The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-10-15
THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF AND
ASSESSOR.


laws relating to the election of our county
and other officers. which makes it possible
Tor almost any man. with but little trouble
on his part, and without the intervention or
assistance of any political party, to aspire 20
any office lying within the gift of the people.
Hence it is that we are this year called upon
to select our county officers from list of
aspirants far greater in numbers than any
heretofore submitted. But while many NAV
aspire few are to be chosen. and that choice.
In each instance, should be governed by the
ability. character and personal worth of the
man, rather than by local sectional strife,
personal prejudice or desire to reap some
subsequent pecuniary or other direct benefit
For the Office q isneriff and Assessor we
have this year four sspirsnts. We believe
with many others, that tried and true SER
wants should meet with fair recognition and
reward, and hence feel constrained to urge
upon the voters of this county the reelection
of Herman E. Prudential, the present in
cumbent of the office.
The Offices of Sheriff and Assessor have
been combined for the past two years only,
and must remain so for two years to come.
Of the two branches of work the Assessors
is by far the more important. and the
amount OF clerical work necessary is un.
known to those who do not frequent the
office. During Mr.. Freudenthals incum.
bency the assessment list has grown from 3
little over 400 names to nearly 1900, due to
a change in the laws and OF sending down
the assessment of all land entries. In no
other way could these entries be reached,
and SO numerous have they become, Of land
selected principally along the route of the
proposed railroad in the southern part of
this county, that though the added valua.
tion to our general assessment roll is not
more than ten per cent (the lands being as
sessable for only what the applicant has
paid on them), yet the work of the Asses
| sor's office is increased nearly three hundred
per cent over what it was five years ago
| With all this added work no increase Of
salary has followed. and the office, for the
amount of work done, is one of the poorest
paid in the county. Yet notwithstanding
this, the labor has been thoroughly and con
scentiously performed, as a most cursory
view of the books Of the office will show.
All Assessors are required, among other
things, to make biennial reports to Carson of
the acreage, Improvements, character, kind,
value. etc., of all assessable property within
their counties. So thoroughly has Mr..
Freudeuthal attended to this branch that
the State Board of Equalization four years
ago, composed of five of the State officers,
resolved that the thanks of the Board are
hereby extended to II. L. Prudential, the
Assessor OF Lincoln county, for the add.
tional care and energy bestowed upon the
able and comprehensive report filed by him
with the Board in accordance with the
provisions of Sec %, page l43, statutes OF
1891" And copy of this resolution was
forwarded to Mr.. Prudential, bearing the
personal signatures of each member of the
Board, while the published report OF the
Surveyor Generel sent down last year, states
that all the statistical reports sent in BY
county Assessors, with the exception of that
from Lincoln county, 'are incomplete ano
therefore unreliable omits all but ours
which is published in full These are com
pliments indeed. yet withal well deserved
and the same painstaking exists in ever,
other department with him. Through ou
generally improved situation, the busines
of the Sheriffs department has also mater
tally increased 1t is manifestly impossible
for one person to discharge all the work
and the law permits payment to but on
deputy sheriff. Several deputies are ap
appointed, yet the expense is maintained
within the limit provided by law and the,
cost the county nothing This is the fact
, Notwithstanding the efforts OF Mr.. Freuden
thars political enemies to have it appea
otherwise by circulating the report that h
has too many deputies. Any officer pei
mitted to appoint at all, may appoint q
many deputies as he pleases, but for con
pensation he must not go beyond the law
The Sheriff and Assessors office, ther
, fore, under existing laws is no sinecure.
calls for active, energetic work, couple
. with fair knowledge OF the laws and SOC
business Judgment That the present i
cumbent possesses these qualifications, Il
, lack Of jar, friction or reasonable complsi
attests, and the latest manifestation OF it
found in the action of the Board of Coz
- missioners, who only this month at thu
meeting, having cited FIVE merchants
!, show couse why their assessments on mi
chandise should not be raised first made
. personal examination, and then permit
!. the assessment to remain as first given in
!. the Assessor.
" While as we said, the law in its gener
y ityipermits any man to aspire to office,
also implies, in spirit at least, that grea
degree of care shall be exercised by vot
in making their choice, and with compa
]. lively untried men in the field. we sho'
. hold fast to that which has proven its wor
benefit by the experience of those who HI
served us, and remember that 'Experier
az. teaches slowly and at the cost OF mistake