The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-24
PERSONAL TAXES.
w. D. Edwards Shows How
Jersey City Pays Her
Full Share.
FACTS FOR THE COMMISSIONERS
Equal Taxation Board Hears
Figures Which Make the
Corporation Lawyers
Squirm.
BAYONNE'S GRIEVANCES.
Mayor Seymour Shows That Rail-
roads Have Greatly Damaged
Property in That City.
BAY0NNE'S GRIEVANCES.

The Equal Taxation Commission ap-
pointed by Governor Griges under the act
of the last Legislature met in Chancery
Chambers this morning. With the ex-
ception of the Attorney-General, all the
Commissioners were present. General
Rushing was made chairman in the alb
sence of the Attorney-General
Mr.. w. D. Edwards appeared for Jer-
sey City, James S. Allen fer the Erie
Railroad, Flavel MCGEE for the Della
ware LackawannR and Western, and
James vredenburg and Judge Garretson
for the Pennsylvania
Mayor Egbert Seymour of Bayonne was
the first to appear before the Commis-
sion He produced map which showed
the amount of property in his city which
belonged to railroads He explained how
the railroads took the city's property,
enjoyed all the benefits and protection of
the Fire, Police and Water Departments
Of the city and gave very little in return.
Not only did they take property out of
the ratabies. but as soon as they put it
to use fer railroad purposes the adjoin-
ing property deprecated and tended to
lower the amount of taxable property.
To a question by Mr. Black, Mr.. Sey-
mour said that he thought all railroad
property except main stem should be
taxed at the same rate as the other pro-
perty. He referred particularly to the
property used for storage and sidings.
The railroads had taken UP for such pur-
poses, he said, almost all of Communi-
paw, and We're now rapidly doing the
same in Bayonne. So much had the rail-
roads deprecated property in Bayonne
that a lot could not be sold today for
what it could five years ago. The city
now received from the railroads $500 o.
whereas the city should receive sl6,S21.2 27
City Engineer Smith of Bayonne read
statement showing that out of the 2,53O
acres in Bayonne, 7s acres were occu-
pied now by railroads and 1853 would
soon be as roads and branches covering
that ground had been projected and were
under construction. The most valuable
part of Bayonne and out of which it
made the bulk of its taxes Mr.. Smith
said, was the shore front. There were
located the manufactures, the coal dock
and oil refnerfes which gave employment
10 most of the workingmen of the city,
and every foot of this property which the
railroads take not only went out of the
tax levy, but also lessened the ability of
As is we'll known, the cry of the rail-
roads Is that # Jersey City and the other
municipalities which are groaning under
railroad taxation would collect their per-
sonal taxes they would not be so bad off
so General Rushing began at once 10
question Mr.. Smith on that line He
wanted to know what percentage of Bay
onne's taxes were levied on personal prop
erEy II turned out to be a very small
percentage. Mr. Seymour however in
terposed, and said that there were very
few wealthy men in Bayonne. The ma
gorlly Of the residents were young men
who came there and built houses on the
building and loan plan, and workingmen
who had no property.
Ihspe are no wealthy men in Trenton
eltherf said General Rushing, "and yet
tnad CITY collects personal property to
the snegnt of % per cent. of the real
Several of those who heard this state
ment wondered at it for they knew that
General Russling lived in Trenton and
knew very well the financial standing of
ne ne Keesblilngs. IN the :, Vrooms tne Greens,
Dollon estate, ex-senator Jonathan Black
wei and many more men IN Trenton who
We're considered wealthy.
Senator Edwards next addressed the
Commissioners He said that when the
railroads raised this question of personal
taxes 1t bothered him somewhat, but he
himself that Jersey City was doing the
right thing. The savings of the people
of Jersey City were invested in sa Wings
pank and building and loan associations
both OF which We're free from taxation
OF the $3S, ,0O00 900 in the State deposited
IN savings bank, $8614, 600 were in Hudson
county, and L, 433 people in the county
owned shares IN building and loan asso-
cations. the average value of which was
a little over 500. Mr. Edwards said he
found that less than per cent of the
held by its citizens
Jersey City. he continued, was a city of
lr-aAroad employees and clerks living in
nsw Iork, VINO worked for small salaries
he compared this city with other NUM-
eipeilties which are said to collect
than Jersey City to show how those citisss
should OF right pay more personal faxes
tnan Jersey City. In Jersey City there > re
Commissioners must be wrong drv1v
Paterson. 1907; in Trenton Ii az a.d u1yiy "
Camden, 1852. He characterized a. 80 ta,,la az
ments those dwellings in which ovsr
rseads rfwenlynone people live; ana said that in
Ton, II in Paterson, 2O9 and in Jersey
City, LII. Thirty-seven people i've y
tebements in Jersey City, and people who
taxes personal
Then Mr.. Edwards took up the subtsct
2 o. .ool omsanrll<actures. arl In Newark there are
. In Camden and 72s In Jersey CITY ''0
Less than in Trenton" remarked Gem
eral Russling. who with the other Com
ti6n to Mr.. Edwards "s'eii-
Yes, sir" continued Mr.. Edwards. sIf
the railroads had not taken all this valit-
sble land of ours our entire wafar frant
would De taken up with manufactorles
which would be paying its taxes ana w. we
W9uid pc a great manufacturing city,
Then Mr.. Edwards took up the s,sbiaot
OF the capital invested In the yarions
cities Of the State in manufactured In
Newark s62. 2.552.I52 are thus Invested. in
Trenton, Oh; in Camden. sl5 244 sls.
in Paterson, sci, ,549, while in Jersev
City there were only slS.1e5094 SO invest
ed As Mr.. Edwards read each of these
items he showed what proportion of the
amount in each city represented personal
&property which could be taxed, and dem
ted how easy it was for those
acure the greater portion of the
Snge of personal taxes which
redited with paying from
aetories. Thus, he claimed.
City Was higher IL the