The San Francisco call., 1896-11-24
ASSESSORS MEET
At SACRAMENTO
Gather in Convention to
Arrange a Uniform
System.
Defects in the Assessment Laws
Will Receive Needed
Attention.
Nearly Every County in the State
Has Representative at the
Cos ference.

SACRAMENTO CAL, Nov. 23.-For
the first time in the history of the State
the Assessors of the various counties met
in convention to-day. nearly every Asses
sor in the State being present The con-
vention met at 10 o'clock this morning in
the State Capitol building, but owing To
the fact that Winfield Scott of Kern
County, the originator of the convention
idea, was mum bered among the absent
few, 1t was mutually agreed to make no
move toward organization until his arrival.
At 2 o'clock, Scott having arrived, the
convention was called to order and tenn
porary organization was effected, with
Scott of Kern as temporary chairman, and
A. c. Richards, Deputy Assessor of Ala
media, as secretary.
The roll was called, the following-named
Assessors and deputies being present: T.
ID. Berkey, Sacramento; John Adams,
Placer: G. D. Haywood, San Mateo; Will
Liam Nj. Nuner Jr., Calaveras; S. S. Rus
sell, Lake. +. n. Spencer. FL Dorado
Charles Q. King, San Luis Obispo; Deputy
Ludwig, Shasta; John d. Siebe and
Deputy III. Herzer, San Francisco; ]. f.
Campbell, Stanislaus; James Donlan, Ven-
tura; theodore Summerland, Los An
geies; i. A. Spitzer, Santa Clara; A. g.
Kendall San Bernardino; NJ. d. Cham
6erlain, 4olo; c. L. Ortman, San Joaquin !;
d. Nj. Meacham, Napa; ]. H. Simonson,
d. Parks, Marin Henry T. Jones, Contra
Costa; W. P. Lynch, Butte; Deputy
George Featherstone, Glenn; L. U. Hos
kins, MADEIRA; J. 7. Jarvis, Riverside; J.
+. Mcbride. Siskiyou; NJ. V. Vanderhoof,
Sonomai J. L. Barham, Tehama; ]. f.
Glbson, Tulare; J. p. Vincent, Fresno !;
y. w. Folleti, Kings: Charles Schirmer,
Soiano, and w. A. McRae-a total repre-.
sentation of thlrty-six counties.
IL was resolved that all the chief depu-
ties having credentials be admitted to the
convention Oh the same footing as the
Assessors, and an adjournment Of ten
minutes was taken for the purpose of
allowing the chair to select a com mmittee
OF nve on permanent organization and
order OF business. When the convention
was again called to order, the following
committee was announced: Splitter of
oanta Clara, Summerland of Los Angeles
Ortman OF San Joaquin, Siebe of San
francisco and Meacham of Napa. On
motion, Winfield Scott was added to the
committee.
The chairman also appointed the fol-
lowing committee on credentials: Bar
nam OF Tehama, Donlan of Ventura, King
oi San Luis Obispo, Vincent of Fresno and
Ludwig OF Shasta. Then the convention
aulourned until omorrow at 10 o'clock.
1he purposes OF the convention are
manltoid and are deemed of great ad-
vantage TO the State at large. There are a
great many defects in the assessment laws,
ana IL Is intended to agree upon some
plans TO remedy them. In many in
stances Assessors have TO do great deal
OF unnecessary work, which involves
waste Oh time and labor. The ''field en-
loiiIneht toook Is an instance of the kind,
anu seems TO have gained the i'll will OF
nearly every Assessor in the State.
another thing that will receive atten-
tion Is the method OF collecting personal
property tax. 1t is believed that under
the present system large amount of per-
sonsi property escapes taxation. The
reason Tor this is that the law holds an
assessor personally responsible for the
personal property tax so the Assessor will
not assess where he has any DOUBT of
Deing able TO collect the taxes. As one of
the assessors put il, "We would be re-
CURED to sell poor family out of house
or nome, or else pay the tax out of our
own pockets There are bank assess
ments and methods of making up the roll,
tne treatment of delinquents and scores of
otner matters 10 be considered.
Ine committee on permanent organiza-
tlon ana order of business met in the Office
OF Assessor Berkey of Sacramento, Splitter
oeing selected IS chairman and Herzer of
oah francisco secretary. A number of
resolutions were drafted. to be presented
70 the convention tomorrow. Among