The record-union., 1895-08-16

11-sSSA "ao oooOEoOA e11OO w CIOO dl oCI6.
The Beard place was assessed at So 900
and the Regents of the University have
recently loaned $40, 600 on it. indicating
that they thought it was worth consider
ably more.
In answer to question, Mr.. Patterson
said that he did not think that he could
sell the whole of his land at more than
500 an acre, but said, when asked II he
would sell it all out at $l25 an acre, that
he would not sell it tor that price, or even
more, as he was located to suit himself.
He finally admitted that he would not
take goo an acre for it, as ne was not
selling land off the farm. He paid S3l2
an acre for 49 acres, to straighten his line.
He also paid $4,000 for so acres, which is
assessed at 500 an acre, and produced
him no income.
Mr.. Beamer read list of five pieces OF
land in the vicinity owned by John L.
Beard, which were mortgaged for Sl9. 200
and assessed for Sl3,950. The loans were
held by the Union Savings Bank. and he
did not think the bank was loaning more
than value on lands.
Deputy Assessor Ellsworth was sworn
and said, his instructions from the AS
SCISSOR were to assess all property at its
cash value. Mr.. Beamer read a list of
mortgages which were assessed at about
half their face value, and Mr.. Ellsworth
considered they were assessed for all
they were worth. The land bought by
MIR. Patterson at $3.50 he had assessed for
SlG0, ana thought that fair valuation, on
account OF depreciation.
Nine acres OF land belonging to d. NJ.
Moody, near Niles, was assessed for
$500, aud Eli Denis0n holds mortgage
for $500 on it. Mr.. Beamer asked if
Senator Denison was in the habit Of
making wild loans like that. All the
land in that vicinity seemed 10 be mort
gagged for considerably moro than il was
ass essed tor.
Continuing, Mr.. Ellsworth said he
made two or three hundred arbitrary as
sessments in Washington township.
One assessment was on the old Rankin
place, which he assessed al S23. 1t is Of
tered for sale for SIS.
Chairman Bailey was asked what he
thought of the valuations put on prop
erty in Washington Township. and an
swered that he was not much acquainted
down that way. There were no applica
tions for reduction down there.
Supervisor Johnson told OF man who
when the board wanted to buy one fifth
of an acre IN order TO straighten out a
road to bridge partially washed away.
He asked 81 900, and finally fell to 5000,
which he did not get.
Supervisor Church of Alameda was
next put on the rack with regard to city
lots. The nice little list presented by
Mr.. Beamer showed the comparison of
mortgage and assessment of number of
lots as follows: Assessment 81, 800. mort
gage 5000; assessment "a, 800, mortgage
So, 800; assessment -, 400, mortgage So, 200;
assessment sl, 900, mortgage $500; assess
ment 81 300. mortgage $1,000; assessment
s.. 600, mortgage IS, 200; assessment $3.50.
mortgage s., 100; assessment 81, 400. mort
gage S2, 800; assessment s.. 200; mortgage
81, 800; assessment 500, mortgage 81, 800;
assessment $500, mortgage $500; assess
ment 81 200, mortgage 81 600, original
mortgage 50, 500: assessment 5000. mort
gage 81. .000 assessment 81, 800, mortgage
81, 500. original mortgage $500; assess
ment Sl.l00, mortgage $1,000. original
mortgage, Sl,S0O.
Assessor Dalton said he thought prop
erty in Alameda had deprecated during
the past two years. The people engaged
to look up the cases cited for the board
had picked out the worst cases as exam
pies.
Controller Colgan asked Mr.. Beamer if
he or any other mem Der of the board had
given any Instructions to the persons
who looked up these records to pick the
worst cases, and Mr.. Beamer said that he
had given no such instructions, and
furthermore, that he had taken the pains
to make personal inspection of consid-
erable property, and had endeavored to
be perfectly fair.
Assessor Dalton said he had not meant
to say that the board had given any un-
fair instructions, but that the person
who did much Of the work was en-
ployed by the candidate who was beaten
by him and the work was not fairly done.
He read telegram from citizens Of
Washington Township stating that they
were assessed too high and asking him to
prevent raise, if possible.
Controller Colgan said he would like
the Secretary to read a telegram from
citizens of Murray Township. which
stated that the assessment there was fair
and they did not want it changed.
Mr.. Morehouse said that he did not
think that, as a whole, Alameda had
deteriorated any in the past two years.
but was worth more.
Assessor Dalton said he had done his
best and had raised the county roll, but
the Supervisors cut it down. He would
this year.
Mr.. Beamer said that the roll showed
the Bank of LivermOre to have fifteen
mortgages in one township, amounting
to S4l, 100, which were assessed for only
S33. 800 OF course 1t did not want the
board to raise the county.
In regard to his reduction of the assess
he thought they had been assessed too
high heretofore. He employed con-
tractors to make estimates for him.
Mr. Beamer thought they had been re-
duced in nine cases out OF ten. He
asked if the Assessor thought the Blake
& NJ offatt building, formerly assessed at
SAC, GOO, had deteriorated to $50, 600, which
he had assessed it at, and Mr.. Dalton
answered that he thought it had. Ma
terial and labor were much lower now,
and it could be built for S60,000 at good
nrofiy to the contractor. The \. G..
Henry building. reduced from Sl2000 to
50 900. could be built for less than SIS, 600.
In figuring he deducted the contractor 8
profit from the value.
"How did you value the Central Bank
huilding? said Mr.. Beamer. did your
contractor give you the figures it cost :?
II was only finished last year"
The Assessor did not remem ber, He
presumed the figures were given at his
Office.
WELL" was the reply, "you assessed it
at $50. 600. The contracts show that it
cost So, 2395, exclusive of glass, gas fix
ture, mantels and heaters, which will
bring it up to nearly 500, 600"
Church property has always been
valued literally in Oakland" continued
Mr.. Beamer. Il see you reduced the
Church of ST. Francis de Sales to 81 900.
| | am told it cost Sl25.000 1t is a fine
| church and only year old"
Mr. Dalton said he made no reduction
| on the church, he was sure.
ut is suggested by member of the
board.u said Mr.. Beamer, that you were
not only taking care OF the here, but OF
| the hereafter"
Mr., Dalton said that he had increased
| the roll a million and half, and Con-
troller Colgan asked on what the increase
| had been made. Dalton said it was on
the street railroads and other property.
| Colgan asked if part of it was not the
| Seventh-street road, which had not been
before assessed, and a number of large
new buildings. Dalton admitted that ii