The record-union., 1895-08-16
ALAHBDA'S SUPERVISORS APPEAR
They Try to Show Why She Should
Not be Raised.
State Equalizer Beamer stretches AS
SCISSOR Dalton on the Rack-Some
Low Assessments.


Board of Equalization yesterday, the
Suneryisors having been cited to show
oause WHY the assessment of the county
should not be raised. Supervisors Bailey,
Talcott, PelouZe, Church and Johnson,
County Clerk Jordan aud County ASSES
sor Dalton were present to present their
aide of the question and show why no
raise should be made.
County Assessor Dalton presented
communication requesting the Board OF
EQUALIZATION to keep open the matter OF
the assessment of the county until the
end of the month. in order that the mat
ter of the reduction OF the roll by the Su-
pervisors be adjudicated by the Superior
Court.
The communication was read and the
board expressed its willingness to hold
the matter open until that time, as was
customary in such cases.
County Clerk Jordan presented flgures
showing the difference In assessments IN
various townships during the years 1891,
'92, 1913, '94 and '95, showing a steady in
crease The increase OF 1895 over 1894 IN
Brooklyn Township was 81 l,09S, 400. In
Oakland Township the increase was
SI64, ,654 and in Washington township the
increase was $50, ~. The other town.
ships showed proportionate increase.
The total increase III the county since
1881 has been SS,0SS, 600.
In assessing the property of the rail-
roads, he said. Assessor Dalton had as
sessed it at 81 BIS, 900; the owners valued
it at $4,000, and the Board of Super
zt $3.50, 900. The board reduced the prop
srty of the water company and some
other large properties TO the amount OF
$3S4. 200.
The Auditors figures show the ASSESS
mont as fixed by the Board of Super
visors to be: Real estate, $57, "A, ,2S1; I'M
provements, so. 7l2.3l6; personal prop
erty, IS, ,32o, 559; money, S4S4. 7o2; total,
$92, ,272, 944-
In 1891 the total assessment was sS3,-
269, 122; in 1892 there was raise OF 3d.
$50, ,00G; in 1898 there was raise Of ST.
O0,000 and in 1894 a raise OF $500, 1000, ac-
cording to Mr.. Jorden's figures. Some
how, however, they did not agree with
those on record in the Controllers office,
and Mr.. Jordan did not know how 1t was,
as his figures were taken from the Aud
itor's office.
Mr.. Arnold ked how it was that the
Board of Supervisors had found an in
crease of 100000 in insolvent credits,
over what the Assessor had returned.
Supervisor johnson did not know how
it occurred. The board had raised
dre6 dollars each.
A comparison of the Auditors figures
in the possession of the Controller and
those brought by Mr.. Jordan, showed a
difference of nearly S352, 800 on personal
property, and there were no items to
show just where the discrepancy arose,
but on investigation 1t was found that
University mortgages. which are exempt
from taxation, had been added into the
roll.
Supervisor Talcott, who represents
Brooklyn township, said, in answer to a
question, that he did not think values in
his township had increased sufficiently to
justify this year, raise. There had been
considera bic lm provement by building IN
his district, but the business depression
had been severely felt.
Supervisor PelouZo admitted that the
assessment Of property had materially
decreased since last year, as It's value had
much decreased in that time. He thought
il was merely a temporary depreciation,
as the assessment of 1884 was not too
high. About half the houses in the To-
cality referred to were empty, the effects
of the strike. Mortgages taken two or
three years ago would not be fair cri-
terion for assessment, be said, in snswer
to q question by MIR. Beamer but mort
cages taken last year. ne thought, would
be a fair basis. lie did not think that
Berkeley should fall short of last year S
assessment.
MIR. Beamer asked Supervisor Bailey if
he did not think that the assessments in
Murray township were too low, and he
said he did not know but they were, &C.
cording to past prices, but there had been
no sales Of real estate there for the past
year by which to judge of present values.
Mr. Beamer opened up on the Super
visor with long list of questions about
various specific prices of property there,
but he did not seem to know much about
values. Ii was mainly farming property
in regard to which the questions were
asked, and Mr.. Beamer's figures devel-
oped the fact that a number of them were
assessed for much less than the face OF
the mortgage, IN two instances the mort
gage being about $1,000. and the assess
ment being about $1,000, Some of the
land, Mr.. Bailey said, was worth from S15
to SO al acre.
Mr. Beamer asked how it came that the
land of Rosalia L. CIemishe happened to
be assessed at Sl4, 725, when it was mort
gagged for $4,000, but Mr.. Bailey did not
know, nor did he know about a number
of others.
Then Beamer put on the thum bscrews
with regard TO vineyards and wine The
Duval vineyard and winery, Mr. Bailey
said, was the finest in the county, and the
improvements probably cost $1,000 to
$4,000. They were assessed at ST., 500,
and the whole place at $4,000, the face OF
the mortgage. The Edwards place was
assessed at $1,000, and mortgaged for
Sll,000.
The Del Vale ranch, G. NJ. Felton's
ranch, 2.290 acres, was mortgaged for
Sl20.000 and assessed at SS3, 600 only. The
place Of Hatch 81 Rohr was mortgaged
Tor $500, and assessed for only Sl5. 900.
MIR. Bailey thought the assessments
were about right, and Mr.. Beamer said:
Vail 80
there must have been some very reok less
money-loaning in that locality"
Then came place mortgaged for S23,
925 and assessed for $1,000; another
mortgaged for $4,000 and assessed foI
$1,000.
j. P. Smiths sixty acres, of what Mr..
Bailey denomlnated the finest orchard III
the State, was mortgaged and assessed al
$4,000, and brought IN. be said. from
SI5, 900 to $50 900. There were three such
tracts owned by Mr.. Smith and assessed
for the face of the mortgages. 4 place
near by was mortgaged tor $4,000 and as
sessed for 500, 900.
We'll" said Mr.. Beamer, in conclu
sion, this list OF mortgages in Murray
Township, sixty-seven in number, ag
gregaIe $500. I56, and the property is as
sessed for S495.975. There must bav,
been some very reckless money loaner
in that section"
Township. to Latham Terrace, and pu
Supervisor Talcott on the rack. Properly
there was assessed for from 80 to 90 pc
cent. OF the face value OF the mortgages
Supervisor Talcots said he could no
understand that state of affairs, as tn,
section was the most prosperous in hi
district, and was like an oasis in tn,
desert.
Then Beamer went over to Oakland
Terrace, and found the same state o
affairs existing. and the assessments run
ming about so per cent. of the mortgage
t,oi.3 brr tho Hiharnia Sovipus Rank aDf