The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-04
Dcard of Equalization Members
Get Very Personal.
eeNp OUT LITTLE NOTICES.
2~ery Time the board Thinks n Per-
- Does Not Make an Honest Re-
Fturn 1t Summons Him To Appear
AID Expiain-Pe0pie Who MAKE
Guany Returns - C0anciimsn
Soaes Has 1t In for Snloon.
!.

OF late years the county commissioners
and the city coGnciimen who co,ruoxs go
board OF equalization have managed -,
onse great deal OF quiet fun during .ha
snasal sessions OF that body, discussing
tie iaughable idiosyncrasies of the ,ony-
suffering taxpayer. as discovered by ,sa
county assessor and set form d. sx fsfsng n,
the personal property TAX assessment rolls
Tine session Of the board which commenced
Monday and will continue three weeks
promises to be no exception 10 the r,.le
Judging by the mid hilarity the six gravs
tax equailzers INDUCED In yesterday.
Just nov the board is making al, exam.
inzfion Of the personal property assess
Uent rolls, name by name, with a vseu Of
discovering cases OF undervaiiation or
failure 10 report POSSESSION of saxal,ie mar
scnal property to the assessor. As the
names are read off by Commissioner Ntrk-
erSon. each taxpayers assessment il can.
sidered separately and Critically. ana If
any member Of the board Considers tina,
IN attempt has been made to defraud ,b.
b added 10 a list which IL kept i.v the ,l..rt,
q the board and which now contains T,,,rg,
than hundred names. The next day ne
receives neatly printed postal card nor
Tying him 10 appear before the hoard ara
show cause why bis assessment should uot
d raised.
County Commissioner Ryan and Council
men James. Rnehart and Taylor are al
old residents OF Seattle and County Com,
suts nnxna nj tel
near knowing every taxpayer in the conn
try districts OF the county, so the gauntlet
. suspected assessment has TO run IL very
risky indeed. Yesterday the board finish
% the examination of the roll through the
letter C." the names being arranged
alphabetically. and as no dissat sfied. tax
payers appeared 10 demand a reduction Of
assessments and hinder the work, rapid
progress was made
II Is one of Councilman Janes' firncst
opinions that lawyers and saloon men are
good people to watch in locking over tie
osaessment rolls. Under his direction each
lawyer and law firm IL ordered as a mat
Ger of course. 10 appear and answer point
cd questions regarding value of law IL
trares. etc. As for saloon anen when
Councilman james hears the announce
msnt that liquor dealer values his prop
erty 81 less than $3.50 he looks up over his
eyeglasses at the clerk.
Il guess We had best call that party up
before us Mr. Clerk" he says. and down
goes another name on the list Of suspects.
Many a saloonkeepcr has been found SO
Tar who has ,fnderestlmated the value OF
his personal property on a prima facie
showing. In Councilman James opinion.
Iii the country districts some queer state
menis were gathered by the assessor.
One taxpayer al Enumclaw states that his
persona property Is plano worth SD aud
furniture worth 81. Another man says all
that ne owns IN the world Is three watches.
having n total value of 81. A wealthy man
In the city, after returning for taxation
$1,000 worth OF furniture says his watch -
worth st. The board is not certain whether
he Eas In Jest or earnest. Joseph La
CbApene. at Enumclaw, reports hts only
uersonal property s. worth Of work horses.
In defense OF neighbor Commissioner
Eiakerson told the board that i.aChapeiis's
work horses are one cayuse pony.