The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-21
Mr.. divers Statement
Gives His Version Of the Trouble
With the City Assessors.
WHAT HE SAYS OF II. D. JONES
Believes the Assessor Eudeavored to Pre-
judicc the Public Against the board
of Revision and Appeals-Scc.
tions of tho Law Quoted.

A clear conception of the strife be-
tween the city assessors and the newly
created board of revision and appeals
may be found in the following letter to
The Tribune from Councilman Joseph
oliver, of the Fifteenth ward. Follow
ing his letter are produced the parts Of
the ordinance in dispute.
Facts In the Case.
Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: After reading today the interview
sors, I am convinced that to the public is
due by the press of this city the publica-
ton OF so much of Article XIV of the Act
Of May %, 1889, as amended May %. 1885.
as refers to and embodies the several
duties Of the board Of city assessors and
board of revision of taxes and appeals.
which embrace the first six sections OF
said article. in order that interested citi-
zens may judge for themselves the ques-
tions in dispute.
Mr.. Jones says tina the board of revision
Is illegally constituted because 1t did not
TIL language of the act Is: And they
shall, Immediately after their appoint
ment, be seyerally sworn to faithfully
perform the duties pertaining to their Of
flee" This Is what was done.
1t Is very evident to me that Mr.. Jones
endeavored to prejudice the public against
the board of revision n appeal. Par
ticular stress Is laid by him on the fact
that Tic IdlteT has SctH III u cXcTClSc INC
rights and powers vested in It by the act
of May q, 1895. in that 1t insists upon the
custody and control Of all books relating
to the assessment Of city taxes. But Mr..
Jones fails to inform the public of the
fact that the board Of assessors has q
copy of the 1895 assessment In the 1896
"blotters," which are In their possession.
or, possibly, in the possession Of. the as
sistant assessors appointed by them in
violation of Section 2 Of said Article XIV.
1t Is the opinion Of many versed In NUM-
cipal affairs that the board of city asses
sors should themselves make the assess
ment now in progress; that no assistants
are allowed them under the law except In
the year Of the ~triennial assessment. As
to Mr.. Jones' statements that tho board
OF revision desires to- force the assessors
to submit to it's mandates; that 1t desires
to dispense with their clerk, and that 1t
Is endeavOring to cut down their re-
enumeration. 1t Is my belief that he is con-
founding the actions Of the board Of re-
ellis. The board Of assessors has, in the
main, complied with the requests n d.
r%ections of the board of revision and APP
peal, and its principal contention is with
gard to the removal of furniture and other
office paraphernalia 1t has up to this time
ignored.
Shorn Of Many Of It's Duties.
/ an confident that the taxpayers Of
this city will not consider the action Of
eAS WAO ~ oouSCo thC Ohoit-
ance to cut down the salaries of the city
assessors either childish or spiteful when
they are made acquainted with the real
facts in the case. The board Of assessors.
many Of Its powers n duties. After
Jan. ! next the assessors will have no SER
Vice to perform until Sept. I. The matters
interium Of those dates have been tra rae
ferred to the board Of revision. This Is
the proper time to Introduce such an or
dinance-before an election for these Of
fees is held. The councils Of this city
pensation for the members Of the board
Of revision Of taxes and appeals, which
Will hereafter perform many of the duties
heretofore attended to by the assessors,
and the councils in conjunction, and GER
tain 1t is that to make the salaries of an
inferior body "a per diem does not to me
evidence either spite or childishness.
SCISSORS as regards their office under OK
listing law. When the board Of revision
organized, its first duty was to select an
office or place of meeting: The act under
as to its clerk. The city clerk is designat-
ed as the clerk of the board of revision
Of taxes and appeals. The act also d.
reefs the board to procure and have GUS
the assessment Of city taxes. The clerk
Of necessity. in the absence Of the mem
bers OF the board, being the custodian Of
the assessment books. the board for this
reason deemed 1t absolutely necessary
that the city clerks office should be its
abiding. place. The councils, in turn, in
view Of the books having been removed
to the city clerks office. thought It be just
and roper to also transfer the furniture
Of the assessors to that office, thus cais-
ing them to make their office with the
board Of revision: Were 1t not that the
duties Of the clerk as city clerk made it
next to impossible for him to leave his Of
flee to wait upon the many people who
desire to consult the assessment books,
the board of revision would no doubt have
made the assessors office Its place Of
meeting and abode.
Trusting you will publish the six sec.
tons referred to, I remain.
Yours, etc,
Joseph Oliver.