Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-16
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
STATE ASSESSORS REPORT :
Shows On Increase IN valuation d $3,ste,
l47 Over Last Year.

"
i47 Over Last Year.
The State assessors submitted their
annual report to the Governor and
Council. Wednesday afternoon.
The report shows gain OF over three
and one-half millions. and this is con-
sidered as very large, as it is the year
that the local assessors report IS given,
which is always considered conserva-
tive.
The report submitted contains in DE-
tail, all statistics. in tabulated form.
of valuations which have been received
from the cities, towns and plantations
of the State, with schedules of all cor
poration taxes assessed by the board
during the year Also a tabular state
ment Of the State taxes which are as
sessed against the cities. towns, plan
tations and unorganized townships in
the State, for the year 1898.
The total amount of the real and
personal estate as returned is 1921, $780,
801, an increase of $3.51S.147 above SIM
liar returns for the year 1896. OF this
total valuation 77.13 per cent. is real
estate, and 22.87 per cent is personal
estate. The 20 cities of the State return
a total valuation of $129.910.290. of
which 1872 per cent. is real estate, and
26.77 is personal estate. There are 80
towns with valuation above 81 .OOOO 900
and a total valuation of $47. 09S. 1852. of
which 1857 per cent is real and
20.43 per cent is personal property.
There SO towns with valuations above
$500, 900. and less than $1.000,O00. and
total valuation of $36,571.7 40. of which
SO4 per cent. is real estate and 1876 per
cent. is personal property.
The remaining towns all with valu-
atoms less than 100000 to large eX-
tent farming towns. without large vii
lagos. and including plantations. re-
turn a total valuation of $6S, 1896, 009. of
which 81 per cent is real estate and 10
per cent. personal property In ex-
tending this inquiry still farther. and
comparing county with county, city
with city. and town with town. it is
found more uneven proportion of
real and personal estate. Under actual
conditions which exist, this is, to a con-
siderable extent. inevitable.
The Investigations by the board have
been mainly devoted to ascertaining
how nearly the returns Of valuation Of
the real and personal estate represent
a full value of the taxable property in
the several cities and towns; and they
desire to express their appreciation of
the candor and consideration shown by
the municipal assessors who have at
tended the meetings which they have
oII 90 tln
during the year. They have rendered
them valuable assistance in the prose-
cution of their work. Three hundred
and eighteen of the cities, towns and
plantations return higher valuation
of real estate than in 1896. The total
valuation of real estate is $2l7. 425. 1865,
an increase of 3d. 49,. 944 from 1896. APP
prOximately $5OO,OOO of this increase is on
account of property heretofore exempted
from taxation. and which appears this
year for the first time on the taxable
lists; the remaining increase of $3.500OOO
practically represents new buildings and
improvements.
While many increases in land values
have been made. on the other hand. there
have been numerous reductions, and in
effect one offsets the other. deprecia-
ton in the market value of farms is quite
generally claimed. 1t is not. however,
claimed. nor does it appear. that the pro-
ductive capacity of the farms has dimin-
ished. The low prices of farm products
which have prevailed in recent years,
have unquestionably produced depres-
sion In farm values. and have affected
unfavorably every branch of trade and
industry in the State. The personal prop
erty returned amounts to $64. 451, G35. re-
duction of $477.797 from the amount re-
turned in 1896. Live stock is returned on
a lower basis of values than in any year
of which we have statistics. and the total
value is $1;078,788 less than in 1896. The
deficient hay crop of 1896 made it neces-
sary for many farmers to reduce their
herds; with this fact fully considered the
number returned is more than we could
reasonably expect
We append a table showing the total
number and average value of each class
as returned for the year 1896 and 1897
comparison will show marked increases
in some classes. and equally important
decreases in others. and a quite uniform
reduction in average values; with the
bountiful hay crop of the present year.
a marked increase in all classes of live
stock for the year 1898 can reasonably be
expected.
-1S96- -1S91-
H.. Avar-