The record-union., 1897-09-04
BOUQUETS FOR SACRAMENTO
EQUALIZER BEAMER CAST
THEM LAVISHLY.
He Said This Is the Liveliest City
in the State-Mendoeino
Heard.

Assessor Berkey and Supervisor Nc
Laughlin We're present at yesterday
mornings session Of the State Board
of Equalization, and announced that
they were ready TO appear and talk
over the matter of Sacramento Coun-
tvs assessment.
Accordingly 3 o'clock p. m, was set
as the time for hearing what was TO
be urged against raising the assess
ment, and at that hour Assessor Bef-
key was on hand with his books, but
there were no others.
The Assessor explained that he had
been urged by the members OF the
Board of Supervisors to appear at that
time, and he knew of no reason why
his statement of affairs should not be
taken, and the Board of Supervisors
and the District Attorney be allowed to
present their case later on, provided
they desired so to do.
Sacramento County's Assessor dealt
only with the assessment as levied by
himself. and not as equalized by the
County Board of Supervisors. He said
he wished to cast no reflection on the
County Board Of Supervisors, but that
he had appeared more in respect to the
State Board than as a duty.
Equalizer Beamer explained to Mr..
Berkey that what was expected by the
board was a comprehensive statement
as to why business property in Sacra-
mento City is assessed lower than that
in any other city on the coast.
Assessor Berl1ey replied if other As
SCISSORS attempted to keep up their rolls
by placing extraordinary values on bus
mess property, then they had not been
raised in his school He had used his
best judgment in fixing the values on
property in the city. and believed they
We're just. He did not presume to un-
derstand what Assessors Of other coun-
ties had done, nor their reasons for do
ing so, and had only assessed property
within the county ne assessed. without
regard to what other Assessors were
or were not doing.
Mr.. Berkey stated, in relation to the
statement made by Equalizer Beamer
that the business property in Sacra-
mento City was assessed lower than in
any other city in the State, that it was
q mistake The bushes property in
Sacramento he said is spread out over
a large area of territory, while that in
other cities is confined within narrower
limits, thus enhancing values.
The Assessor stated that it is evident
to everybody who knows anything
about the matter that J-street property
has deprecated in value, while that on
K street has increased in correspond
ing proportion. AS a consequence, ne
had increased values on K-street prop
erty, from Fourth to Tenth street, 50
per cent. over the valuations fixed in
1896, and had reduced .J-street valua-
tions.
Berkey said he had no wish to leave
a false impression about Sacramento.
1t is prosperous and growing, and
shows for itself, but while the city is
growing eastward, property is depre-
ciating in the western portion in the vi
cinity Of Front street.
Equalizer Beamer called attention to
the amount of building going on, and
stated that Sacramento shows thrift
and vigor in every department. 1t is
a relief, he said, after visiting other
interior towns. to drop into Sacramento
and see the evidences of prosperity on
every hand.
Assessor Berkey said the people Of
Sacramento would no doubt fell CRATE
full to Mr.. Beamer for his compliment,
provided it did not carry with it an
increase in assessment values. He ex-
planned that the reduction of valuations
on improvements We're in part to be
accounted for by the fact that in 1896
som-dam property S100,0 900, and he had
inserted their figures in his rolls for
1897. With that loss, the increase in
Improvement values had been $126,
900 over that of 1896.
Equalizer Arnold stated that Sacra-
mento to-day is beyond doubt, the
liveliest county in the State, and just
why a great reduction should be asked
on real estate values he was unable to
understand.
Assessor Berkey retorted that depre-
Citations in real property in Sacramento
County are due, in part, to the erro-
neous statements sent out by Los An
geles, that the latter county is the only
fruit and growing county in the
State. Los Angeles boomers had even
6ClAS 81 4A1 aS ~ 4GRA GStAlt todti a 4i-Cl4lb
County as being a bound, ice
covered tract, and the faIsehoods in the
advertisement had become SO deeply
rooted in the average Eastern mind
that it's eradication is nearly impossi-
BILE.
Equalizer Arnold said while all that
was true, that it had taken coin to cir
culate such reports.
Assessor Berkey said that while in
Chicago he had seen a box of fruit
grown and packed at Reuters Station
in this county. which was marked Los
Angeles. While as q matter of fact the
latter county was not capable of pro-
ducing fruit half so fine.
Chairman AIorehouse touched upon
the proposition Of assessing the bank
stock of the National Bank of d. Q.