New-York tribune., 1899-06-14

are not going 10 be misled by Mr. Feitner?
The Witness-No. sir.
Q.-I call your attention 10 the statement which
says that the increase In the Borough OF BROOKLYN
vas $40 per cent. the Increase In the Borough OF
Mahhhttan IL bio per cent, and the Increase In the
Borough Of Queens 80 TO per cent That is in line
VIII state Mr.. Moss. that when our committee
organized We formed ourselves as committees.
Prior to this you asked me personal taxes. but
now; when you come TO the real estate department,
"li nave 10 refer you 10 the Real Estate ton-
work -"' p''"''p'' "0'N mas Oee' 'O' '''''''
Q..Your principal work has been corporations?
Ave form in two committees-Commlttee on Cor.
poratons and Committee on Real Esta,e-and
am not on the Real Estate Committee. ~, -.
Q.-But at the same time the whole Board or
taNes co-operates In all the action that Is taken!
Q.-And you co-operated in the action that re.
suited IN the raising OF the proportion amounts /?
1ou co-operated In tnat action? A-No douot
Q.-And you co-operat ted in the action that In
80 per cent over the previous year-you co,operated
In that didn't you? A.-Will you repeat that ques-
o.-You co-operated in the action OF the Board
that resulted in the raising OF the Queens County
the action OF the deputies sent into the field.
AUTHORITY OVER DEPUTIES
Q-To be sure. but under the charter you had
eontrT9i of, Of the deputies ana j. was your business
Q.-And in that you co-operated. didn't you? A
/ co-operated in most everything my co-Commis-
Q.-Of course, and every application that is made
same as the ohef Commissioner! ADoh no. not
necessarily
Q.-You are a member Of the Board? A.-Yes
Q.-You have to vote? A.-That is true.
Q.-It has to be done by a vote OF the Board7
,Q.--And 1t takes a majority OF the Board to do
that? A.-But, Mr.. Moss, II you VIII allow me 10
make a sta tatement- . ooo
cases OF personals and about 1000 cases OF not per-
So and 2 cases @ OF o@@k m .ysgy eas OF the
Q.-I understand IT, But say, your vote has TO
Board is called. We Couldn't call the Board for
every little case Of reduction That is an impos-
Q.-rhen do we understand TINT in these cases
that call for reduction. they may De passed up upon
Q,-How many are the committee? A-Three
"a majority OF the committee is two The
Board consists Of five. So, as a practical mater
TWO two oTiR CoomTmissioners? An small cases
Q.-But small case is just as important In prinII
stated before II the whole Board should act on
every case. would never be able TO get through
Q.-Iow many cases pending were reductions on H3
real estate? Al believe in the neghbOrhood OF
QAnd now many cases were pending for =, redoG due
0n ,16r OF corPoraoGns Gen, Wen know reaO'0"' "
Q-Why. you have charge OF corporations? A.
there are returns made. sir-increases are made az
a rule on corporations. ,.
upon corporations. now are there not complaints
that come from corporations OF excessive assess
a
O-I saw are there? A.-Yes, sir. .
0.-Are they referred TO the Board or to you?
A-To the committee and the Board as the case
may be.
FE1rNER on BOTH COMMITTEES.
o-Wbo constitutes that commlttee7 Who sits
with you on the committee? A-ConinisSio"er
SLY o'"Yoarsef. Commissioner salmon. and Mr.
Feitner constitute that commlitee- A.-tses SIT, ST.
Q-Is it not true that MI Fei'her Is On DOT" 'o"'-
o|He is on the real estate committee and the
20 WAppHcations for reduction OF personal taxes
come 10 you, don't they? A.-Come to all the Com
OMcomr to all the Commissioners. but don't they
come particularly 70 your committee A.-No' on
Q~You say your committee has to do par!cuIIar-
ly~what is it your committee has to do particular
CORPORATIONS and returns thar they make
Q.-And personal taxes, you say? A-Personai
uoSe@Now' II you have 20 much TO do with appli-
for dHTGn 6o Of Rer real ee aPca
tons, what IS Il you have to 90 tnat axes an your
dine? What 57r is IL ra1sona my taxes Dns pAExamnng
people that come in there for reduction OF their
personal taxes. and so forth ,.r
Q-You have deputies 10 do that? A-Wen we
have deputies. a number OF them. yes, SIR out you
must bear in mind have pretty nearly seventy
fye thousand applications there Of personals only
Q-Weu you do pass on applications for reduc-
oEAnd YOU pass on complaints OF corporations
which they claim are too highly assessed! A.-As
the case may be.
Q-Have you had any complaints from gas com
panies that they are TOO highly assessed? A.-Well.
! could not give you no single gas COMPANY that
has complained because the records Will show that.
The records viii show you as TO the applications
0tThere are not very many gas companies7
QC4nd their holdings are very large? .A.-Yes.
SO they are conspicuous companies? Al do
not rer,nnnbar Tint / do not believe | have had
one application from gas company -.u-ood
Q-Have you had any application from rauroad
company-a street railroad company? A-No ST.
Q-uave you had any application from a brewing
company? A.-Yes.
Q-What brewing company has applied TO pave
n reduction OF its taxes? A.-Quite a number OF
them.
o-what are they? Give their names? Al
could not give them
Odd those applications go to you? A-Not
necessarily.
Odd they? A.-Some OF them.
Q-Aud you acted on them? A-Yes. sir.
O-What did you do with them? A-Well. as
rule brewcries are very poor nowadays Their
returns rs rule. show nothing that they should
be- assessed FOR but we try get them 10 con-
sent 10 something as do with others.
Q-Then understand that brewing companies
being poor nowadays. they are not assessed very
high? A-They have not anything TO he assessed
for Their returns don't show anything.
O.-Are not there any brewing companies having
something 10 he assessed FOR? A.-Some OF them.
Q-What are they? Al could not state them
There are quite a number Of them
OF breweries are poor, so as not 10 show any
proDertv YOU certainly should remember those
CONSPICUOUS Instances OF the breweries which have
property that can oe assessed? Al cannot recall
II 10 mind The books will show that
Q-Is the Consumers Company poor? A-Not
AZ the present time; they are not very well 70 do
Q-That is they not paying any taxes?
Ayes they DO.
Q.-They are paying small taxes? A.-No. II
hold HON fO 81
them consent 70 II.
HE REFUSES TO ANSWER.
Q-How long has that poverty been among the
breweries? A-Well ever since the Raines law
started IN
O-Euer slnca ,he Ralnes law? A.-Yes.