The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-24
The aaieha Haly eagle sunday 9orme january "a. 1887

when il becomes subject to deed let il be
sold by thesheriff 10 the highest bidder
al public auction subject to the Jaw new
in force governing the sale OF property
under he foreclosure of a NOR gage.
Empowering The sheriff upon the pay
men. BY the purchaser Of the amount al
which the property was bid of. BY him
10 give said purchaser immediate posses
sion OF al property so sold. And az the
end Of six months, IL the owner or any
person claiming an equity in such said
property sold. shall not have paid 10 the
sheriff TIE amount Of such said taxes,
with interest thereon, together with costs
Of sale thereof, the Sheriff shall make To
the purchaser at sucn tax sale sheriff :
deed ID such property
Under the present law the property Is
sold in September. 1899, for 1892 taxes.
And il is sold or indorsed 70 the county
each succeeding year until 1896. when il
becomes subject 20 tax deed on the
payment OF the taxes of 1892 with interest
and penalties added, leaving the taxes Of
1875, 1894 and 1895 unpaid. Any person
who has the money may go 70 the treas
Urer's office. take the 1892 certificate. pre-
sent IL 10 the county clerk. who issues q
deed Il he desires to remove the build
ings, there is no law TO prevent him from
doing 50. The only remedy for the orig
inal owner. OF property thus removed is
10 begin an action 10 set aside his tax
deed. this done and he must begin a civil
action for the recovery OF damages Sus-
tanned by the removal OF such buildings.
Notwithstanding the inefficiency of the
| law to protect the county, the city asses
sOr. backed by the county commissioners
and sheriff in playing strong game Of
bluff a large sum Of money has been
saved TO the county that otherwise would
have been lost. Again, there is one
agency here that has large number OF
houses that are IL rsntable condition that
are subject 10 deed. You find buyer
for this property, by tax deed, the agent
a. once informs his renter that he can re-
main in the house at less rent than ne
has been paying and in some instances
giving the rent free in order 20 hold pos
session of the property, and thereby foil
the sale by the county. for the reason
that they cannot give possession.
Of course the conditions here are IN
usual and peculiar. But some definite
course of procedure should be enacted TO
cover all these points in legal way.
It IS a useless effort 10 undertake TO
get any equitable legislation through the
legislatures. There are 100 many states
men.
l desire to say that after ten years ex-
perience IN this city, as deputy assessor
and assessor. that the subject Of assess
lnent and taxation is one OF the most diff
ficult problems OF the day. And there
are but 80 few people who understand
anything Of me intricacies of an equal
and just assessment, so that every person
pays as much and no more than any
other according 10 what they possess.
This city and county has a certain
- Af 20 ~ rt1
current expenses and pay interest on its
bonded indebtedness. If the 1896 assess
rnenr had been multiplied by five, the
corner of Main street and Douglas ave-
nue., which is assessed at $12, 900, would
have been $4,000. The rate now is per
cent. Ii assessed at 100000 it would have
been l per cent provided every other
piece Of property was assessed relatively
rhe same. 1t may easily be seen that the
equalization and not the amount is the
only secret of Just assessment.