The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-21
Tell of the Dis
tressing Depreciation
of Values.
EDITOR GREEN'S SENSATION.
Property Along the Sacramento
Declared to Be In Danger
of Inundation.

appeared before the Board or EqudllZatlOn
to-day, but, as it turned out, the case of
Colusa County occupied almost the entire
day, and the other counties were not pre-
pared. The same old tale of woe was
gone over, and a repetition made of the
statement that property-values were
"going to the dogs" During the course OF
the afternoon the editor of the Colusa
Sun gave some interesting information in
regard to levees along the Sacramento.
which, if true, may mean considerable
trouble in the future.
George Abel, owner of 1000 acres of farm
ing land, appeared before the board, and
told how he had gone before the local
board and asked for reduction. He had
brought witnesses, who claimed that his
land had been assessed for more than its
cash value, but the board refused to reduce
his assessment, because if they did SO they
would have to reduce the assessment on
the lands of his neighbors. Mr.. Abel gave,
as an illustration, the case of Joseph
Hamilton's ranch, assessed at $48 per,
acre. 1t could not be sold for anything
like that sum. J. H. Glide of Sacra-
mento, who owns 10000 acres in Colusa
County, was assessed at from So to S32 per
acre, in lots of so, 100, 800 and $40 acres.
Farmer Campbell explained that con-
siderable of Glide's was hill land and used
for sheep pasture. He would be willing to
take $40 per acre for about 1000 acres Of
Glide's land if he owned it. The second
grade, comprising 5000 or 1000 acres, was
worth from $12 to SIS. The remainder
would be worth So per acre. This tract of
land adjoins one tract of AbePs land.
Controller Colgan said that the best
land in Sacramento and other counties
was in hops, and when hops went down to
the cost of production, the value of land
would decrease, but in the following year
the price Of hops might jump to so or 60
cents per pound, and the value of the
property would 60 up again.
Farmer Price remarked that the soil was
yellow adobe, which cracked in the sun.
People could not raise anything except
grain on that kind of soil, because 1t was
too dry. They had tried to raise potatoes
corn, beets and pumpkins there, but failed
because of lack of water. No water could
be had at depth of less than twenty-five
feet.
Farmer Gibson said that he had been
farming for forty years up in Colusa and
had been getting poorer every year. Every
season after harvesting his crop be came
out behind and had to go to the bank to
get money.
Charles Elsey, Colusa property-owner,
was asked what he would take for his prop
erty in the city of Oakland. He replied
that he would take $4,000. 1t was as
sessed for 1888, 900. He would not give any
commission, though, for selling his Oak
land property for $4,000. If he did not
get revenue from bis Oakland property he
would find it very difficult to pay taxes on
his land in Colusa County. He would give
bond to pay $4,000 to any man who would
take his Colusa land off his hands at the
assessed valuation.
Farmer Schultz, who owns 81 900 acres in
Colusa County, but lives in Oakland, COM
planned that $40 per acre was too high
valuation on his land. He would be will
ing to sell all his Colusa land at $50 per
acre, but he had business property in Oak
land assessed at $4,000 He had offered
the Oakland property at 800, 900, but could
not find anybody willing to take it. He
bought the bulk of his land from the Gov
eminent st 81 % per acre, and for the re-
mainder he paid $40 per acre in 1877.
w. W. Williams, one of Colusa County's
honest landholders, claimed that every
acre of his property was assessed too high.
Instances were quoted in which land was
sold under foreclosure for half the amount
of the assessment. One piece. sold under
mortgage judgment of $1,000, brought
but $4,000. A piece of property sold under
the hammer for $4,000 was assessed for
Sos, 600.
Equalizer Morehouse announced that
the board had heard all they wanted to
hear on the subject OF plain lands and
wanted to hear something of lands along
the river. G. B. Wilson, one of the owners
of river land, testified that his land was, as
whole, assessed higher than its market
value. When asked when this marked
shrinkage in values had taken place he
said two or three years ago. Mr.. Colgan
could not understand how 1t was that it
the land was assessed so much too high
why so few people appeared before the
Board of Supervisors to argue for reduc-
ton. A statement read by the Assessor
showed that the total assessment OF 1894
was almost 100000 less than In 1888
The assessment this year was about $780,
600 less than in 1894 on outside property.
age in values.
Will s. Green Of Colusa said that owners
of river land assessed for $48 an acre would
sell it for $40. There was very little, if any
of it, that would bring more than $50. Mr..
Green said it was becoming more and more
difficult each year for owners of property
along the river to borrow money on their
| land. This was due to the fact that the
river bed is slowly rising on account of a
| deposit of sediment, and with it the high
water mark is rising along the levees. Any
| wear now the levees may overflow or break
and thousands of acres be flooded and
| crops ruined. Owing to the danger of an
| overflow the banks had never loaned dol
| lar on an acre of such land in Colusa
| County. All loans were made by private
parties.
| An affidavit from w. B. Harrington,
| cashier of the Colusa Bank, was read, in
which he stated that it was his business to
inquire into the value of lands in order to
make loans, and that he could state posi-
| lively that values of land had deprecated
| at least Is per cent.
Colusa County, with total assessment
| roll of $12 000, 600, returns $25S, 465 worth OF
solvent credits, while Alameda County,
with an assessment roll of $92, 000, 600, re-
turns but $685., 056 worth of cash and solvent