The San Francisco call., 1897-07-15
Mr.. Black Ryan and the
Assessor Have Their
Annual Seance.
Properties Assessed by the State
Board Reduced to a
Minimum.
Other Corporations File Applications
to Have Their Assessments
Reduced.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, I
Rrn...i 1 1

QUO DTOdOWay, JuIy II
The real battle over the assessments OF
Assessor Dalton commenced to-day when
+. Black Ryan. TAX agent Of the
Southern Pacific Company appeared be-
fore the Board of Equalization and hand
ed in mum Der of applications. The COM
Iany asked that the assessment be placed
1T the same figures as those decided upon
by the board last year.
Mr.. Ryan was ACCOMPANIED by several
engineers of the company, who were pre-
pared to testify as to the value of its prop
erty, and no time was lost in considering
the application.
The ground was al gone over very
thoroughly a year ago. The questions
were examined into at length, and piers,
lines. ferryboats and their values were the
bur den of several long sessions. 1t ended
bv the board, largely on account OF the
advice of the State Board OF Equalization,
making large cuts IN the Assessors s
figures.
In some instances it was shown that the
same property had been assessed twice,
once by the State and oGce by the county;
and as equalizers cannot strike an assess
ment from The rolls these properties were
reduced to a nominal figure.
This year the Assessor made the figures
the same as last year, thus placing the
responsi bility OF making the cuts again
with the Supervisors.
The reductions asked Tor by the COM
pany are as follows:
Improvements at the end of the wharf
depot from S45, 900 10 S25, 900; Centervill e
horse railroad, from $500 to $1,000; 2.09
miles electric railway on Telegraph avenue,
from $40, $50 TO Sl1, 500 35 miles OF cable
on San Pablo avenue, fiOm $S3, 225 o SAT 600;
franchise on the same, from S71 900 to
O,O00; 2.O4 miles electric road in Berkeley,
from S43,35O 10 SO, ,l23; .35 OF mile
OF cable road near Park avenue, from
$I1,750 TO $4,000; IA miles electric road near
University grounds, from S25, 800 10 $500
.23 OF a mile Of electric road AlCatra2
avenue. from $2525 to $500; franchise on
these last TWO lines from $4,000 10 $1,000.
Sixty acres OF marsh land west OF the line o
Marketstreet Oak and. from SIS 900 to 81 500
A tract of marsh land comprising 447.5
acres, bounded north and east by the Oakland
hsrbor, from $l34 ,225 10 $65, 600.
An undivided interest in a tract OF marEh
land, bounded north and east by oakland
| haTboT, com prising 43O.37 acres, from $l29,-
moo to $65 600.
A Ferry depot at the end of the broad-gauge
mole from, $3.50, 900 to SS5. 900. i'm provements
I 81 long wharf, from $I5 900 o $1,000.
Three and half miles OF road with rolling
stock, $l75 900; forty miles of sidetracks,
$50 600; franchise, $3.50, 900; 5000 feet of
long wharf, $250.000, making total OF S735,
600, which was asked 10 be reduced to $40
With a few exceptions the reductions
asked are the same as those granted last
year. long inquiry into the values OF
the proper ties of the company took place.
1t was stated that the Telegraph-aVenue
electric road was paying a little, but the
San Pablo cable road is operated at a
loss.
Mr.. Ryan argued that the properties
should not be assessed at what they cost
originally, al much of it is old and worn
out. He asked for an assessment al the
ngure they would bring if sold in open
market. He stated that the Seventh
street line was part OF the main line just
as much as the narrow-gauge branch and
teing assessed by the Stale board should
not be assessed in this county.
Mr. Dalton argued that the Seventh
street local line and the mole were part of
ststem wholly operated in this county
and should be assessed by this county and
not by the State board. He said the
narrow-gauge line is part Of the main
line, but the Seventh-street local is not.
Several times during the day the opin-
ions of the District Attorney were sought
on various points. Assistant District At
tOrney Church declined to advise the
Sur ervisors, because he has a brother on
the board, and all matters were referted 70
Mr. Shook.
After a morning and afternoon of arpu-
ment the board voted to reduce the assess
men Us on the CeNeIlD street ana Berkeley
lands 10 ten dollars as they are assessed
by the State board. The vote was. ayes.
Talcott, Mitchell and Church; noes
Wells and Roeth.
The board also voted to reduce the as
sessment of The Piedmont and Mountain
View Railroad Company 10 about the
same figures as those on which taxes were
paid last year.
An application was received from the
Adams estate heirs asking that the as
sessment on Oakland property be reduced
from $l56 900 to $50, 400