The record-union., 1897-09-04

pduh not Nad real estate III the cOuH-
ty he would have collected the assess
nlent
Equalizer Morehouse then got back to
assessments on city property, and sug-
gested that in fixing the valuations of
the same the Assessor had overlooked
his hand, and that business blocks in
Santa Rosa We're assessed higher than
any property in Sacramento.
Assessor Berkey replied that in max
ing his assessment he had fixed values
on Sacramento property at what they
are worth, and not according TO values
fixed iIy the Assessors of Stockton, or
Marysville, or Santa Rosa 1t made
absolutely no difference to him what
property in other counties is valued at,
as he attended strictly to his own busi-
ness aad expected his neighbors to do
likewise
In conclusion, the matter was held
open fvr further hearing, provided the
District Attorney and the Board of Su-
perYisors wished to be heard, but the
Assessor expressed the belief that no
further hearing viii be demanded as
the Beard Of Supervisors had depended
upon him TO present the matter for the
consideration of the board
MENDOCINO'S PLEA.
At the mornings session Mendocino
County made answer to its citation,
through w. P. McFaul, Assessor G. A.
Sturtevant District Attorney, and John
Flanagan. Supervisor
The Auditors report, as prepared by
the Board of Supervisors, showed that
within the last year there had been
n IN, Of CQE1
mostly in redwood timber land
The State Board of Equalization new
er, for some reason, received the Audi
tors return, and a mistake in the re-
turn sent in by the Assessor made 1t
appear that the decrease in values
amounted to nearly 100000.
Chairman MorehOuse intimated that
had the board received the Auditors 5
return, showing that the falling off in
values had been only SOL 900 the
county might not have been cited to
appear and show cause why the as
sessment should not be raised
District Attorney G. A Sturtevant
read q long list of dispositions from
owners of timber lands in Mendocino
County, all of which showed that tim
Der aud grazing lands were assessed
much higher than the owners We're Of
fering to sell for. Depreciations in
timber ard grazing lands, according to
the depositions, have within the past
year been from % to 30 per cent, and
none o. the land at this time is valued
higher than So per acre
In answer to question by Chairman
MorehOuse, Assessor McFaul said that
as compared with the statements set
forth in the dispositions, his assess
ments had been too high.
Mr. Sturtevant said he felt salts
fed that instead of being raised, the as
sessment of Mendocino County proper
ty ought to be reduced. The sheep in
dustry Of that section, he said, is suffer-
ing, not SO much from lack of a suffi-
cient tariff as from coyotes. He, how
ever, thought that personal property
was assessed at about its proper value,
and that the same might also be said
concerning farming land and city and
town lots. The principal depreciation
in land values, he said, is due to the
fact that the grazing land in the county
is worn out, and that the competition
in the lumber business is so great as to
make timber lands practically value
less.
In conclusion, Assessor McFaul re-
quested that q. reduction in assessed
values of from to 10 per cent. be
made. The board took the matter un-
der advisement
Upon the conclusion of Mendocino's
hearing, Sonoma County made answer
to its citation through NJ V Wander
hoof. Assessor; Emmett SeawelI Dis
trict Attorney; E. S. Gray, Herbert
Hustin. J. Putnam and f. S. Hayden,
Supervisors; w. d. Reynolds and A P
Overton. taxpayers.
Assessor Vanderhoof stated that con-
ditions of certain land in Mendocino
County applied TO similar land in So
noma in every particular While the
latter county has not so much timber
land as the former, it's grazing land is
in q similar condition. The roll of So
nOma County, the Assessor said, has
been reduced from that of 1896 nearly
5000 900, mostly on farming land
Grazing land, he said, is assessed at
from 81 to 81 per acre, or a little lower
than similar lands in Mendocino Coun-
ty.
He had made no systematic reduc-
tiOns in property valuations, Assessor
VandeIhoof said but on poor farming
land values had, of late, deprecated
so much that he was compelled to make
reductions in order to allow owners to
live and pay taxes.
A considerable loss in values. it was
explained, was on the hop lands in the
county. Hops, during the past year
sold for from l cent to 134 cents per
pound, and the result was that many
hop growers had pulled up their poles
and gone out of the business While
the land is assessed at $125 per acre
the value of vines and poles had been
reduced from $50 to 50 per acre.
Judge Overton. President Of the Santa
Rosa Savings Bank, attacked Assessor
Vanderhoof's assessment, stating that
the latter had kept up the property
valuation of the entire county at the
expense of Santa Rosa When the AS
SCISSOR first took Office he raised values
on the complainant's property $4,000
at one fell swoop. Since then he had
assessed buildings on the same at a
higher figure than their original cost
had been, and to-day they could be
replaced for p per cent. less than the
original cost Judge Overton contended
that Santa Rosa property had been as
sessed higher than that of any other
city in the surrounding country.
The further statements made by As
sesso~ Tanderhoof referred to rentals
and prices offered for property. all of
which was intended to chOu 4l,c+ &c