The record-union., 1896-08-25
THE Two GREAT VALLEYS.
A San Diegan'S Respect for Sacramento
and San Joaquin.
Yesterdays Inquiry Before the
State Board Of Equal
ization.


ization.
Two counties were heard before the
State Board of Equalization yesterday
San Bernardino and San Diego, in the
matter of their assessments.
San Bernardino got a hearing during
the morning session, and was repre-
sented by it's Assessor, J. A. Kendall,
and Supervisors w. H. Randall and Os-
car Newberg.
| The assessment roll of the county is
$4,000 greater than last year, but there
was an increase in the assessment Of
country property of $460000 and a de-
crease in city property of $4,000. This
| decrease in the value Of city property
was what the Board of Equalization
asked the Assessor to explain.
Mr.. Kendall stated to the board, with
merry twinkle in his eye, that he came
at their request, not to make speech,
but to be crucif1ed.
Chairman Morehouse drove the first
nail by metaphorically making a long
trip through the orange groves with
the object of discovering why Mr.. Ken
dali assessed one grove at $3.50 per
acre and another just across the avenue
at $50 or even less.
Before Mr. Morehouse returned from
this excursion Assessor Kendall had
pointed out to him many a stoney hill
side and WaShout and sand dune where
the owners will never receive a dollars
interest on their investments. He ex
planned that while San Bernardino
County was unquestionably great or
ange and lemon country, the land was
characteristic Of Southern California
foothill and mesa land-very spotted"
He could only be guided in his assess
ments by what an orchard would pro-
duce or sell for.
II always" said Mr.. Kendall, take
off my hat when I enter the San Joa-
quin and Sacramento Valleys It is the
grandest and most beautiful body of
uniformly fertile land on earth Our
country is not uniform, though we have
fully demonstrated what we can do
with it,"
Mr.. Morehouse said he realized the
| truth OF the statement, and that it all
| came to this: What will it sell for?"
Being questioned on the point Of In
terest to the board, namely, city prop
erty, Mr.. Kendall said:
"On this reduction of city property
am sure am justified in the action
have taken. Everyone knows of the ia
nous kite-shaped track which has come
to be feature of San Bernardino and
Los Angeles Counties. 1t has been a
great thing for the country generally,
but hard stroke upon San Bernardino.
Little towns haua Sr11.11po I'M oil
this circuit of railway each with it's
shops and stores, and the consequence
has been that the county seat has been
completely girdled and snapped Of its
trade as effectually as if you should
strip a tree of its bark. Again, people
go to Los Angeles to trade, where for
rnerly they went to San Bernardino."
The Assessor reported a decline in
values Of real estate, as has been COM
pla1ned of in the northern counties. He
did not know of a sale of real estate of
any consequence at Riverside during
the past six months.
Mr.. Morehouse wanted to know at
what figure the rich Chino sugar beet
land, Of which so much had been said
during the past few years, was as
sessed.
The Assessor replied that the best
land was valued at S75 per acre and
the pasture lands at SO per acre.
And do you consider that high
enough?" inquired the Equalizer
We'll, those poor fellows who are
raising beets think so,'' was the re-
sponse.
| The raisin industry, Mr.. Kendall said,
! had not paid for two years, and this
season there was no crop. He reduced
their assessments from $40 to $40 per
acre
But was that not too much of a
jump to make in one year?" asked the
Chairman.
''They have all the tax they can
| stand" was the reply
But if times get good again-for
| instance, If we get free silver?" sug-
gested the Chairman, smiling.
We'll, that's a boom that I've not
much faith in,' was the quick response
Assessor Kendall showed some little
| timidity about discussing bank statis-
! tics, solvent credits, etc., but Mr.. Ar
mold had the usual pill which he pro-
! posed to administer to each Assessor
on schedule time, and he very adroitIy
| led up to the subject.
! Mr.. Kendall came off in the investi-
| cation with a few broken spars, but
otherwise with colors flying. He had
the Union Bank down for $37 900 cash,