The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1899-02-01
VOL. XIII.
GOOD OLD
MEADE.
Seems TO Have Its Share of Tax
Dodgers.
What a Contributor Has to Say on
the Subject.

EDITOR OF THE sit may be a
surprise to your readers to know that the
good people Of the county are short in
the listing of property in the sum of
$1O7,158.
The members OF the board OF supervis-
ors worked hard while in session, but the
fact that they had not sufficient time al
lotted them, prevented them from doing
their whole duty. Had they a long.
er session they would undoubtedly have
found that the people of Meade county
were remiss in their lists in a sum pro-
badly three or four times as great as is
mentioned above
They should have had ample time to
20 over all the lists in the county and
see that a just and fair return OF taxable
values was made.
The lands Of the county, as a whole,
are not listed according TO law. The
values placed on cattle are only about so
per cent Of what the law requires; hogs
are listed in any manner that suits the
person making the returns. but horses
and mules, the most undesirable stock
on the farm, are listed nearer the stand.
ard than anything else.
OF course, horses and mules are a nee
essity on the farm, but they are the only
stock that farmer raises that have not
value sufficient to represent the cost of
raising, Ii put up to be sold for cash
they would not near help to pay the cost
of raising as sheep, cattle and hogs.
l understand that the average price of
cattle in Meade county, big little. old and
young, will range in the neigIborhood
of $40 and SIP per head. Inueed, will
venture to say that a man cannot %
through the county to-day and buy all
the calves within her borders at the
average price Of $40 per head. The old"
er ANIMALS would cost him double and
treble that amount.
As to personal notes and mortgages
the assessors books would lead one to
believe that very few people in Meade
county own any. A close scrutiny of
the county records, however, would tell
a different tale.
Personally secured notes seem as scarce
as hens teeth and what few do appear
are valued very low by their holders
understand that mOrtg iged notes are
valued at about 40 cents on the dollar
vi hila tho naroopaIIu aaorraJ uoto, oro
returned at 10 or 10 cents on the dollar.
That is the way they are listed by the
holders. Running accounts are waived
almost entirely.
1t is my understanding that the people
of Meade county have about $22,9 1866
stuck down in the pockets of their 4ans.
The records show that they have only
$l5,6 24 deposited in the banks. Accord
ing TO the assessors reports they have
ready cash to the amount of 1855
While the record shows that there is
Only $15,624 in bank, that institution
itself, in its last annual or semi-annual
report, says that there is something
above $47 900 on deposit, and our Dor Jer
bank, which is located at Vine Grove,
has in its vaults something above $780,
600.
1 have heard it said by good authority
that the Vine Grove bank credits Meade
county with about half her deposits,
which would make difference.
believe that there is something like
SAG, 376 deposited in the banks over and
above what is listed for taxes. The
bank statements were made Jan. LIST,
1899, while the tax list is recorded from
the 10Th of September 1888.
II the above statement can be horne
out should think that careful reckon
ing of the assessable property of old
Meade would bring her out from the
cloud of being classed with tine pauper
counties
She is capable of high standard of
observation-disclosures and ought to occupy
her rightful place.
OBSERVER.