New-York tribune., 1899-06-09

Dwell. what did they say about equaizing that
| induced you to take of your raises? A.-Told me
some Of their assessments and looked at some
OF their assessments
Odd they tell you you ought to take OF your
rases7 A.-No.
| Q.-You know that the Borough Of Manhattan had
to be raised about l7lk cent. didn't you? A.-No
Q.-You know 1t has been. don't you? Al don't
know just what the percentage Isl haven't In
qured.
Q.-You knew that 1t was going up? Al knew
! there would be raise because OF the build
| ings in themselves constitute a rnise.
| Q-And that the average raise. as testified by the
| Commissioners. has been about S4.OooOOo a year.
| Do you know what the raise for 1899 was in this
| borough? Al think about SSco,OooOcO
| Q.-About S07.OO0OOO. IL has been testified go
that IL more than the normal raise. Now. didn't
! you think that percentage Of that great raise
would have to come to your district? A.-so 1t
| did
| Q.-But you took IT off? Al didn't take It or.
Q-But you took 1t off? A-Not all Off
| Q.-Nearly so: you said so? A.-Not nearly all.
There is increase of 500 900 In Section 8.
| Q.-I talking about this particular section
west Of Third-ave. there Is no increase there? A.
| No. very little
Q.-Dont you think that part of your district
should bear some Increase? A.-Wherever con-
sidered the assessment low. did
! Q.-But you made increase In that district?
! Al did In some places.
Q.-HOW many? Avery few
| Q.-Why shouldn't that district bear some pro-
portion Of the increase affecting the whole
city? A.Because the property there is depreciat-
| ing in value.
| THAT WONDERFUL JUDGMENT.
| Q-How do you know that7 A.-saes. and my
| Judgment
| Q-what sales have you seen that show that?
| Al can't recall them now.
| Odd you have them? A.-Some in the books
| n
value In that district? A-Nothing, only what is
! in the books You will find a block on East Ff-
tiehst. south side Of Fifteth-st First-ave to the
| river
| Q.-Does that cover the district from Fourteenth
st. to Sixty -nnth-st.? A.-That that
| Q.-You mean to say that property east Of Four
teenth-st from Fourteenth-st. to seventy-sixth-
St. has invariably decreased in value? Al didn't
say that.
| Q.-Your associate carries 1t down to Fourteenth
st? Ain the past year It has continually de-
| creased
| Q.-Has the property decreased In the neghbor-
hood of Essex-st. and Sussex-st? Al have not
| given that any serious thought.
| Q,-Woudn't you have as much general knowl-
edge that part Of the city as you would have on
this district? A.-Not enough to testify as an ex-
| pert
| Q.-Are you testifying an expert? A.-No. but
you asking me expert.
Q.-Are you an expert in values? A.-No am
| Deputy Tax Commissioner.
| Q.-Are you expert to the values Of real
| estate in any district In New-York? A-No.
| Q.-When you were assessing these values did
| the property owners have anything TO say before
| you put the figures down? A-No.
| Q.-And you understand, under the law, Mr.. Dep
uty. that when you put those figures down. that
bound a taxpayer. and the only way he could get
! away from those figures by appealing? A
| Except appeal.
| Gle had to take your judgment, such as It
| was? A.-Except or appeal.
ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED APPEALS
Q.-Eow many appeals have been filed from
your Judgment in the whole district west Of Third
| ave- as well as east? Al think about four hun
| dred
| Q.-And that even when you made no increases
| east of Third-ave? Ayes.
Q.-So those four hundred appeals were all west
| OF Third-aye.? Ayes; about twenty-five or thirty
| OF them east OF Third-ave.
Mr. Moss-That will do.
| Mr.. Honman-Have you finished with this Wit
| ness?
| Mr. Moss-Yes
| MI Hofrman-When did you put in any appca-
| ton to be put in Deputy? A.-When did put In
| my application?
| o.-Yes A-some time In January. 1885,
| Q-You went through the Civil Service examina-
| ton, as required by law? Ayes
| Q.-You could not have been appointed without
having gone through with that examination? You
would not have been appointed unless you passed
that examination-were on the eligible list? Al
| have TO have 70 per cent.
| Q.-You succeeded in obtaining more than 10 per
| cent? A.-Eighty-one and fraction.
Mr. Falows-Who assessed the values or real
estate for 1888? AIR. Miller
| Odd you confer with Mr. Miller at all In
| making your assessment for 1899? A-No
| O-I notice in the few places that have exam
| ned that where you make increase, 1t is
| o1oo N l Yer
| 1898 running down that block at that ratio. You
| therefore accepted Mr. Mller's figures In every
| case as a basis which you base your increase
| A.-No.
Q-What was 1t. then? Any own judgment
| O-IIow did It happen that 1t was only UNIFORM
increase $500 81 GOO or 81 800? AWherever 1t hap
| pened that way | accepted his figures as very
| nearly right.
| Mr. Moss-I notice too Mr.. Witness. that In the
| case of exempt property, property or churches
orphan asylums and on. where 1t Is well known
that no tax is going to be paid, there Is almost
uniform Increase in value. How does that occurE
Here is New-York City School Home for the
Friendless synaeogues. baby hospital ana so OH.
In every case there Is an increase of value there
AIN my Judgment, the values heretofore were
'o"' NO INCREASE on BREWERIES.
q Did Won increase saloon property and brew
erv property the same way? Al did not increase
any property account Of the business connected
with It.
Q-You have some brewery property In your dis
trict? Ayes
o-Considerable OF It? Ayes
Odd you increase any brewery property? A
I can't recall of any now, but did some
o.-How much? Avery small Increase
O-Very small? A.-They all happen 10 be over
sections where property has deprecated.
O.-These properties that are marked exempt
property" are not always exempt. are they? All
they are marked exempt they are.
O-There are some exemptions that are ratable?
Take parsonage for Instance? A.-That Is on
application.
O-On application II may be reduced? Ayes.
Q-How does 1t happen that this uniform In
crease Is SO uniform that II strikes even the asy-