The San Francisco call., 1897-09-04
MEuDOCLuO is
DISSATISFIED
States Her Grievances
to the Board of
EQualizerS.
Strongly Protests Against the
Raising of Her Assess
mont.
Sonoma County Is In the Same
-SaCramento's Assessor
Is Questioned.

SACRAMENTO, Call, Sept. 3.-Asses-
sor w. P. McFaul, District Attorney 6. A.
Sturtevant and Supervisor John Flanni.
gan, representing Mendocino County, ap-
peared before the Board of Equalization
to-day and showed that the county falling
off from last years roll was but 1851, 900.
A mistake on the part OF the Auditor in
footing up had made this decrease appear
larger than it really was.
They showed that the decrease was
largely owing to the fact that the redwood
lumber interests throughout the county
were assessed far IN excess of their value.
Affidavits were introduced TO prove this
claim concluslvely, and an emphatic pro-
test was filed against raising the assess
ment of the county. When the fact
cropped up that the State University held
county, said mortgage being exempt from
taxation owing TO the fact that il be-
longed to the State, President Morehouse
said:
II have always held that this thing of
the university being allowed to loan
money on taxable property throughout
the State was altogether wrong. l have
spoken 10 the Governor about it and he
replied: What is the difference-the State
gets the benefit of it. anyhow? 2"
"While this Is true. still do not agree
with the Governor and l do believe that 1t
makes great deal of difference. Sup
pose the university loaned $1OO. 600 at 6 per
cent upon property In any county.
The mortgage must be deducted
from the value of the property, and
the mortgage cannot be assessed, because
it belongs to the State. Such being the
case $l00, 600 has been withdrawn from the
taxable property of that county, thereby
destroying The equality OF values and i'm
posing an added burden upon the re-
naming tax.
II know school district in this State
in which one OF the principal properties
Is mortgaged to the State University. The
result is that the property cannot be
taxed Tor school purposes, and as the re-
manning pro perty-owners are few and
possessed of but little wealth the people
OF that district find themselves una BILE to
build q schoolhouSe."
The Legislature should repeal the law
allowing the university to lend money.
upon taxable property in this State. 1t Is
all wrong AID in many instances works a
great hardship"
Sonoma County was represented by:
Assessor NJ. V. Vanderhoof, District At
torney Emmett SeaweiI, Supervisors E.
and E. S. Hayden. w. D. Reynolds. A.
P. Overton and Andrew Markham, three
of the county's taxpayers, were also pres
ent.
Assessor Vanderhoof stated that the
conditions which applied TO Mendocino
County likewise applied to his county.
There was not SO much timber land In
Sonoma as in Mendocino, but what there
was had deprecated considerably in value.
Later in the afternoon Assessor Berkey
| of Sacramento County appeared before
! the board and was put through course
| OF sprouts ou his method of assessing
business property in Sacramento City.
He held his ownr however, and gave
| very plausible explanations, but there
are members of the board who hold that
the county is assessed altoge ether too low.
They did not hesitate to say that it was
| the most prosperous county in ihe State,
| and pointed to the fact that there were
| over 100 residences in course of construc-
| ton in this city alone.
| The San Francisco delegation that will
| appear before the State Board of
| Equalization tomorrow, consisting of
| Mayor James D. Phelan, Assessor
John D.; siebe. Deputy Hugo Herzer,
| Charles Glldea, Alfred F. Goss, Charles
| Hol brook, Otto Won Rhein, James Dem
man, John Lackmann, c. A. Clinton,
Georgs T. Marye Jr., l. S. Borden and G..
| A. Watson. held and executive session in
the pa-lors OF the Golden Eagle Hotel
and had general discussion on
the method OF presenting their
case before the board tomorrow and rela-
| tive values of property in various por-
valuable data to present and claim TO be
able to fully demonstrate to the board
thaL the assessment of San Francisco
County should by no means be raised.