The record-union., 1894-08-23
THEY ALL PROCLAIM HARD TIMES.
Three More Counties Where Values
Have Decreased.
Santa Barbara, Monterey and Santa
Clara Before the state Board
of Equalization.

Santa Barbara County was tho first one
to present its case to the State Board OF
Equalization yesterday.
Crittenden Robinson said that in no
county of the State had there been such
depression of interests and property. Of
stock and crops.
There had not been sufficient grain
raised there for their own use. He
thought it would be an injustice TO raise
the assessment. While there has been
some falling off in San francisco, they
have experienced no hard times there
comparatively with other counties.
Money is freely loaned and property
sells we'll there. The depression there is
simply a reflex of the business depres-
sion throughout the State and does not
affect property interests. This is true,
also, of Alameda, San Mateo and contigu-
uous counties. With Santa Barbara it is
a property depression.
Supervisors Elliott and De la Cuesta
presented similar arguments.
Assessor Smith explained the reasons
for the falling Off in property values in
different sections, and said the farmers
were losing money and increasing their
mortgages. The bean crop, which is the
principal one IN some parts, was as much
a failure as wheat. There are many wal
nut orchards that, although they look
line for the first few years, will be fail
ure when they come to bearing. The
drought in the winter has badly affected
the county. People have had TO haul
water in carts to save the apricot crop by
watering the trees. The county has un-
fortunately suffered from the boom.
Telephones had been assessed in con-
forInity with Lhe instructions OF the
board, in a gross sum. There have not
been many new improvements, and the
old ones have deieriorated in value
Mr.. Morehouse said the position of the
board was Il difficult one, as torty-seVen
of the counties have allowed their rolls
to fall below last year. There was GER
tain amount of money that must be
raised and just treatment Of the counties
had also to be considered
MF Rcbinson said he hoped the board
would take into consideration the fact
that ior twenty years the county had not
passed through such season OF de-
preston.
MONTERREY COUNTY.
Deputy Assessor Manuel r. Merritt
ana Supervisors II. Samuels Chairman,
G. L. Komie, L. j. Field and John L. Por-
ter represented Monterey County, and
presented its objections to having the
roll raised.
Mr.. Merritt stated that the County
Board OF Equalization added $14, GOO TO
the personal property roll.
MIR. SamueIs said that the property Of
Jesse ID. Carr had been reduced $4,000.
and he offers anyone $1,000 who will sell
it for him tor the face Of the assessment
Other property had been reduced on
showing of good cause. Land assessed
Tor $40 an acre Is worn out grain land and
some OF it has been sold Tor $50. Most of
the reduction has been made on the paper
towns outside of Monterey. The assess
ment OF the county has increased in four
years S2,6Sl $50. an average increase of
S670,000. The Salinas City Bank gave in
$50 600 less in money and solvent credits
than it did last year. Cattle were assessed
the same as last year, but horses were re-
duced. Sargent of San Joaquin went
down and bought ,0G0 horses for 81, 600
81 apiece, and took them up on his ranch
Many horses have been killed as not
worth keeping.
Mr.. Morehouse said he saw that stand
ard horses had been reduced from $500
last year TO 500 this year, and asked If
they had deprecated two thirds in value
Mr.. Fields said that standard horses
were worth nothing like as much as they
were last year, and the sales from the
large breeding farms showed that they
had deprecated more than one-half III
value.
Mr. Samuels stated that there had not
beer thrasher this year from Soledad to
the county line. There was no grain 10
harvest.
Mr.. lerritt stated that1from San Lucas
TO the south county line the grass did not
sprout on the hills. The best part of the
county did not get over five inches of
rain.
Mr.. Porter said that from Soledad south
they only saw d little hay, and i'll Priest
Valley they could not get tbrasher to
take a machine in 10 thrash the wheat
They had to resurrect on old horsepower
machine in order to get some seed
thrashed. These sections comprise more
than half the county and are almost de-
populated