Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-24

IlSHtu IL S'of,UoD. his, JOReIneT WlI0
the raise ordered Yesterday on the assess
ment in the city, will make total raise
in the county of 81, 636 794 over the valua-
tion as returned by the assessors. This
will make the valuation for the entire
county s12 2395.599, as against s13.135,S53 in
1885, and showing a total net decrease Of
only SI40,254, of which s65S, 1862 occurs in
the city of Council Bluffs and SS1 902 in
the county outside the city The following
summary will explain the changes in the
assessment, as made by the board:
Totals for county as reported by asses
sors 1899
Personal property .................. 1,64o9SO
Railroad assessment ................ 9S5. 800
Council Biufrs Bun as reported by ass assessor, oT'
1899
Real estate ...........................s 457 616
Railroad assessment ................ 43s 645
Grand total for city ............s 8,31s171
On realty outside of city of Coun..
on personal property outside Of .oo,,.
Council Bluffs Observation-Disclosures. 1SS,149
Total raise outside of city......s ss4o oS6
Raise on realty t25 per cent? :.....s 6H,4A
Raise on personal property 90 per
cent on corporation stock. mer-
property'D ......................... IS,
Total raise in CITY s 652. .72S
Assessors valuation ................ 3,3lS,11
ized . 80 . ....s 1856 sse
Decrease in city by assessors re-
turns 1911 $50
Net decrease in city after equaliza-
tion ......................... 65S 352
Assessors returns on classes of personal
DrODerty raised 10 (actna1 valneS)
HiSpe' iss9pp y ''''e' ~ per cent 'ao'"a' Va'oeS'
Corporation stock .........s 422 629
Merchandise OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 693 94
"Other personal property" ......... 27S, 440
The important features of the action of
the supervisors is that affecting real estate
in this city and it is expected that some
of the large property owners will take the
matter into the courts and dispute the right
OF the board to raise the valuation after it
has once been returned by the assessor. The
law does not appear to provide any redress
for the individual except an action in equity
in the district court, which would be too
costly proceeding for large majority of
those affected. Owners of large property
interests can afford to take the matter into
the courts, but a man who owns a small
home would not be able to bear the expense
OF litigation and it would be cheaper for
him to pay his taxes the raised assess
that appeals may be taken from any action
or decision by any county Board of Review
by the Board of Review of any city, town or
township aggreved thereby, within the
same time and in the same manner as ap-
peals are taken from the local Board of Re-
view" which is within twenty days, to the
district court.
BY some it is claimed that the action of
the board in raising the assessment of real
estate in Council Bluffs is illegal. They
insist that the board has only the power
to equalize, and that in the case of the city
of Council Bluffs the board could not COM
pare with it any other city in the county.
and therefore could have no basis on which
to equalize.
Hardin's BilI Turned Down.
Assessor Hardin presented bill for ST.
400 for making the assessment OF the city,
the amount being $500 more than the com
pensation fixed by tho board. The extra
amount he asked for because OF delay occa-
stoned by the failure OF the county auditor
to furnish the plats as required by the law,
which caused extra expense for clerk hire
livery bills and attorney fees. Accompanying
the bill was request signed by number of
prominent citizens asking the board to al
low the amount, also the following letter
from JudSe InOfnell:
Hon. Board of Supervisors, Gentlemen
While am not resident nor taxpayer of
your county in view of the fact that as
district judge l ordered w. D. Hardin to
proceed with the assessment in Council
Bluffs without the plat books being fur
nished him that the law requires the county
TO furnish. | thought 1t would not be out of
place for me to recommend to your honora-
BILE body that you carefully consider the
work done by him and the expense he has
incurred in making the assessment, the
amount you have heretofore allowed him,
and give him such compensation as a whole
as in your judgment will fairly compensate
Mr.. Hardin for the work done by him. Very
truly yours, A. B. THORNELL.
The beard turned the request down, but
allowed Hardin IS extra for appearing twice
before the County Board of Review and
cnce before the city council sitting as
board of equalization. Hardin commenced
work on the assessment February 23, and
during the four months that it took to
complete employed Ave assistants. 1t is eX-
pected that Assessor Hardin will bring suit
against the county for extra compensation.
owing to the delay caused by the failure OF
the county auditor to furnish him with the
plat books as provided by law,
The committee on investigation of poor
was authorized to direct the overseer of the
poor of Council Bluffs to discontinue allow
ances OF support when deemed advisable and
to make report from time to time to the
board.
The matter OF the court house at Avoca
was referred TO a committee consisting of
supervisors Brandes, Auld and Matthews to
report at the next meeting
A resolution was adopted TO the effect that
uuflnR 1899 the and diSnns1finn nf
county property within the city of Council
Bluffs shall be vested in a committee COM
prislng Supervisors Brandes, Hansen Mat
thews and Auditor Innes, who are authorized
to make all contracts of sale of any of
such property. subject however. to the ap-
proyal OF the board; also to have authority
to contract subject to the same restriction.
in relation to the purchase of such supplies