The record-union., 1896-07-17
RANCHO DEL PASO HORSES.
objection Made to the Assessors Yalua-
ton Of Them.
superintendent Mackey Says There is
No Sale Now for Ordinary
Animals.

The chief matter of interest befOre the
Supervisors yesterday, sitting as q
Board of Equalization, was the inquiry
into the assessment made on the
Rancho del Paso. A statement hao
teen returned signed by an attache o1
The ranch, but it did not satisfy AS
SCISSOR Berkey, and he sent out Deputy
Henry Alter to make special report
which he did. There was such a wide
discrepancy in the number OF horses re-
turned that Assessor Berkey assumed
that the case came under a provision
OF the code which requires Assessors te
place a figure on the valuation Of the
property of person who conceals such
from the Assessor ten times its actual
value.
He therefore placed an arbitrary as
sessment ON theHaggin property, and II
was to seek reduction therefrom that
Superintendent John Mackey appeared
before the board yesterday, accompa-
nied by Charles T. Jones. as legal ad-
wiser. Speaking for Mr.. Mackey, Mr.
Jones said no reduction was asked on
the land, which was assessed at S7O6, 700
In reply to questions Mr.. Mackey saic
the buildings in American River Schoo
District are not worth to exceed 81, 1000
Those in Arcade District are assessed al
$1,000, which he considered a fair as
sessment.
In Arcade District the pear trees as.
sessed at $4,000 are not worth over 5000
The l, ,1S1 horses are not worth more thar
Is per cent of what they were few years
go. The thirty-one stations are moi
now worth nearly as much as few
years ago. Salvador is not worth ove1
$1,000
Mr.. Mackey went over the list of stall
lions regarded as gilt-edged stock, ane
said he did not believe they would al
bring $4,000 if offered at sale. He would
be willing to take s., 900 for the nine
jacks assessed at $4,000.
The wood on the ranch Is not worth
over 81, 900.
Assessor Berkey said he had fixed the
assessment on the land the same as or
other land. There are ten acres Of vines
at Arcade, The buildings on the rancf
are not alone those referred to at Ar
cade and IN the American River Dis.
tricts. There are farm buildings in vari
GUS parts of the ranch and he had as
sessed them at what he considered q
nominal figure.
Mr. Berkey then asked Mr.. Mackey
how many horses he returned In his
statement. and Mr.. Mackey replied thai
Iae could not say, but there are no ], Isl
horses on the ranch.
Mr.. Berkey said he sent deputy tc
the ranch who counted the horses anG
made his report of that number.
Mr. Mackey said the report includes
ponies and suokling colts. which Is no
right.
Mr. Berkey said he did not object tc
eome of the reductions asked on wood
lumber, buildings. etc., but he did object
to a reduction on the horses.
Philip Johnson of the Rancho De
Paso was sworn and testified that wher
2Ir -Berkey's deputy called he afforded
him every possible facility to arrive al
a correct estimate of the property, ano
did not attempt to conceal anything.
In reply to a question by Mr.. Jones
Mr.. Mackey said he did not attempt tC
conceal any property from the Assessor
There are a. lot of horses there-possibly
assessed at 81 900 each.-many of which
ne would thank anyone to take away
He could not now say just how man,
horses there are on the ranch
Mr.. Berkey claimed there had been
concealment. The statement rendered
10y Mr.. Johnson showed only 315 head o.
horses on the place He did not believ'
GIr. Johnson knew the correct nunbel
and did not think he should ever have
been asked to sign such statement
under the provision Of the code covering
the matter Mr.. Berkey claimed that i
was his duty TO make his own estimate
of the property, and that he might as
sess any concealed property at ten time'
dts value He did not think he had as
sessed the horses at ten times thei
value. but this portion Of his assessment
the Board of Equalization had no powe
to reduce. On the buildings, wood, etc.
he dad not care what reductions the!
might make.
Mr.. Berkey then read the report o
Deputy Harry Alter, who assessed th'
personal property on the ranch, emu
nlerating the various classes Of horses
cattle and hogs on the ranch.
In reply TO a question by Mr.. Jones
Mr.. Johnson said the statement wa
made on the basis of the statement o
the preceding year. There were othe1
horses on the ranch but they were re
garded as worthless.
Mr.. Mackey said he had been feeding
some Of these worthless animals to th'
hogs. They were not included in th'
etatement because they had no value.
Mr.. Berkey did not believe there were
S72 head of worthless horses on th'
ranch
Mr.. Mackey said he had sold but on'