St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-11
MIR. SOMERS, ASSESSMENT REVIS-
ION SCHEME is MORE INVIT-
ING THAN BEFORE.
MUCH LIGHT WAS THROWN ON
AT LAST NIGHTS MEETING OF THE
CITIZENS, ADVISORY COM
MITTEE.
FIELD MEN WILL BEGIN WORK
Very Soon to Make the Preliminary
PIats of the City, Block by
Block.

W. S. Somers, who is to have charge
of the work of making the new assess
ment this year, last night explained his
plan of procedure to the citizens advi-
sorry committee, and all seemed greatly
pleased with it. Following this there
was a general discussion of the sub
ject, the relative rates that should be
placed on property in different sections,
the valuation of buildings and other
improvements, etc. Those present were:
Col. w. P. Clough, Thomas Cochrane,
III. S. Fairchild, County Auditor Sulli-
Van, j. D. Ludden, ]. A. Wheelock, j.
G. Pyle, Mr.. Somers, Assessor Seng,
William c. Smith, Assistant County Au-
ditor Frank Moosbrugger and County
Commissioner George Allen.
Mr.. Somers explained his system of
making the assessment in about the
same way it was explained in his letter
of four years ago, which was repro
duced in yesterdays G l o b e. 1t was
easier to understand his explanation
last night, however, for the reason that
he had diagrams by which to illustrate
1T. In brief, it means that the citizens
advisory committee is to place an eS-
fimated value on the center lot in every
block along the line of every street in
the city, and using those as a basis, the
value of every other piece in the block
is to be ascertained by a mathematical
calculation. OF course lot $50 feet deep
has greater value than one only 100 feet
deep in the same block, but it is not
worth half as much more, by reason of
the fact that the addition is in the rear.
Then corner lots are more valuable
than inside lots.
Mr.. SomerS has made diagrams on
which are figures representing the COM
paratiVe percentage the value of lots
of various depths bear to the unit of
value, which he fixes by the value of a
lot so by 100 feet Of course this hair
splitting as to the comparative value
of lots of various depths is of especial
Importance only in the business dis
trict, where all kinds of property are
very valuable. The value of the cor
ner lots is to be fixed by a combina-
tion of the estimated value of the CEN
ter lot in the block facing on the two
streets on which the corner fronts. In
fixing this estimate of the value of the
center lot, start will be made in the
most valuable property, working out
from this initial point and taking into
consideration such varying circum-
stances as may make the property in
this section more or less valuable than
that
There will probably be in all some
100 field men, each of whom will be
subdivisions of property in the blocks
in which he is to work. These dia-
grams contain on an average about
three blocks each, and there are $500
diagrams. From these the field men
will be able to locate themselves, and
ascertain just what improvements are
on each piece. In the field books are
noted whether the street is graded,
sewer, gas and water accommodations
supplied, and the nature of the i'm
proVementS, with a general description
of the building, if any exists. While
this work is being done by the field
men, the citizens advisory committee
will be at work putting a valuation
on the center lot in each block along
the line of every street. The whole
job must be completed by May l.
Mr.. COchrane wanted to know if it
was Mr.. Somers' idea that after the
work was done, the assessed valuation
would be at least one-third lower than
1T was under the old assessment.
Mr.. Somers replied that that would
depend upon the committee. 1t was
his idea that it should be at least 25
per cent less.
Mr.. Wheelock did not think the COM
mittee could be guided by the CONNER
cial value Of property in making the
assessment. Some people were selling
property at much less than it's value,
because they were compelled to sell,
and others were offering to sell cheap
because they mistook temporary for
permanent conditions. Because a man
might be willing to give away piece
of property to some one willing to pay
the taxes upon it, was not proof that
the property had no value. Some 9TH
er standard of value must be taken.
Then in different sections of the city
there were what might be called sum-
mits of Value-property much more Yal-
liable than that lying in other Sec
tons, or even that not far distant
and those SUBMITS of value must not
be taken as the basis for estimating
the value of cheaper property, or the
result would be to place practically
all the taxation on these tracts.
Col. Clough said that it must be borne in
mind that while the depreciation in the value
of much of the property was only temporary
there was permanent decline in the value of
certain property, as in the case of that stu
ated on Third street, which was the most val
liable only a few years ago. Then only few
years ago the people thought that certain
property would be necessary "next week -
whereas 1t now appears that this property will
not be necessary for years to come and has
therefore declined permanently so far as the
purposes of this assessment are concerned.
Mr.. Wheelock thought that if people were
foolish enough to cause themselves and the
city expense by going out and purchasing
property and having public improvements
made in these outside districts, they should be
made to bear the burden of their own folly.
He thought the proper way to proceed was to
keep in mind that the valuation should be re-
duced about 100000, and to so distribute
this that the most valuable property-with few
eXceptions-should be assessed no higher than
1t is now. He had no selfish motive in the ex-
preston OF his opinion, but a matter OF
common justice, the valuation of st. Anthony
hill property should not be advanced He
was willing to let it reman where it is. and
give the lower grade property the benefit OF
all the reduction in the assessment, but to in
" In finn an fhN l.
fair.
In answer to question as to how he pro-
posed to estimate the value of improvements
especially buildings, Mr.. Somers said he had
prepared number of drawings of different
style houses, and he would have the field men
report the style, material of which built age
size, etc., of the various buildings A com.
mittee of architects could then estimate their