while the
! JOb6erS and others were not called up
! for examination as to assessments. He
wanted the board to 20 clear down .he
| line.
Mr LavaIlee replied rather tartly that
! 1t is his purpose TO get at ali that are
assessed too low, and that all could not
be taken up at once.
| Mr.. Warren and others called atten
| tion to the fact that hundreds had been
| summoned before the board and that
| the effort was TO make no d:scrimina-
| ton.
At the Instance of the auditor num-
| Der Of those present vino had made
| sworn returns were excused from being
| questioned as to the amount of prop
| erty owned.
/ a Vigorous Protest
| to this course was made by Mr.. LavaIlee
! ana others, who recalled instances of
| some or those excused to having ad-
| mitted to owning much more prnpertv
! than was returned. This was a matter
! of considerable contention during the
| meeting, and to tile rciterationS of the
| auditor to the effect that certain ones
/ should not be called up and others let
| go, the answer was made that The audi
tor had the same right thai other mem-
| bers have TO call attentions to persons
that are assessed too low, and urging
| him TO exercise his righ
| At the end of the meeting Auditor
| Burns moved a reconsideration of the
vote which excused those who had made
returns from being questioned as to the
sane. He was severely taken TO task
| by MeSSrS. LaValiee and Warren as TO
| his course, and was asked to explain
why he then went back on his very
| ardent platform. announced when the
loom was crowded with people.
The auditor made motion that ID. C..
! Shepard be cited 10 appear and show
| cause why his assessment should not b
| increased to Sl0O,0O0. Other members
| added a long list of names of capitalists
TO this and the motion carried, and the
| men will be called before the bOaru this
| morning.
| Fun Ahead To-day.
Today will lie an important one in the
| meetings of the board. 1t is probable
that forenoon and AFTERNOON sessions
| Will be held III order to wind uD the
| business. A great many persons have
| been ciied tn appear, among them being
| several corporations that are asked to
show cause why they should not be
taxed on their capital stock. Prominent
amUng these is the Northwestern Fuel
| Company. The county and city at
tOrneyS have been asked for opinions
| on this point. 1t was stated by County
Attorney Butler last night that the city
attorney and himself mad prepared
written opinion to the effect that the
| Northwestern Fuel company is liable TO
| taxation Oh its capital stock of $500, eco,
subject to credits for the amount of reai
estate owned and the debts incurred by
| permanent iir"rovemeutS elsewhere
and other legi IN e debts.
Note. III Changes
At yesterdays meeting number of
persons were heard relative to their
property, and after warm debates in
some instances conclusions were
reached as noted below:
The assessment of the West Publish
ing company was left at S33, 100 as
placed by the assessor. which was $500
less than reported by the jObbrrS union.
| The Minnesota Soap company was
assessed at $4,000; ID. j. Hennessy was
assessed at $1,000; WiIburTibblts was
raised from $500 to $1,000; the assess
ment Of Frederick DuSScoll was raised
| TO $4,000; 5. s. Eaton was raised 10
$500; j. A. WheelOck was raised to
5000: Snow, Church d Co. were al
| lowed to stand according TO returns
| previously made of $500; Browning.
| King Il Co. were fixed at $500: the
| Plymouth and j. l.. Hudson clothing
houses at $32. 900 each. The retur n of
James Giliillan was allowed to stand.
| The Golden Rule was left at the sworn
return of S22, 900. YerXa Bros assess
ment was raised to $4,000. The North
western Cordage works were assessed at
$500 The Singer manufacturing CON-
| pany was allowed to stand as shown by
the sworn return. The Drake Mantel
| and Desk company was allowed to
stand at $1,000.
MeSSrS. Lavaliee, Warran and Frank
lin reported a list OF lots and blocks
leased by the Milwaukee Railroad COM
pany and the Northern Pacific Railroad
company to firms for warehouse pur-
poses. which the aud tor was instructed
to put on the tax books for the reason
that they are not used for railroad pur-
poses.
f. j. Hodgson protested against the
Security Trust company being raised 10y
the assessor to S200,O00 when the st. Pau
Trust company, which. he SAID, has
stock worth twice as much. was reduced
to S15S,0O0. Mr.. Hodgson said ht
/ thought he saw woOdchuck in the
Woodpile when a new company is made
to bear a greater burden than an OLE