Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-24
STATE HOUSE.
State Assessors Find Good Conditions
in Western Maine.
The Average Tax Rate is Smaller Than Last
Year.

There is feeling Of security anon
| the farmers in the section of the Star
| where we have been the past week" sal,
Secretary James Plummer OF the boar.
Of State assessors. Friday. 1.-The value
are well up and the farming communit,
| seems to have more prosperous feelln;
| than | have seen in long time
| Mr.. Plummer returned, Thursday eve
ning, from trip with the State assessor,
through oxford and Franklin countie,
where they held several meetings in The
larger towns, meeting the local assessor,
OF the towns and plantations of the coun.
! ties. This is their bi-annual visit to The
| local assessors and is made to determine
the valuation OF the State for the coming
| TWO years upon which the tax Is deter
mined. They notify the local assessors OF
their visit to a certain town and every
| city, town and plantation is supposed Ia
be represented at that meeting. or to see
the State assessors in some Way after
wards.
How was the attendance at your meet
ings the past week." asked the Journal.
They We're remarkably well attended, 4
responded Mr.. Plummer. Il believe there
We're but three towns in the two counties
that were no; represented"
I'm what condition do you find the real
estate?"
we have hardly gone over enough of
the State to determine anything about the
real estate yet. You see the real estate
valuation does not change to any great
extent outside the cities. Ii is the cities
that as rule give us our increase in val
nation each year, and we have not visited
the cities"
In what condition do you find the live
stock?"
1T is decidedly SITTER in price than for
long time. The valuation of the live
stock in the counties We visited is quite
little higher than last year and further
more 1t is seen by the assessors returns
to us that the amount Of live stock is i'm
proving and increasing. The price of
horses is nearly % per cent higher than
last year.
And right here | will mention one OF
the facts We observed in our trip we
saw in the week past, in our shoR trip.
more sucking colts than We did/ln the
whole season two years ago That indi-
Gated to us that there was a movement
throughout the State to Taise more
horses"
How is the average rate of taxation,
this year, as compared with former
years."
Il believe from the returns We have re-
ceived that it is smaller than last year,
quite a little smaller"
How is this brought about? Is it by
an increase n tha yalua yinpo
mo, | hardly believe $50 as there is
really no great change 80 far as learned,
in the valuation taken As a whole. though
| believe it will increase somewhat. No,
! believe the reduction Of the tax rate ia
the cities and towns Of the State is due
to a wave Of economy that has struck
them. Their appropriations for the year
were made smaller at The meetings. this
year. The expense smaller. of course the
tax rate decreases. All through the sec
ton We visited there was besides the
feeling of stability a sort of 4 feeling thu
a greater economy in all things should
exist. 1t does not seem to be stingy
feeling 50 far as | could observe, but one
of business"
oxford and Franklin Were not badly
affected by the short drought, 50 things
mp that way are looking sub rosa. | be
lieve | never saw that section Of the
country looking better. The Rangtley re-
gion is simply grand. The eXcursionist
struck the proper time for their visit Il
they wished to be there when ii was look
ing at its prettiest>
so far as crops are concerned | hard
ly believe they Will be very short there. |
The hay crop will be light | have no
doubt, as it is a little late now for it TO
gain what it lost during the dry weather.
1t will doubtless be somewhat short Of
the immense crops we have been having
in the past few years. but it is not likely |
to be anything like 4 failure"
The assessors will meet the local as
SCISSORS in Somerset and Piscataquis coun-
ties, next week.