The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-12
ASSESSORS ARE KEPT BUSY.
NEARLY 1000 TAX RETURNs MADE
THE FIRST WEEK.

About $50 Made Nesterday-The A.
SCISSORS Have Not Had Time 10 Count
the Returns or Foot Up the Totals.
The small Property Owners Com
ing Forward Promptly. But the
wealthy Ones "a Little slow-Thrce
More weeks in which Property
Owners Can Make Returns After
which Those Who Have Nothing
Can Make Their Returns.
The city tax assessors and receivers
are convinced that their jobs are not sim
ecures. not just at present anyway. Clerk
j. II. H. Osborne is earning every cent
OF bis salary. From the time he takes
his seat at his desk at 2 O'Clock in the
morning until he gets up for dinner at
o'clock there is a steady stream Of peo-
pie. making their tax returns. He handles
them rapidly. too. as he must do 10 receive
80 returns in FIVE hours. This was the
record yesterday, 20 an hour, or more
than one a minute. In the afternoon at
4 o'clock the board Of assessors meets
and considers the returns, remaining in
session until o'clock.
The returns have come in so rapidly
that the assessors have been able to give
them only the most casual examination.
Each return is copied into book kept
especially for the purpose with the
amount of the return and the character
Of the property returned. When this sum-
mary is complete the assessors will 20
over it and discuss the returns, and If
in their opinion fair returns have not
been made the parties making the returns
objected 10 will hear from the board
The rapidity with which the returns
in. e. f-s- as
sors have been in Office only one week and
yet the number OF returns made is close
on TO 1000 Mr.. Osborne said yesterday
afternoon that he had not had time to
count up the number, but he was salts
fed It would exceed 1850. Very few of
the large property holders have made
their returns yet, the large majority OF
the returns being from small property
owners, many of whom have not been IN
the habit of making returns. The readt-
ness with which this class is coming
forward leads the assessors to believe
that the claims of the personal tax ordi-
nance being so generally objectionable are
not well founded. II the larger property
owners are as prompt and stralghtfor-
ward in making their returns there is no
doubt that the board will be successful
in its object, which Is to increase the
amount Of personal property returned Tor
taxation. Already IL is evident that there
will be an increase, but 10 what extent
cannot be told as yet.
Mai. Schwarz, chairman of the board,
said that the board has not yet had time
20 foot up the returns and he has no idea
what amount of personal property has al
ready been returned.
"As soon as we have time" he said eve
will sum Up the returns and make a state
1nent TO the public, giving all the infor-
nation on the subject which we are able
10 gather. We think that such informa-
ton will disabuse the minds of the public
of the impression that the new system is
unjust and oppressive in its workings"
The line which is printed in red ink
across each return blank that "all returns
must be made by Jan. 81 Is misleading.
This is the old form, and was placed on
the new form by a mistake. The law al
lows all property owners until Feb. ! to
make their returns. Those alleging"
that they possess no personal property
are allowed until March 1 to make their
returns.