The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-02-03
THE HARTzLER
DITCH CASE,
Tax Payers Whose Assessments
Were Raised, Want Their
Money Returned.

Tax payers who were assessed to
build the Harz,er Ditch in Union
township, on coming to pay their taxes,
found, in number of cases, that their
assessments had been increased, and on
investigation discovered that the Fl cures
on the official estimate made by Survey
or CHM had been raised in several
cases. These changes had been made
after the fiusl revision of the estimates
by the Commissioners, and was done
without their knowledge or that of the
Auditor.
Mr.. CHM admits that he made the
changes, but says it was not done to
defraud, but that the first estimate was
TOO low, AMI that in order to sell the
ditch with the least expense to those
interested he raised the estimate and
changed the figures. Ole of the parties
who bid off part of the work, failed to
fulfill his contract, and Mr.. CHM sold it
again to the bidders at higher figure,
without advertising.
Whatever his motives the course OF
the Engineer in changing the figures
without the knowledge of the Commits
sioners, and without readvertising wss
unsuthoriz I'd, contrary to law, and un-
doubtedly great mistake.
The tax payers who have had theil
ass ssaments raised, have employed an
attorney and have petitioned the Com
missioners to refund their taxes to the
amount raised, and to change the dupli-
cate back to the original assessments.
The case will come before the Com
missioners, Saturday, for a hearing
when the facts in the case will bt
developed.
The petition of the taxpayers and ths
assessments are given below.
If any crooked work has been done i
should be fully exposed, the tax payer
reimbursed, and the guilty partie
punished.
There is a good deal of talk that i
gueeswork, but the whole truth shoul,
, be brought out.
To the Commissioners of Logan county, O.
and Charles d. Campbell, Auditor of Lo
gan connty, Ohio:
Now comes the said s. Y. Hartzle
/ in behalf of the following named per
sons, Mrs. John Newell, H. B. Harner
, J. H. Newell, Levi Hayes, D. E. Lem
, en-, J. A. Lemen, E. Magoon, Andrew
} Moore, John Braden, Joseph Byler. M
> A. Brown, Fannie Byler. I. P. Yode1
Joel Zook and the Trustees of Uniol
township, Logan county, Ohio, and say
this petitioner with the above name
, parties are the parties mentioned in tn
report of w. A. Ginn, engineer on tn
Hartzler ditch, as owners of the Ian
} which would be benefited by the i'm
) provement or construction of said ditch
that said report came on for hearing o.
the 4th day of February, 1898, adjourn
3 ed till February 9, 1898, and ON sal
day was heard and confirmed by tn
said board that when said report wa
! read at said hearing in the presence {
this petitioner and all parties which thi
!, petitioner represents, with other Ian
. owners interested, it reported and fixe
= the amount which ought to be assesse
I for costs of survey and construction {
8 said improvement at the followin
8 amount set opposite each person
name: Mrs. John Newell, 500; J.
:, Newell, 81; H. B. Harner, 81; Lee
y Hayes, $96; D. E Lemen, 12(
J. A. Lemen, $130.73; E. Magool
$12.4O; Andrew Moore, SIS; job
70 Braden, $54; Joseph Byler, s.
M. A. Brown, 81; Fannie Byler, $1.2(
I. P. Yoder, $40; Joel Zook, $50; S.
Hartzler, $167, and the Trustees
Union township, Logan county, Obi
d SIS. Which said amounts have all bee
70 changed and raised to greater amour
70 and this petitioner with all the parti
~ represented by him, says that the
II never authorized any change in sa
assessment, and never were informe
& nor knew OF any change till they wei
to pay their tax that they never kne
10 when second sale was; that said ga
e was ordered to be sold under order
}. February 8, 1898; that said ditch W,
If sold at figure more than the estimate
that there was Third Section sold ,