The record-union., 1896-08-26


tis said that within a few years past
the values of farming lands had de-
creased 60 per cent. The city was
prosperous, but rents were not as high
now as in the past.
Supervisor Morrison said that he had
just renewed the lease for his place
OF business at much lower figure than
for his past five year lease. The prop
erty is on K street, near Seventh. The
income is 81, 500 on the property and it
is assessed at S13,500.
Mr.. Morehouse asked w. E. Lovdal
Il he considered the assessment of $3.50
front foot for the Golden Eagle prop
erty was on par with 5000 an acre
assessment on his land.
Mr.. Berkey thought that was not a
fair question, as there was feeling
among the country people against the
city assessment.
Mr.. Lovdal said that the country peo-
pie had naturally a feeling that they
were assessed too high. AS a matter of
fact, for the last two years he would
have been willing to trade farm prop
erty for almost anything.
Mr.. Berlxey cited the property of the
late E. P. Figg at 706 street, as
sessed at $9,400 which was lately sold
subject to confirmation by the court for
Sc, 800. That at 224 ] street was as
sessed for $3.50 and sold for $4,000
under the same conditions. The piece
adjoining it was assessed for So,OUU and
sold for less. That at 324 l street was
assessed for $3.50 and sold for $4,000.
That at 126 K street was assessed at
s., 900 and sold for 81 600.
The old Wells-Falgo building on
Second street, between and K is Of
fered for sale for $4,000 and is assessed
for ST., The Roma Hotel at Sec
ond and was assessed for ST 200 and
sold for $4,000.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
In the afternoon, in response to a
remark by Equalizer Morehouse in re-
gard to rents, Mr.. Berl1ey said that he
looked forward to an era of prosperity
for the city, but in view of the large
number Of residence buildings that are
going up he thought that in a few years
it would be like Oakland, with many
| residences to let.
sessment of r. ID. Stephens place, and
Assessor Berkey stated that it was as
sessed for $50 on the low land and SO
! to SO for the upland. OF Mouton'S s
| place, 100 acres is assessed at S1oO and
the remaining fifty-nine at so. The
! Sacramento River lands are assessed
! higher because the American River
| lands have to be irrigated. The land
at Orangevale is assessed at $50, and
the best orange trees at 500 an acre.
The berry land near Florin is assessed
at $40
In the city, between Twelfth and
| Thirty-first street, he took off an aver
! age of 10 per cent. from last years as
sessment, and thought himself justi-
| fled in so doing, as there has been a de-
cline in property.
w E. Lovdal said that he would
show the board that hop-raising was
not all profit. 1t costs ten cents to
put the hops in the bale, and the mar
ket price at the present time is four
cents and no offers. Some of last years
crop sold for two and one-half cents.
Many of the hop growers this year will
not harvest their crop, as they would
spent enough on it.
He gave figures that several pieces of
land suitable for raising hops had
brought recently, and said that there
was no comparison between the values
of country and city property, as the for
mer is not productive, while the latter
| yields an income.
Then Equalizer Arnold turned on the
screws on Mr.. Berkey. He pulled out
| his statistics of bank assessments and
proved that he was loaded for bar"
He asked how it came that the Farm
| ers' and Mechanics Banks assessment
did not agree with their statement as
given to the Bank Commissioners, and
! said that the statement was not out un-
til after the assessment was made. In
the California State Bank he deducted
the city's money from the amount on
hand. He did not know much about
| the banks affairs, and would have been
glad to have the advice of the board,
but had talked with no one but Mr.
| Arnold
! The latter said that Assessor Berkey
had assessed the banks very well, and
that hardly any other Assessor had
done as we'll
Mr.. Berkey then addressed the board
and made a strong plea against the
! county's assessment being raised, say
ing that he had done all in assessing
/ that he felt he could justly do. He had
not lowered the assessments of the
river lands, although they are assessed
as high as, if not higher, than similar
lands in other counties, because he felt
that he must reduce the assessments on
| the uplands in order to give the farm
ers chance to live. He had also raised
much property in the city from $50 to
500 per front foot, although he felt
that the owners could not afford the
raise He felt that he had assessed the
county as high as he could in justice to
the property owners, and hoped that
/ the board would see it as he did.
a CHIMNEY FIRE.
Ill e