The record-union., 1897-09-02

diu not DeleVe that he could sell ms
land to-day for the face of his assess
ment
Many ranches have been decided to
the banks for the face of the mort
cages and interest, and in some in
stances the banks have refused TO
take them on those terms. He had not
farmed some of his land for the past
two years, and had gained money by
not doing so. In 1895 his prospect for
a large crop was fine, but the rust that
year ruined it and he did not cut it.
He had made advances for the past two
years TO his tenants, in order to allow
them TO put in their crops, and had
given them the interest on his adj
vances. in order to keep them from
throwing up the sponge and quitting
He had about 5000 acres in Merced
County joining his Stanislaus ranch,
and about 5000 acres in MADEIRA Coun-
ty. His land has. been running him in
debt Tor the last few years.
There are other large land owners in
the county. j. d. Patterson owns
about $1,000, and Mrs. r. B. Smith
about 10000, and there are others.
Mr.. Richards owned only $500 acres,
he said, and was glad of it. He had
farned on the west side since 1869.
At first the assessments were low, but
eight or ten years ago the boom over
the State struck the east side Of the
county, and the assessments were
raised throughout the county, and were
made entirely too high. There had
been three complete failures of crops
since 1870. Ten sacks for winter SOW
inn c~tx- fol ic
considered a big crop.
Mr.. Broughton cited facts and fig
ures to show that for the past few
years mis- bank has been accommodating
land, but since last March has been
selling some for about the principal
loan, losing the interest. There is a
little better feeling in lands than there
has been, and there have been some
actual sales that We're not forced sales.
He presented a long list of property
taken Ay his bank on foreclosure, which
it offers for the assessment price, or
less
Mr. Pearley presented a list of affi-
davits showing by actual sales of prop
erty that the Assessor was justified
in making a reduction this year from
the assessment of 1896 One affidavit
showed that country land assessed in
1896 for 100000 and in 1897
for $190,000 had sold in that time
for $lS5, 900. He read a statement
showing that certain property recently
sold was assessed in 1896 for % 1-3 per
cent more than it sold for, and in 1897
for % per cent. more than it sold for.
While they felt that Assessor Campbell
had assessed the county too high, they
felt that he had been fair and uniform
in his assessment. The figures he pre-
sented, he considered, entitled his coun-
ty to q reduction of $632, 900 from the
Assessors figures.
He also presented a number of af-
fidavits from persons to the effect that
they were willing to sell their land for
a. less price than they are assessed for.
In answer to a question as to the as
sessment of Merced County, he said
there We're two large interpretations in
that county, the Miller & Lux estate,
and the Crocker- Hoffman estate, and it
was possible the Assessor preferred to
keep the assessment up on that ac-
count, they being non-residents.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY.
c. L. Ortman. Assessor; A. S. Hen
derson, Chairman Board of Supervis-
ors, Supervisors A. J. Hemphiu, r. e.
Wilhott and Deputy Assessor ]. w.
Willy were the representatives of San
Joaquin before the board in the after
noon and told in what bad condition
the county was.
The assessment roll has fallen off ST.,
100000 from last years figures and
Deputy Assessor Willy said it was all
on outside real estate and improve
ments, which last year were assessed
higher. The Assessor last year as
sessed the Valley Road and the Corral
Hollow Road, which are this year as
sessed by the State Board of Equaliza-
ton.
The farming land on Roberts Island
is assessed for $50. There is land
nearer the city and adjoining it that
is assessed at $50 and from that down
to $50 On Dry Greek, the land is as
sessed at S24, SIG and 50. He thought
that it was probably as high an as
sessment as that of Sacramento Coun-
ty on the creek.
Assessor Ortman said that he did
not assess National Banks this year, by
AuNlCe OI the OlSlIltl AltOIHGy, DQl
would assess them if he could be shown
authority for doing so. The highest
assessment in Stockton was $3.50 a
front foot, near the Court House.
Mr. Wilhoit said he had lived in San
Joaquin County for forty-five years and
was familiar with values and the sys-
tenn of assessment He thought that
the assessment was too high and had
appeared before the local Board of Su-
peIvisors on behalf of himself and 9TH
ers, but the assessment was uniform
and he did not see how some could be
reduced for some without reducing it
for ALL He felt that, if the Assessor
made his assessment on his own iudg-
ment, without reference to the State
Board of EQUALIZATION and the other
counties, it would be considerably low
er He thought that property should
be assessed without regard to any out
side influences.
Chairman Morehouse said that was
true from one point of view, but not
from another The State Boards bust
ness is to see that the whole State was
uniformly assessed, as near as possible.
Supervisor Henderson said that his
board thought the assessment should
be reduced twenty per cent. and had
concluded to ask for that reduction.
City property was too high. in fact
everything was too high. In spite of
the fact that two new railroads have
been built and other improvements
made, he stuck to his opinion. He
thought that the assessment of $50 an
acre was entirely too high for farming
lands. He felt that twenty per cent
reduction would about equalize San