The record-union., 1896-09-04

1erreu TO his list and found they were
only assessed at $3.50. Another block
on which only $3.50 q lot had been Of
fered proved to be assessed for only
500.
Mr.. Chesebrough offered quite a num-
Der of cases to support his contention,
where the assessment was very near the
price offered or realized In concluding
he stated that he trusted nothing he had
said would be considered personal by
any member and if so he wished to with
draw it.
Mr.. Morehouse replied that he had
tried throughout to put the personality
of Mr.. Chesebrough out of sight and
only listen to the representative of the
Merchants Association and he had no
feeling in the matter
The board then adjourned till s D. m.
EVENING SESSION
When the board re-convened Mr..
Chesebrough resumed the reading Of
assessments collated by him and sales
made. The data was collected by the
Merchants Association. The property
was scattered throughout the city, and
the assessment ran from 65 to 80 per
cent, and in one or two instances the
assessment was higher than the sale
price.
He claimed from the evidence he had
heard before the board that non-resi-
dents in the outside counties were as
sessed high.
The objection was made that if he
spoke as a member of the board that
subject should be considered in execu-
tive session, and it was SO decided.
Chairman Morehouse said he would
like to know on what basis the assess
ment of that portion of the city south
of Golden Gate Park was reduced
throughout by the Supervisors.
The affidavit Of Assessor Siebe, ask
ing the Supervisors to reduce the as
sessment of that district, as it was as
sessed 30 per cent. above the average
value of the property on the assessment
roll of the city, was read.
The request covered about ninety
blocks of land, much of which was
mortgaged to the Hibernia and German
Savings and Loan Society and other
banks, the mortgage interest being over
SG9O0O, while the assessment was re-
duced to about $4,000 about four-sev-
enths Of the mortgages, most of which
are Of recent dates.
Mr.. Chesebrough stated that Super
FiSoA L ly iOI Ilciu LOlQ IllIIl IHdl the lOlS
We're largely made of shifting sand, or,
as he expressed it, "transitory lots"
A large number OF applications had
been made by property owners for a
reduction of assessments. 1t was easy
il was very difficult to pick out the lots
when on the ground.
Mr.. Beamer asked, if that We're the
how the and Eiharnia
Banks could locate their mortgages.
and Mr.. Chesebrough said he did not
know. Mr. Beamer read a statement
from Mr.. Becker, President of the Ger
man Bank. in which he stated that,
even with the depreciation Of property.
the banks had not loaned too great a
proportion of value on It,
Mr.. Chesebrough read a telegram
from Mr.. Becker stating that he had
never made a statement that the mort
cages in San Francisco were assessed
at less than their face value, and few
of them are
Chairman Morehouse said the latter
statement was not true, as many Of the
mortgages are assessed at less than
their face value. He had gone over the
assessment rolls Of San Francisco for
ten years and knew of what he was
speaking.
Mr.. Beamer asked what the Exam
irer," the Chronicle" and the "Call'
were assessed at.
Mr.. Chesebrough said he had expect
ed the question and prepared to an
swer it. He asked Mr.. Beamer to read
the assessments. showing that the as
sessment of the Examiner was $751;
07O, of the Cali $4,000 and the
Chronicle S40295 This included
everything.
Mr.. Chesebrough said that consider
ing the assessment of the Los Angeles
Times at S51 .225. he must confess
that he thought the assessment Of the
great morning dailies was too low. He
asked if they were sworn statements.
and Mr.. Beamer answered that those Of
the Examiner and Call" were sworn
statements and that of the "Chroni-
Gle" was not. From his acquaintance
with the proprietors of the two first he
thought they had made statements to
the best Of their ability
Mr.. Beamer read a list of assessments
that We're evidently very low, and
which Mr.. Chesebrough said he could
not explain.
Mr.. Morehouse asked If, when the
Assessor had repeated many times TO
the board that he had always made his
assessment uniform, the board was not
justified in believing that all the prop
erty, or the great bulk Of it at least,
was assessed too low.
Mr. Chesebrough said the board must
judge Of that matter for itself.
Mr.. Beamer read a list Of property
on Castro street mortgaged for S149,-
go and only assessed for So9, $50 A
number of pieces of property on Sunny
side, mortgaged in the aggregate for
S3oS. .960, was only assessed for S193,-
800 only "a per cent Of the mortgages.
Mr. Chesebrough had not examined
the list, but knew that the property
was, to say the least not increasing in
value
Mr.. Beamer read a statement show
ing that the mortgages Of San Fran
cisco amount to $4,000, 900 and were
assessed at $40, 100000 making the as
sessment on mortgaged property
$4,000, 900 less than the face of the
mortgages.
Mr.. Chesebrough said he could not
disprove the assertion, and did not in
tend to try. He asked if the same crit
iclsms made against San Francisco
could not be made against every other
county in the State. and that the differ
ence in San Francisco was not simply
CT account Of the greater amounts in
volved.
Mr.. Beamer thought that question
should be discussed in executive ses-
sion, and it was so agreed.
The board then adjourned.