The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-01
1t Goes to the Capitol Empty
Handed and Offers No
Inform alton.
Put Through the Grilling Process
by Members of the State
Board.

and Supervisors Thomas D. Wells. John
Mitchell, Charles Roeth and w. H.
Church appeared before the Board Of
Equalization to-day on behalf OF Alameda
County and had the fact most en-
phaticallv impressed upon them before
the day ended that the mem
bers OF the board possessed a
fund Of authentic information and
greater knowledge of the ms and outs OF
the assessment roll Of the county they
represented than they did themselves. In
fact 1t WIS admitted by them that the
only man who was thoroughly conversant
| with the subject was Assessor Dalton,
who unfortunately was unable TO be
present
After explaining to the delegation that
the citation had been issued for the
purpose of equalizing the assessments of
the various counties throughout the State,
Equalizer Beamer said there had been
rumors to the effect that the State Board
of Equalization was antagonistic 10 Ala
media County but such was not the case.
The board would act fairly with all coun-
ties, without fear or favor.
Talcott disclaimed any feeling against
the board on the part OF any of the MEM
bers of the Alameda delegation, and when
questioned relative to certain valuations
said that he was not as familiar with the
asses ment as perhaps he should be.
He had faith in the Board of EqualiZa-
| ton and was certain that Beamer, who
was questionlng him, was much more ia
millar with the assessment OF Alameda
| County than he was himself.
When questioned on the comparative
| valuations in Alameda and San Francisco
be claimed that they were about the same,
but showed that he was adverse to render
ing any opinion regarding the assessments
on San Francisco property.
During the entire hearing to-day it was
evident that the delegation had no lnten-
tion OF volunteering information, even if
it was in its possession. In this the Ala
| medans adopted tactics different from
those of the counties heard yesterday.
Z esno and Tulare had come forward
with carefully and ella borateiy prepared
data in defense OF their assessments. Ala
media County came forward with empty
| hands.
One reason for this was explained to be
that thew had depended upon Assessor
Henry P. Dalton, but that he had been
! taken sick and was unable to appear.
| The assessment WAS his, they explained,
end he alone was thoroughly familiar
! with it.
Eventually Supervisor Roeth took the
| floor ana stated that the reduction in the
! roll from last year was due TO specific re-
ductons in certain classes of property,
! and was not general throughout the
county.
| Then Equalizer Beamer produced list
| containing what he knew about Alameda
property, and proposed 10 make life I'M
HAPPY for the entire delegation.
| He dem strated that the property OF
| Elijah Hook in Oakland was assessor al
| only S29, $50, and yet Leading bank had
recently loaned $50 coo on the property
| The property Of J. f. Houghton was as
sessed Tor $500. but when it was burned
| w. Baker, railroad attorney, was not on
the roll, and yet he carried $4,000 on per-
! sonal property.
| Ranches throughout the county were
| assessed far below the amount of mort
| cages they carried, and man named
! Heaton had decided property to the Miller
heirs for $4,000 that was assessed for
$Sl75.
| Supervisor Roeth said that he he'd
| heard that it was the intention of the
board to raise the assessment OF the
| county no matter what action was taken
| by the Supervisors.
! "How's that?" exclaimed Morehouse,
twas it you that made that remark ?"
mo: not l." answered Roeth II
|
that we ought not to presume that the
| board would raise our ssessment, but
! that we should go ahead, believing that
! we would be treated fairly"
! my experience is" Morehouse said,
that the larger the county the less
| knowledge the Supervisors have of indi-
! vidual assess ments. | would suggest to
| YOU that you pay less attention to the
! State Board OF Equalization and more at
! tention to your Assessor.
| Follow up your assessor. Pay m ore
! attention to him and see that he is fairly
assessing property IN your county and
| YOU will have no trouble with this board.
| If YOU are fairly assessed, as compared
with other counties. you will not be-
| ra ised."
! Roeth claimed that the Supervisors had
! no time 10 devote to the Assessor, and
! Morehouse remarked that Roeth seemed
| to know little about the assessed value of
! property in his county, but that he and
! his confreres had come to Sacramento
| with the general proposition that they
| were airly assessed
! Roeth ret 1rt d that il was understood
| that the Equalizers had armed themselves
with large amount OF data, and that all
the Supervisors had to do was to ans wer
questions.
Morehouse answered that the board had
data all right. but that would not have
| prevented the ultIflSOlo llOih CoiACStAHb
| da Ia also.
Deputy Assessor Richards concluded
the proceedings by reading a list OF
figures from his roll showing reductions
and increases in values.
l.. A. Spitzer, Assessor of Santa Clara
! County, accompanied by Elmer Rec,
| chairman of the Comfy Board OF
| Superv isors, and Supervisors Sam
uel Ayers, Paul Austin and John
roll. appeared and presented a request for
| a reduction of 20 per cent in the assess
ment roll of that county, as an Offset to
the citation to appear and show cause why
| their county's assessment should not be
raised owing to a falling off from last
years roll of over $500,000.
The application dealt largely with sta
tistics but the gist OF it was that there had
teen heavy falling off in the value of
! outside real estate.
The people of Santa Clara, Austin said,
had been progressive and had spent a
| great deal of money in advertising their
resources. For years the assessment roll
OF the county had increased rapidly. The
! roll had more than Kept pace with the
| growth . population and improvement
As Spnz.r has ne Id the position of AS
! SCISSOR OF this county for seventeen years