The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-06
ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS CUT
FROM THE ASSESSMENT
NEW STREET CAR TRACKS
Great Improvements to Be Made on
Spring and Main Streets-Public
Works Recommendation


This includes deductions made on account
of mortgages held by the board of regents
of the University of California and the
allowances for erroneous assessments of
surplus fund and undivided profits of sew
eral of the banks about which there has
been SO much difference Of opinion.
Yesterdays session was again productive
Of quite a little excitement and bellicose
spirit seemed to pervade the members, for
there were tiffs between Councllmen Baker
and Hutchinson, Nickel and Mathuss, be-
sides full-hedged row between the repre-
sentative from the First ward and exDep-
uty City Assessor Waldron, in which Mr..
Nickel gave the Populist verbal dressing
down and threatened to kick him out of the
council chamber
Shortly after the afternoon session came
to order Mr.. Nickel sauntered over toward
the lobby smoking his cigar and leaned
against the railing which separates the
sheep from the goats. the public from their
servants No sooner had he arrived within
conversations! distance than he was
bounced Upon by Waldron, who has haunt
cd the lobby since his abortive attempt to
create political capital for himself and dis
credit the city assessor failed on Wednes-
day afternoon. Without preliminaries
Waldron proceeded to threaten Mr. Nick
ell with political annihilati ton for his ac-
ton IN voting to pigeon-hole the former S
communication, saying: "I'll give it to you
fellows when you run for office this fall.
I'm going to expose you in the speeches
shall make during the campaign"
The first intimation those in the chamber
had that anything was wrong was when
Mr.. Nickel suddenly backed away from
Waldron, saying. in loud voice: well,
you can go to h, that's all I've got to
say to you. You can't threaten me, and
don't give d. for you or your influence"
With this Nickel turned away explain
ing to those Of his colleagues who crowded
around inquiring the cause of the disturb
ance what had been said, and that he
didn't propose to be threa tened by any
id Anarchist ard that If Waldron
opened his mcvt1 again he would kick
him into the hall" Waldron did not say
any more, hu. subsidized, and thus saved
himself from tho threatened ejectment.
Just previous to this affair Councilmen
Baker and Hutchinson had war of words
over the matter of the assessment of the
surplus and undivided profits of the banks
Hutchinson could not see the matter in the
light in which it was viewed by his col
leagues, and insisted that undivided profits
were legitimate subject of taxation. AS
Bakers argument failed to convince him
the latter threw out dark insinuation as
to the mental caliber of the Eighth ward
representative, which was answered In
kind, and several uncomplimentary re-
marks were exchanged. A call to order
brought the disputants to their senses and
the matter dropped.
orai in 1at in ha oft
motion of Mr.. Mathuss, petition for re-
duction was being considered, Mr.. Nickel
ventured to inquire what was the reason
for asking the reduction, the Third ward
member replied with some heat, evidently
considering the inquirya reflection on him
self in some way. Before more than q
couple of words had passed. however, the
gavel of President Silver cut short the dis
pute. thus ending the last wrangle of the
day.
The cuts made during the session were
numerous and heavy, the principal ones
being: Los Angeles Electric company, So
900 reduction on franchise; Edison Electric
company, from $4,000 to $4,000 on fran
chise; Traction company, from $40, 900 to
$4,000 on franchise; Pasadena and Pacific
railway, from $4,000 to $4,000 on franchise;
reduction on mileage refused. These re-
auctions on franchises were made to strike
an average on valuations Of the above
mentioned railroad companies as compared
to the Los Angeles Railway company.
Heavy reductions were made for the
banks. The Farmers and Merchants was
reduced $39643 on account of erroneous as
sessment on exchanges in the clearing
house. A citation calling upon the Mer-
chants National bank to show cause why
1t should not be assessed $2O,957 for sur
plus and undivided profits was dismissed.
The First National bank was granted a
reduction of $191 ,943 on surplus and undi-
vided profits; the Los Angeles National
$12. GOO for the same cause, as also the Ma
tional Bank of California $lS,745 for the
same reason. The appeal of the Citizens
bank for a reduction from 1923 to ST.
423 on the ground of excessive assessment,
was denied.
The reduction from $10O 900 to $50 900 on
the stock of the PeoNie store was al
lowed. The Henne block assessment was
cut from $4,000 to $4,000, and another $685.
600 chunk was clipped off on mortgage
deduction, the mortgage being held by the
state university regents. Another allow
ance of the same nature was $1G0, 900 to J.
3. Lankershim for a mortgage on his prop
erty. On the Lanfranco building assess
ment cut from s23 900 to $40 900 was made.
F. w. Braun was allowed a reduction from
s25 900 to $4,000 on his North Main street
building, and H. w. Hellman was allowed
$1,000 on various small pieces of property.
l. W. Hellman got s4700 allowance for four
feet Of his Spring and Fourth street 'front.'
age, the land having been condemned by
the city for street purposes. The applica-
ton for a reduction on the Potomac block
from $19s $50 to 100000 was denied.
BY Attorney Burke, Bishop Montgomery,
the custodian of the property of the Cath
Ollie church in this city, put in applications
for the following reductions: The cathe-
dral, store on corner of Main and Second
streets and bishops residence from $780,
900 to $50, 900; on the old Plaza chu4th, from
$23, 600 to $4,000. and on the parochial
school on Los Angeles street from $1,000 to
$4,000. AS the board lacked definite knowl-
edge of the matter, 1t was postponed for
hearing until this morning.
Today's session will wind up the work
of the board.