The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-22


Hoboken's share of that percentage
would be 1880, and deducting that from
the total interest of $7,49o. we find that
Hoboken,s share of the interest annual
ly is over $4,000. And what does that
mean?
HoBOKEN ASKS NO FAvORS.
'It means that every year for years
past and almost until the twentieth cent
ury and probably into that. Hoboken has
been paying as now paying, and will
probably have to pay unless this board
can relieve her of the injustice, over
$4,000 to meet Jersey City's delinquin-
cies. What nonsense it is, therefore,
to tell us that Jersey City pays more
than her share to the county tax? How
utterly absurd it is. therefore, to say that
Jersey City is desirous of equalizing
the taxes so that the rest of the county
shall pay their fair quota? Hoboken
has no favors to ask. She pays her
taxes within the fiscal year. If stran-
gers are attracted here's if Jersey
City men come here to invest they
do so because they knows that Hoboken
has little or no sins of the past to answer
for, and no punishment to, expect. Our
leading citizens know one another and
each feels while he may differ as to
| means and political methods that his
| neighbors has the good of the commun-
| ity at heart.
Cur main object here in This little
municipality is to keep down taxes not
only for economy sake, but to encour-
| ase such people to come here. Our local
tax rate amounts to very little, viz. ::
1.6t. but we always fear the county tax
as the residents of Jerusalem in other
| days feared the visit of the Roman tax
gather We have at times felt that the
day might come when separation from
Hudson County would be desirable. We
| have gone so far as to advocate bill
introduced in the Legislature by, the
present Mayor of our city solely on &C
count of the financial incubus imposed
on the county by Jersey City. We would
like to see the whole county and city
government conducted as honestly and
economically as we conduct ours, and
| we believe that if this could be done
the time is not far distant when Hud-
son County would form grand Jersey
City. But as we look at the financial
horizon today we see little cause 1or
hone of such a consummation. There is
orc alternative and that is separation
bv legislation Another county north of
the Jersey City line might afford us at
| least economical and fair treatment"
| OBJECTIONS FROM S. S. COMPANY.
Mr.. Cordes, representing the Hamburg
American Packet Company, objected to
the assessment of the property OF that
company Tax Assessor Dollard replied
that he was a resident of Hoboken for
thirty years, and that he was qualified
| to assess real estate. His statement
showed that the total assessed valuation
| this year was S23, $40 660-$21 408, 900 on real
| and s., 1852, 460 on personal estate. He said
he makes valuations by personal inspec-
ton of buildings annually and watching
the market closely. He figures the value
of real estate partly from cost and part
ly from selling prices. Valuations for
the past few years, as given exclusively
in .iThe News" yesterday, were read by
Mr. Dollard.
Minturn said he did not know much
about Jersey City's valuations, but the
board promised to supply all information
| he needed. Minturn had subpoenaed
members of the Jersey City Tax Board,
he said, so he could get accurately at
| figures but they We're not present. As
SCISSOR Dollard said he had assessed most
property at sixty per cent. On some
| meadow property, untitled and unimprov-
| ed, an assessment of forty per cent. was
made.
MINTURN'S TOUGH JOB.
Several pieces of property were dis
cussed, showing the assessment to be
sixty per cent In every case Mr.. Min
| turn endeavored to prove that the prop
| erty was assessed more than sixty per
cent, it not being worth the valuation
placed upon it by Assessor Dollard.
1t was claimed by Mr.. Minturn that
some property in Hoboken had depreeiat-
ed in value, and the sixty per cent. valu-
alton was levied when property was
| worth more. Some property could not
command the purchasing figure
Mr. Dollard said he could not recall one
house in Hoboken. exclusive of public
buildings, worth $4,000 Most of the best
ones uptown sold for $4,000 and are as
sessed at $1,000 on the average. Dollard
said that he taxed personal property
40 per cent. of it's valuation.
PERSONAL TAX.
In levying the tax upon the personal
estate of the Second National Bank he
had assessed stock at $50 per share on
shares of 800 each.H tried to give a
fair estimate on personal property, and
clung as closely as possible to 40 per
cent. His aim, he said, was to get as
much as possible without damaging bust
ness.
'eThen you assess go per cent on real
estate and 40 per cent. on personal es-
tate, do your asked the chairman.
That's my aim replied Dollard.
Sometimes that is exceled,, said
Minturn, when a wrong valuation is
placed on property"
MEADOW LOTS.
Tax Commissioner Oscar Fommell who
said he owned one third of the meadow
| land in Hobol1en, was examined. He
declared that some of his unimproved
| lots which were covered with water had
| been assessed at 5000, and were worth
only $50. He had received reductions to
$50 in some cases, but the lots were as
I sessed at three times their value, even
| at that Some lots he paid $10O for he
could not get $50 for, and these were as
sessed at $500.
| William A. Macy, Secretary of the Hc-
bollen Land and Improvement Company,
which at one time possessed all the pro-
perty in Hobollen as trustees of John
| Stevens said that out of 10,556 lots in
the city, 1886 are assessable. OF these
| lots 95 per cent. have buildings upon
them. Not % per cent. of the buildings
were worth $1,000, and about fifty of the
entire number he valued at $4,000.
At this point the board adjourned un-
| til two O'Clock this afternoon, when an
made.