The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-28
COUNTY BOARD At WORK.
Revising the Bunco Assess
ments Of the North Hud-
son Rotten Boroughs.

The County Board for the Equalization
of Taxes held a meeting yesterday after
noon and made some changes in the
valuations of Union Hill, West Hoboken,
Weehawken, Kearny and Hoboken. En-
cept in Hoboken the valuations were in
creased and in nearly every case the in
creases were made at the request or the
assessors.
Assessor Daniel Sturm of the Town Of
Union asked and received permission to
add $500 0 to the value OF the realty. The
change of mind OH the part of the as
SCISSOR is attributed to the strong protest
made several days ago by Christian Beck
er against the assessors method of fixing
the valuations. The addition of the $780, 600
raises the real estate valuation to $780,
700 and the total real and personal to
IS, s34. 200.
The Board added tx .ooO to the valuation
of the real estate in Kearny, making 1t
So, 594, 600, and the total s.. $50, e00. The Com
missioners, on investigation. had found
the assessment on certain property too
low.
The appeal OF the Hoboken Land and
Improvement Company and the Stevens
estate from a valuation of $4S,9O0 on a
strip of property along the river road VS.
considered 1t was shown that the
valuation was high, compared with the
State Boards valuation OF road property,
but low compared with the assessment
on adjoining upland property Assessor
Joseph ]. Guisto represented the Hoboken
Ia Board. but the Land and Improve
ment Company had no representative
present. Commissioners Morgan suggest
ed that q reduction might as well be
made. as the Board would be confronted
with the State Boards figures and he
moved that a REDUCTION Of s22, 400 be made
motion was adopted. with the understand
ing that the reduction need not neces-
sarily apply to the Land and Improve
of which is disputed, but may be dis
tributed according to the best judgment
of the Tax Commissioners.
Assessor McDermott of West Hoboken.
was requested TO explain why he had
failed to include In his assessment a num-
Der of new houses in his bailiwick. Com
maps show that JAS new houses have been
erected. There were 4 brick houses. I22
frame and % sheds, shops and outhouses.
Instead of an increase the Assessors re-
turns show a decrease.
Assessor OtDonnell of Weehawken was
also called upon to. explain why he had
not made returns of new buildings. The
Insurance maps show that building has
been very active in Weehawken- During
the year 65 brick houses, SOB frame and
81 of a miscellaneous character have been.
erected. Assessor 0tDonnell has failed
to include rs of these new buildings In his
assessment; The Assessor was also short
vi A1CL y Cal liz <1CCNSGOI Edii
tEat he had been unable to find the
houses.
Commissioner Mclean said that the fig
ures he produced were official, as they
were taken from the insurance maps.
O,Donnell explained that he probably
counted two houses on one lot.
How else would YOU count them?" ask
ed Commissioned CLARK.
Com missioner Mclean pointed out that
the water front in North Bergen is as
sessed higher than the water trent In
Weehawken, although not nearly so VAL
uable. O'Donnell admitted hearing stated
to the Town Council that he had made
hfr assessments at about IS to 40 per
rent. of the real value. and he added.
81 think that is doing very well since Ho-
boken took o lot of the property" DsDon-
nelYs attention was also called to a short
age in his assessment Of personal prop
erty. Mr.. Clark said that O'Donnem does
not assess personal property where a man
pWn a house.
Commissioner MeLean moved that Is per
eent. be added to the valuation OF the
realty to make up for the shortage. Conn