The record-union., 1894-08-25
-FOUR MORE COUNTIES HEARD FROM.
Stanlslaus, Kern, Fresno and Merced
Appear.
How the West side of the San Joaquin
valley Has Suffered From
Drought.

--~SS ~-~
music before the State Board of Equaliza-
ton yesterday morning, and was cham
pioned by Assessor John II. Slmonson
and Supervisors c. c. Nelson, Chairman
Haley and R. Shelter. Mr.. Simonson
was the first speaker.
He took 1t for granted that the principal
complaint of the board was on account OF
the real estates falling of. The prin-
cipal reductions were made on the lands
between Los Banos and the county line
On these lands there had not been crop
raised for the past four years. and in
every instance in which mortgage had
been forsolossd the mortgage has taken
the land. In part of the county the irri-
CATION tax is equal to the State and county
tax. and as the ditch is not completed
and 5000, 900 worth OF bonds have been
sold. they are mortgage on the land and
it has therefore depreciated.
He thought the proper way OF judging
of the value of property was to compare
the appraisement of estates with the
assessment roll.
Mr.. Hebron thought that was no
longer fair test. as the Assessors nave
caught on to that proposition.
instance, the ]. w. Mitchell estate. which
would not sell to-day for within quarter
of million OF what it was appraised for.
He mentioned a ranch in the Cottonwood
country that was assessed for $40 and sold
for S43 on long time payments.
Other lands are offered in tracts at one
half what they were held st year ago.
Even some of the lawyers have emil
grated on account Of the hard times. IN
search of a new crop of clients. One of
them emigrated to an adjoining county,
and was Immediately elected Superior
Judge. Sheep owners have had to take
their sheep into other counties to lind
food for them. Some other parts OF the
county, however, are doing we'll, and on
the whole the county is prosperous. The
mortgage list is less, as there have been a
number of foreclosures.
On the personal property the shrinkage
is principally on cattle, horses, mules,
sheep and wheat On cattle there was a
falling off in numbers.
Mr.. Nelson said he had lived near the
Mitchell property for nearly thirty years,
and knew it was assessed too high. With
regard to the other lands, they are pro-
ducing nothing, and unless they do bet
ter, viii be reduced to sheep pastures and
assessed at 81 or s..
Mr.. Haley said that to raise the assess
ment would be arbitrary and unjust.
There have been several crop failures on
the west side, and the people have been
unable to pay their taxes. Several of
them had come to him as Road CommlS
sioner, asking him to give them few
days work that they might buy -four and
provisions. Their condition is deplOra
ble, and 1t would be far more justto lower
the assessment than TO raise 1t. The
county has been afflicted with booms,
and the Assessor has been encouraged to
1zrof ffoF7 E no
action has come now.
sFANIsLAUs COUNTY.
J. W. Tallock. Assessor; John Dunn
and G. II. Osler, Supervisors; L. w. Full
kerth, District Attorney, and L. B. Walth-
all, ex-Supervisor, represented Stanislaus
County, and presented formidable array
of numbers as well as arguments.
The falling off amounted to 81, ,293. $50.
and Assessor Tallock cited eases that
showed the depreciation. One case was
that of l, 100 acres, assessed at S27, which
sold under foreclosure for deficiency of
s., 900 on the mortgage. He had reduced
great deal of the land throughout the
county.
The land north of the ditch is wheat
land, which raised q crop last year, but
none the year before. There is much
land that he would not pay taxes on at
fifty cents an acre. The best grazing land
is assessed at 81 per acre. Part of the
Paulsell estate was offered the other day
at SIS per acre. On country lands the
falling of is $439, ,2SS, and $40, ,487 on town
lots in the city limits of Modesto, which
extend out into the fields. and much Of it
is assessed as acreage. The shrinkage is
owing to the fact that IL is q wheat-grow-
ing country, and the price of wheat has
fallen so low. The yield per acre is also
growing less. Then a portion OF the
country is in the irrigation district and
subject to the depressing influence of the
tax and bonds for the district. There
have been some foreclosures ia the
county, but very few sales. One sale real
lied S35 per acre on land thatwas assessed
at S27, and the owner considered he had
made good sale.
KERN COUNTY.
Assessor Lightner of Kern County ap-
peared alone to stem the rising tide, and
stated that he had reduced the assess
ment on outside lands on account of
their unproductiveness, the drought and
other causes depreciating their value.
Many of the vineyards have been plowed
up and young orchards have been set out
on the land this spring which he did not
assess for the trees. There has been an
increase IN the value of the alfalfa lands
this spring on account of the drought.
There is much land that in the time of
the boom was valued much higher than
its real value, and he had kept up the
assessment on it till this year. He felt
that injustice had been done to the own
ers and this year he lowered it. The best
alfalfa land he assessed at $50. Much
stock was driven in from other counties,
In order to save it, after the lst Of
March, which he did not assess. as the
owners claimed exemption from assess
ment in Kern County. Much of it died
because too weak TO travel His total
Wac
FRESNO COUNTY.
Fresno County presented larger list
of defenders. Assessor w. s. Hutchin
son, Supervisor r. b. Butler, the big
vineyard owner, and L. G. White, Arthur
Dinkenspiel and Louis Einstein ap-
peared TO urge that the assessment be not
raised, but on the contrary to ask for
reduction.
Mr.. Hutchinson said that the land on
the west side had produced nothing this
year, and he reduced it from 81 to s..
There is other land here and there that he
had reduced, and altogether they made
large hole in the roll.
His roll had fallen of 81, coo, 600, and
was made up in March. Had be waited
until June, and seen the country IS it was
then. he should have taken off more. He
also reduced the assessment on trees and
vines, as they were unproductiFe. Last
year many who shipped fruits not only
received nothing but had bills to pay.
He cited number of pieces of land that
would not fetch nearly as much as the
assessment. One piece that was bought
at $50 per acre and mortgaged for $50,
had been taken for the mortgage, and
there were other similar instances.
If he had to assess the county again,
he would make reduction of 20 per
cent. If vines do not do better this year
than last they will have TO be pulled up.
He took the county in 1888, and raised it
IN ten years from S., 600, 900 TO over $40.-
nnn 0nn rnd If Is now assessed fon hirh