New-York tribune., 1899-06-10


tainly would not tell him. ,,,s,-
o~wbv not? A.-Because that would be pusi-
ness Of my own.
NICE KIND OF TAX ASSESSOR.
Ono. but you are being paid for your services
q. an expert? Al would advise as eApei's "'
n man wanted high estimate ana pa'o iae LOT
:, would give him a high estimate ana IL 'he
man wanted a low estimate. ana paiu me i'i ~
,A tya hin, q low estimate. Qsaughtero
n THAT is n valuable statement from you II
s,,a coll Won as an expert and put you unuer
oath m tell us the value OF property anu u "a
ed high value low value you "ou'" '
ss.ora,rg "a what | wanted But. sir you are not
an expert in court; you are tax assessoi' az"
ya- have been giving us your testimony your e'
,o.te os vour own judgment TO the value OF prop
or,v A-What property will sell for under or
binary circumstances. -
o-Have YOU been figuring out your values ac-
eordfag to the way people wanted themY A'-No,
O.-Have you been figuring them Out aeeoru'"S
to the way your superiors wanted 'hei" ~
Q.-You have? Ayes. ,, -
o-Have YOU been figuring them out according 70
the way your organization wah'eu .i'0
son,t know anything about the organization.
o-po you belong 10 the organization
Q-Do you belong TO the pemooia''
I do. ,o.. vearq A.
To what? 40
o-A check TO the organization? A.-No'
n D,d Won write out check to Mr. croker
A-No. ,. .,. want to
o.-pid you make contribution that went "
Mr. Croker? A.-No -, 4. ,ho ar
,a,,oro Al sent a check TO the Democrauc
CIub for my dues and my Initiation
o-I am not speaking OF club dues A-lo 'ne
organization? No =. .o,, ,yo-a
o-Now. I understand you TO say that you were
making your valuations acceptaOie u '"e u
tion? Al didn't say that tr,..,
O-You didn't? Al don't know anything ao'''
the organization; never had considered It,
o.-supposng the cross-examiner won't let you
get away that way and he says 10 YOU, ~"
have testified Mr.. Engelhard, that sherr' cor
ner Is worth s1,1co,ooo-you have testineo tia' ne
rvs corner Is worth N.1OOG0-now. there Is.
corner on Fifth-ave and building which you nna
cost $500 900: how do you make up your N'lVwV'
Ann / supposed 10 be testifying as an eHper''
THAT Is HIS SECRET.
o-Yes sir A-weli. would refuse to tell
ANYBODY my system OF getting at values as an eX-
pert. "a .
Q-What is your system Of getting al Values' a.
My judgment-what believe
o-Rut on what is your judgment based? A.
What believe. ,,...,
o-Is it based on anything except ar-fatuity?
A-You can put it that way. If you iRe
Dwell no. | don't want TO put 1t That way
A.-We. any way you like.
o-You are willing TO put il that way; that saus-
fes YOU does it7 Ayes, sir.
O-An right; / ask you. what Is the proper
method OF getting the value OF a corner LOT win
a building on IT,? A.-Exercisng my judgment
.O-Now supposing change the situation ana
supposine YOU are hoping 10 get job, for which
perhaps you have to pass a Civil Service examina-
ton and you are inclined, Of COURSE to answer
questions as well you can, because your job
dapends on II: now. then, as Civil Service eX-
sminer. ask you the question how you VIII go
10 work to estimate the value of sherrys corner
assuming that the house cost $3.50 600 how will you
do It? A.-For taxable purposes?
Q-The valuation for any purposes; / do not
assume for taxable purposes they are so different
from any valuation. A.-They are in this re-
spect--
o-well now. don't get too far away; now how
will you do it? Al don't know how would do 1t
under a Civil Service examination
Q-How long is It since you have forgot to assess
property scienthcay-dd you ever know? Al
know much now as ever did.
o-You know as much you ever did
about II; and have your views undergone any
change within the last couple of years with the
method TO be applied? A.-None that know Of.
O-Do you know ot any method Of addition,
subtraction or division Of various figures to be ap-
piled 10 problem of that kind? Al suppose
there could be.
Dwell what would it be? A.-Estmates Of
what square foot OF building or ground would be
worth
o-How MANY SQUARE feet are there there? A
] could tell by pencil
Q.-Of course, you estimate at what II would be
worth. but. you see, we haven't got an estimate
for anything yet; but supposng you knew what
the adjoining lot. the lot the opposite corner,
had sold for a year ago. and YOU knew what the
owner or builder had paid for the erection Of the
structure. also what would you do then for
scientific valuation? Al would form my judg-
ment--
Q-Upon what? A-On the sale across the way
some.
Q.-what would you do with IT? A-Considerlng
the other corner, the same kind OF property and
worth much?
Dwell supposing 1t what would you do
then? Al would consider them worth the same
DoDGING Mosss PROBE.
Q-Now let suppose a little further Here is
Sherrys corner, and you are able-I take that back
Here is Sherry's corner. The building is a new
building You have got the data for determining
the value OF the land before the building was put
up. and you know the building that is put up
there and what it cost Now. having those two
facts what will you do in getting at the valuation?
A.-For assessment?
Q.-For assessment. A-Consider what IT will
sell for
Q.-But you have got criterion for the value
OF the land unimproved. and you have learned
what the new building cost What would you do?
A.-Consider what it would sell for. for assessment
Q.-Haven't you got to have some basis of judg-
ment? How does anybody know what anything is
going 10 sell for unless he has some basis TO figure
on? Now say we have got the basis 10 figure
the value Of the unimproved land. Al haven't
Q.-Well. we Will assume that we have and il
is so much. And there is a building on IL which
cost sSSo,co Now how you going TO fix the
value for that property? A.-The same answer
Q-What is that answer? A.-1Nhat / consider
the property will sell for.
Q.-And what will you consider 1t will sell for?
A.-What assess IT, Qaughter)
Q.Now Mr. Engehard. you mean 10 deal fairly
you mean to answer these questions the best YOU
know how; you are not contemptuous None Of
those police officers the other day were contemptu
GUS. never saw men sweat harder and try hard