The record-union., 1894-08-28
So Have SoIano and Napa Pleaded
Their Cases.
San Luis obispo County Partly Pre-
sents It's Plea-General stagnation
of Farming Interests.

the value of town lois IN outside towns.
Woodland has not fallen off much IN
town lot values, and many fine buildings
have been built there since the fire. The
total falling off in the roll was s1o0OO0.
There is an increase of eleven miles oil
telephone wire, but the number OF boxss
has fallen off this year.
He had assessed wheat and barley at
the same price as barley was little
higher than wheat at the time the assess
ment was made.
Mr.. Hebron asked where the sheep
had all gone, there being $4,000 less this
year than last.
Mr.. Chapman stated that as to his own,
he had them all in 1olo county last
year, but this year part of them were I'D
Napa county. There were many less
sheep in the county. Many ralSers nave
turned their whole f1ocks into mutton.
Sheep have decreased IN value on ac-
count of the low price OF WOOL Last
fall they paid six cents for shearlng ana
sold the wool for five cents. lie thought
that if all the sheep in Yolo were put up
at auction and sold they would not bring
more than Sl.25 per head and they were
assessed at Sl.50. The reason for having
so few lambs this year is that they are
not dropped as early as they were few
years ago. In the southern counties 1t is
different.
Mr.. Morehouse told how in certain
county the Assessor told him there were
no lambs in the county and the next
night he happened TO be at a station and
saw q large number OF lambs In cars,
ready for shipment. He found out who
owned them and informed the Assessor.
There was some trouble about IL. but the
owner paid his tax.
Mr. Chamberlain said that although
American horses were assessed at S5U
and common ones at Sl3, as against SOO
and $50 last year, the depreciation In
value justified the reduction. There was
an increase in the number OF mules and
they We're assessed at S4S. Last year
when the county was flooded, Senator
Fair and others removed them to other
counties.
He did not know that he had any argu-
ments to make, but he thought the county
was we'll assessed-fully up to its value.
He could offer some appraisements and
some combinations OF sale OF property IN
the county to support his position. For
instance, the sale of the Rudolph prop
erty-320 acres-near Madison, which
was assessed at over $4,000 and was sold
for S14. coo at a probate sale. Then there
was the sale of property OF w. W. Mont
gomery, near Davisville, which was ap-
praised at S.@3, ,967, and assessed for SO, So.
The appraisemento OF William Bray, near
Woodland, was $40, COZ OF, and the assess
ment was $40, 40.
Mr.. Morehouse asked questions about
the assessment on various pieces Of prop
erty in the county showing himself we'll
posted in the value of farming land there
and the locality of good ranches.
Mr.. Chamberlain went on to state that
the assessment on r, B. Blowers place
was S52 600, and the appraisement was
SCI ,O00 The Campbell estate is assessed
for $50, and the administrator is trying
to sell it for S45.
Mr.. Beamer said the place had been
offered to him for S45 and could be bought
for that.
Mr.. Chapman said that the land in and
adjoining the tules has been assessed for
the last two years at more than it can be
sold Tor. 1t is flooded frequently and the
tules grow too rank to be good for the
cattle to eat.
In answer to a question from Mr.
Morehouse he stated that very little sedi-
ment was deposited on it; near the river
there was some deposit.
Mr.. Hutton asked Mr.. Chapman if he
thought olo was worse Oft than the
southern counties, where there had been
drought, and he answered that he thought
they We're nearly SO, as the farmers did
not get for their crops as much as it cost
to raise them.
Mr.. Morehouse read the statement from
San Luis Obispo that many of the farm
of life. Their crops and feed for cattle
and horses were an utter failure.
He and Mr.. Hebron both stated that
what the board wished to get at was the
comparative assessments OF the counties.
1t is very difficult and unpleasant task,
as each OF the counties naturally thinks
it is worse off than the others. They
thought the farmer. who had no crop,
was worse Oft than he who had poor
one or realized unremunerative prices.
They thought the assessment of Yolo
county was fair one, perhaps, but there
are 50, ,5ll eco 10 be raised this year and
the only proper way is to strive TO make
the burden bear as equally as possible On
the counties. The Board is trying to do
so and is, TO the best OF its judgment. and
conscientiously, valuing justly the land,
personal property and the railroads for
that purpose although the San Francisco
papers did not give them much credit on
the latter class of property.
Mr.. Schurly said that all the spring
and up to now he had figured on feeding
his grapes TO his hogs. The loss is not SO
great as in Fresno. however. He hoped
for better things if the wine syndicate
succeeds.
sOLANo COUNTY.
In the afternoon Solano county stepped
TO the front, being represented by L. Nc
Gettigan, Chairman, and ID. *. Corn,
Peter Siebe and James McCadden, Super
visors, and Charles Scbirmer, Assessor.
There were also present K. ID. Robbins
Gus Davidson, Joseph Donaldson and L.
B. Hilborn, of Snisun; McEwen and
Garnett, Peter Tim, Harry Peterson, ).
q. Little and James Porter, of Dixon;
Samuel Stewart of beaverton, and Hon.
j. Brown of Maine Prairie, and others,
making delegation of formidable pro-
portions.
MIR. Siebe explained that the wheat
lands had not paid because of light crops
and prices In regard to fruit lands he
said that the assessment had been re-
duced for the reason that much that had
been thought good land for fruit had been
planted into orchards and found to be
unfit for that purpose. Much land that
was mortgaged has been sold, the mort
gage taking the land and in some in
stances leaving deficiency.
Judge Curry made a strong speech,
showing the experience OF himself and
others in raising crops and losing money.
The lands, he said, are not worth near
what they are assessed for, as crops can
not be made in these days to produce an
income. They will not sell for what they
are assessed for. Land that is assessed at
$50 should be assessed for only $40. His
property in Solano was assessed at $780,
600 and his taxes were $1,000, while the
Macondray property in San Francisco,
which sold Tor Sl99,0O0, only paid $1,000
taxes.
Mr.. Morehouse said that Solano had
six Incorporated towns, with only sgl4,-
GOO worth of town lots assessed, while
Woodland alone had over 1000, 900. He
did not underestimate.
Mr.. Glide stated that his place in So
lano was assessed at 6,000 and he
bought it few months ago for s29, coo, ln-
Guiding half-yeaT's rent, amounting to
SI,250. 1t has an almond orchard on II.
don