The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-05-28

every leSal DAY In the year is
used. Notice the figures below.
When Benton county extended
to the coast the work of the as
SCISSOR was more than double what
it is now. Notice these figures.
The year ending July, 1888, it
cost for assessing the whole coun-
ty by Mr.. Skipton, $65O.21.
July, fSo9------S 9o3 90
July, ISeo--------------- 75o 90
july, 1ool------- 1905 90
July, 1892 I34I 40
While for assess ing the
county out to the summit, being
less than half the work done by
Mr.. Skipton, and comprising but
little more than half the work of
making the attendant assessment
rolls, has cost under Mr.. AleXan-,
der's assessing, as follows:
To July, 1898 Se3-----------SII4o 90
To July, 1902 90
To July, oSI 90
To May, 1896 90
These figures are taken from the
court records and are correct.
Notice how it is done. For in
stance, take 1898. The assessors
bill reads as follows: "Oct. 4,
1898, Benton county, to A. B.
Alexander, assessor. DR.: 10 $50
days, at 3 per day, 81, 40; Or. by
pay for 100 days at So per day,
$500; by 16S poll taxes collected,
$16s; total credits, $46S; bal. due,
$672."
This bill was allowed Oct. 5,
1898, and paid by order No. S,2O5.
The $500 credit had been paid be-
fore by order No. SLIT. The
polls collected, the assessor simply
used, Notwithstanding the law
plainly directs that the county
monies shall all go through the
county treasury.
90 4ss-s-.-- --.--s.. .-. . .s.
In JAN, 1896, the county paid
SIS for trip to Salem by Mr..
Alexander. See order No. 1O496.
In JAN, 1895, $4.75; also see or
der No. 9,464. In. Feb, 1895, $40
for an index, order No. 9,495, and
now the assessor has had bill for
$50 in the county court (see pages
40 446- 462, Journal s. for three
months, trying to make the coun
ty pay for ''compiling assessors
book" book not of the county's
records and purely private. Of
course, it can not be allowed un-
til after the election, as that would
hurt Mr.. Richards candidacy for
sheriff. Wait and see.
Without pursuing these details
further, enough has been said to
show plainly that Alexander is in
office for the money there is in it.
Duty is secondary. A hand in
the public crib first. The pickings
are of pure gold, Benton county
is rich, indeed. We have $50
working days for our assessor. If
his assistant put in 36 days at 10
hours day, which is more time
than it has ever taken to make a
Benton county tax roll, but If he
did put in 36 such days, and the
assessor all of the time every one
of the 317 legal working days OF
the whole year, there could be
only 353 days at best. Where
are the extra 27 days at So pei
day to come from? 1t is simply
from the Imagination and nothing
less. 1t amounts to $S1.
But, in fact, the assessor does
not, can not, begin assessing un-
der the law until March 1st and
his work must be done by Oct
1st. Even with the usual exten.
sions granted by the court, seven
months-150 days less than a year
and l30 working days less-it is
t not possible for the assessor, with
his one assistant, to lawfully put
in over 223 working days in as
sesslng and making the roll. But
he charges for $50 days! Where
are the 157 days at So per day oil
$471, then, which the assessor
charged for IN 1898? There is an
actual fact and food for serious
reflection. There is an actual
overcharge which Benton county
taxpayers have had to pay by the
sweat of their brows, at low prices
and grinding labor, for the bene-
fit of an assessor, with his hand
deep in the public crib. 1t is
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