The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-20
COMMISSIONERS WILL ACT.
POWERFUL PETITION AFTER En-
ORBlTANT ASSESSMENT.

~ ~ u SA ~
ORBlTANT ASSESSMENT.
At Yesterdays Meeting the Commiss
sioners Announced Their
orRen,edying the Evil at Their Meets
ing Next Month.
AT a meeting Of the county commits
sioners yesterday afternoon a petition
from hosts of property owners WAS
presented, protesting strongly and logi-
cally against the ~exorbitant assessment
Of property foisted On our people,
and demanding in the name of justice
and for the future prosperity OF Will
mington a reduction of the assessment.
In answer to the petition the board
signifed their purpose, and which, they
said, a been their intention, Of max
ing al equitable reduction, but this
they could not do until the time speci-
fed by law, which in this case Is their
regular monthly meeting time b first
Monday in July.
The petition as presented was as fol-
lows:
To the Commissioners of New Hanover
County-Greetings:
The freeholders Of Wilmington have
suffered severely in past years from
war and pestilence, from bad 1egisla-
ton, from corrupt municipal govern
ment and from other evils that tend to
destroy confidence in the future OF h
city. They bore these trials with be-
coming fortftude in the hope Of better
days.
Trn5or +ho pau- administration oP
| county n city affairs many good Cit
liens have been encouraged to invest
their savings in homes, which they
could beautify and call their own. 9th
| ers hav at much risk Of depreciation
increased the facilities Of the port by
large and costly improvements to
plants which have no marketable value,
but which depend solely upon the in
dustry and business management Of
the projectors. Others lave invested
their capital in real estate which prom
Used reasonable returns under a gov
eminent of reputable citizens, in whom
they trusted for a stable and economi-
cal administration. These property
| owners are now confronted by a con-
dition which threatens their vital in
terests n which fills them with alarm.
We allude to the unwarrantable and
unjust reaSsessment of tax values by
your board of assessors. In many in
| SICIlSCS ICdl pIOpCl do lICdo
been assessed above it's market value
has been increased by this board Of
assessors 100 per cent; in the other
cases, we are told the increase is as
great as 200 per cent. A feeling Of as
! constituent, diSmay n indignation is
| universal. All classes of our tax pay
| ers are moved to a degree which en-
| dangers the confidence of our business
men. They recognize the fact that Will
| mington by this excessive assessment
| will pay more than it's share Of the
state taxes Many we'll known citizens,
who are the o. and Sinew OF this
community, are saying that if they
could sell their property at anything
like the tax assessment, nothing would
tempt them to invest another dollar in
| Wilmington.
Capital is proverbially timid and will
| shun such prejudice. The march of
| progress will be hindered by the stand
and deliver" policy which threatens to
| throttle new industries so needful to
our advancement.
We believe thai the better judgment
of your honorable body will prevail
and that you will not entertain for a
moment the prepOsterous schedule Of
values which has been prepared for
your consideration
We therefore, solemnly protest
against the re-aSsessment referred to,
and pray that the values of last year,
under a conservative revision, ma be
restored.
Very respectfully,
w. r. KEENAN,,
w. w. ROBERTS,
MRS. S. E. TOON,
ROBERT S. COLLINS,
J. M. CHESTNUT,
WILLIAM l.. SMITH,
M. j. CROBFTT,
J. G. L. GIESCHEN,
GEORGE S. LeGRAND,
MRS. JOHN c.. JAMES,
w. A. DICK,