The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-01
Depressing Effect Of the Proposed
Heavy Increase in the
Tax Levy.
OPPOSITION FROM DEALERS.
They Say That a Levy as Great as
Last Year Will Kill Realty
Va!uS.

pdrtmentS OF the City government nave maze
for appropriations for the ensuing year has
aroused real estate men, and they are deter
mined to do all in their power to defeat tax
levy that will provide for the raising OF these
amounts. The real estate market is dull
enough at the best, and has been for long
time, and 1t is the consensus OF opinion among
real estate men that if there is any thing calcu-
lated to kill the market absolutely it is the
prospect of another outrageous tax levy like
that of last year. The following extracts from
the Real Estate Circular of Thomas Magee &
Sons for the present month voices the general
sentiment that prevails among real estate deal
ers on the subject:
NO HOPE FOR REAL ESTATE Up THE LAST TAX
is REPEATED
The City real-estate dulIness, which began in
May, 1891 and which has ever since been eXhib-
tied in decreased volume of sales and constantly
increasing depression of prices. has at no time
since that year been noticeable as at present
For two or three years subsequent TO 1881 only
suburban lands suffered. They had been doomed
between 1883 and 1891 To most inflated prices.
For four years subsequent TO May, 1891 there was
as strong demand for good business property as
at any time in the previous years, when the'de-
maud was strong and when the prices OF all kinds
OF real estate We're Climbing, but since the I'm
position of the 50 % tax rate the feeling mas
increasingly prevailed that 1t is possible
for the Assessor, The state Board OF Equalization
and the majority la the Board of Supervisors-a
tr1umvrate really responsible to nobody-practi-
caIly to conhscate real estate a piece Of property
and basement was lately sold on Market street,
southwest OF First. Three and half months OF
the gross rents Of this property were consumed by
last years taxes The City and State taxes on an
other much larger piece in Inc same block last
year amounted to S7875-exactly three and a half
months of the income The block is no ed one
for frequency and length of vacancies, but the
tax Ieeches care no hing for thd nor for the gen.
eral large reductions In because dulIDess of
business They demand their official blood
money, and in spite of all these existing facts
frequently increase rather than reduce assess
since Fraser excitement
of 1853, when San Francisco was deserted for Fra
ser River and Victoria was here such vital need
OF low taxes last year, but they never were or
such crushing weight before. If we re this year
TO have rep ttion of anything like the same high
assessments and City and state tax rates as those
OF last year, then il can be confidently asserted
that there will be no market for any kind OF CITY
will drop TO point never before known In any de-
preston, and have had some very severe de-
preSsions since 1869. People only buy real estate
for what rents they can get from 1t and with the
hope OF future increase in value. But If the
Assessor, Supervisors and State Board. with
power almost unlimited in their hands. take
three 10 four months--not of the net,
but of the gross rents-the owner taking
the risk of vacancies and having TO paw as he
always does, for repairs AMI insurance, there will
be SO little left that would be BUYERS will wisely
let real estate severely alone. The most exas-
pera ing feature OF the whole BUSINESSMAN eXaS-
peration justifying local revoi utcn-is that the
worst wear for business, low rents and widespread
vacancies OF both stores and dwellings ever known
here should have been selected for the heaviest
infection of city and state tax robbery ever ex-
petratofs OF this robbery TOO, has his cir plau
sible excuse for intiicting 1t. The Assessor said
that he could not help keeping assessments
up. or of even increasing tn m, because, If
he did not, the state Board of kquali1ato N would
get after the City-as though it would not do this
anyway, whether he did or DID not put tlghter
screws on assessed values. The fact is, we then
un erstood it, being that, but for an unexpected
mbination between the representatives OF this
and the Los Angeles districts the so-calied Board
of Equalization would have pnt still heavier load
of taxes on this City The iobbers inthe Board OF
asser ing that the last Legislature authorized them
10 build home for drunkards, to buy VI three
lots 20 add, utterly unnecessarily, to the size
of the old City Hall lot, and also TO erect
penalty whatever for disobedience of these unius-
tifable orders of the Legislature, and they could
and should have been ignored. fhe'State Boards
claim was that lis duty simply minis er al
that was, to raise much money under orders OF
the Legislature II, too, could have Zig htened the
State I'D City burdens by at least Sl,OOO,O0O,
but like the other officials, 1t let taxes pile VI.
We therefore have farm ers, manufac turers, mer-
chants householders and real estate owners all
alike suffering from unpreeedenedly hard times,
and at such period having the last straw put
upon their backs by the infiicuon of nearly double
rates OF taxation. If last years ak rate Is tc be
repeated this year the Tax Collector and the
Sheriff VIII alone be busy in real estate.
OUTRAGEOUS DEMANDS FOR MONEY.
Mr. Ashworth, Superintendent of Streets, wants
81 900 600 more for the Street department than it
got last year the year of the So % TAX rate. The
Chief of Police wants $120,O00 extra for his de-
nartment while the Board of Education wants
pearIv $500 900 additional. only three depart
ments have thus far been heard from, oonse-
quently the returns are not all H. No doubt all Of
the departments will want correspondent large
increases We think, therefore, and here sug-
gest that the property.oW ners of the city, as
BODY may as well here and now deed their prop
erty as a whole TO the city, ana nave zone
with it. We feel sure. too that even If this were
DONE there Wonld soon De aenclehcy. oity ana
State governments such pure such perfect,
such inestimable bless ngs, that no cost-not even
every mans savings and property-wouid be too
high price to- pay for ii. We only ask. and we
ask the question very NEE kly-when the total
property OF the city and county prove to be not
enough TO satisfy the ofeeholders, and TO conduct
our dual governments, how viii the deficiency
then be made up? France, before the Revolution,
was In this condition. Taxes swallowed up every
thing the real workers could produce, and after
taking everything from them they were kicked,
cuffed and imprisoned because they dld not pro-
duce more.
REVIEW OF THE RECORDS.
There were sixty-six mortgages filed for rec
ord last week, aggregating Sl99,492 The
principal ones We're:
BY Edward ]. lie Breton, $4,000 for one year at
- per cent on the estate of william Shiel5; by the
Bibernia savings and Loan Society for one year at
61a per cent, $4,000 on property ON the north
west line of Howard street. $3.50 feet southwest
OF Fifth. southwest 25:s1a BY northwest So by
the same Tor year at oly2 per cent, $4,000 on
property at northwest corner OF arkln ana Geary
81 reefs north 90 by west So by the German Saw
ngs aud Loan society for one year, at 62 per cent,
$4,000 on property at the northwest corner OF
HYDE and Nc Allister streets, west 10 by nor h
ia Is: by the HibernA savings and Loan Society,",
for one year, 61a Ger cent, $4,000 on property
on the south line Washington street, l37 70 west
OF Hyde, west 20 by south 1875.
Thirty-three releases were recorded last
week aggregating $151 ,045. The larger ones
were.
BY the Hibernia Savings and Loan Society TO
Hermann j. Meyer S20,OUO on property on the
southeast line of Market rect, 500 feet of
Sixth, southwest Is by southeast 1865; by the San
Francisco Savings Union TO James ii. Cavanagn.
SS7. $50 on properly on the north line of Jessie
street 7:6 feet east OF Fourth east 1875 by
north IS, and by the Mutnal >avings Bank To Ann
McQuade, $4,000 on property on the southeast
lin. of stevenson street, rs feet southwest of
seventh southwest 155 by southeast75.
Fourteen building contracts, the particulars
of which were published each day in THE CALL,
were fled last week, aggregating $685.
Seventy nine transfers were recorded last
week The total number of transfers recorded
in May was 302, aggregating 81, 266 .230.
AUCTION SALES.
Tomorrow Easton, Eidridge e. Co will hold
a sale of miscellaneous properties. The list is
as follows
Business property, south line (125 and l27)
100 feet with half right in brick wall west line
OF lot Golden Gate improved property, southeast
corner a Oak and Lyon sts., 1877 Oak and 124
Lyon; improvements French flats; each
tains salon parGr, drawng-room, Kitchen, bed
rooms BATH laundry, etc; lot 25x91 2 feet. Mis-
sion French flats, west line (326332) of No ST.. 80
feet north of Seventeenth; Improvements 4
French flats of 8 and rooms and bat h each: lot
5ox95 feet, with 5-foot alley TO seventeenth ST.
feet south of Twentieth: lot 26xlOu
.,oI Gate-averue residence north line (2UD2l