The Portland daily press., 1898-09-28
DEERING.

Many people are of the opinion that the
life of an assessor of taxes in any mu-
nicipality is a pleasant as we'll as an
easy one. Few people realize the fault
finding, much of which, is unjust, that
is heaped upon them. The following are
extracts from a letter received day or
so ago by City Treasurer L. B. Jones,
from a nonresident tax payer who for
warded q check for the payment of the
tax against an estate which has just
come into the hands of the non-residents
as administrator: 1.-THE real estate tax
is p robbery and steal, an Infamous
outrage on honesty. l pay the same I'M
der protest and only because am COM
PEELED to do SO. Any honest men chosen
of fair and just city would
treat residents and non residents with
equal fairness. But doubling the assessed
valuation of the properly simply because
held by non-residents is only robbery un-
der color of law. I pay the real estate tax
under protest, that the valuation is I'M
just excessive and Illegal and make ap-
pIication for repayment of..excessive tax.
I have written a protest on the back of
the bill for real estate tax and also an
acceptance of notice of protest. OF course
Mr.. Jones, I do not in the least blame
you as I know it is outside the province
of your office. The assessors are the ex-
tortioners.''
The assessors of taxes, Messrs. j. II.
Hutchins, E. E. Rand and G. B. Varney
have this to say OF this particular case:
eve feel that language of the nature
used in the above letter is unwarranted
in view of the fact that the administra.
tor is not fully aware of.the circum-
stances that led o.the. increasing of the
valuation of the property in question. 1t
is frequently the case that property is
held for years at lower valuation than
1t is really worth. There are also various
things that oft times cause the value OF
real estate to advance. In this particular
case there was property of nonresident
adjoining that tho assessors considered
should have higher valuation and &C.
cordingly both were increased to what
was considered a fair valuation, in fact
the second nonresident property owner
was present with the assessors and agreed
that it was "a just valuation. The tax
to him this summer for the first time
since he: became the administrator of.the
estate The letter quoted in this column
was the reply. which the assessors received
when the bill was paid"
The assessors cite this as one of the
numerous complaints that they are
obliged to listen to. They say that for
the small salary received. and to endure
what they are called upon to do in the
discharge of their duty, makes the work
anything but an agreeable task.
ACCIDENT TO A. A. CILLEY AND
SON.
Quite severe accident occurred early
yesterday morning to Mr.. Augustine "A.
Cilley, the milkman and his young son,
who reside at Pride's Corner Mr.. Cilley
was driving a new horse and was neaf
the residence of Mr.. Freeman Kinney
when the accident occurred. Mr.. Cilley
applied the whip lightly to his horse.
The horse bo1ted, breaking the tugs and
allowing, the wagon to go forward on to
the horses legs. This. frightened the ami
NAL and he made a quick spring for the
side of 1.-The road, ,overturning the wagon
and throwing Mr.. Cilley and his son into
the ditch with great force. Prompt as
sistance was rendered them and they
were taken into a neighboring. house and
medical laid summoned. Mr.. Cilley was
found to have sustained a severe fracture
of one shoulder and one Of the boy s
legs had been broken. The bones were
set and they we're then conveyed to their
home The horse continued on the run
and finally took to the railroad tracks.
running some distance before being capt
ured.
Rev. M. q. Carroll will give free lect-
IRE at Trinity chapel, Woodfords, this
evening on Part l., Mendelssohn's Elijah.
This is the second lecture in the course
1t is suggested that the chorus members
bring their books.