The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-11
W LiEO G0sn =
Agent William A. Macy
Appeals to Equalization
Board From Years
Assessment.
VALUE DECREASES. TAX INCREASES
Action Deferred Until Com
missioners Inspect the
Property
VALUE DECREASES. TAX INCREASES

The County Board for the Equalization
Of Taxes. met yesterday afternoon as
Board of Appeals. In the absence OF
President Van Reipen, Commissioner
Morgan presided. The only appeal before
the Board was that Of William A. Macy,
agent for the Stevens estates. It was
submitted and read as follows
II respectfully appeal from the assess
anenr for the year 1889 laid by the Com
rnissioners Of Assessment for Taxation OF
fhe CityS Of Hoboken upon the property IN
said city known as Castle PONY, eona sal,s
ssst!ng Q fabout twenty-hye acres OF IAN lahd
and the four or five dwellings thereon.
This property by reason OF the oSaen sa.e
of Mrs. Martha B, Stevens, mas since psslS ssn
divided into FIVE plots of nearly equal size
thus if anything, deteriorating It's vaiue
Heretofore IT has been assessed as a SIN
gle tract at s452.000 The assessors haye
decreased this valuation about ssy,z9v: no
Increase in the selling value is alleged or
can be elained for it: on the contra ~.
values generally are less, and speclhcany
so in that nedghborhood-
'sFour Of these plots have no right OF
way or outlet to this streets OF HoooReh,
An Of them. must ultimately ute1, puFenaoff ef
such right Of way. There IS no system oA
streets. sewers, gas or water ~
t.The whole tract is much above tne
grade of surrounding streets, IS peleVs;a ;sa
to be underlined with rock. wnicn II
place sis very near the surface and wouid
make any system of piping and sewerlng
very expensive one.
From the given area the Assessors
have computed the number of lots 9xivY
and have then fixed the assessment Piot
J. seventy-nine lots. sa1 500: plot 2, ninety
one lots. S92 500: plot g. ninety-one lots,
1921. 900: plot T. niuety-one lots, s107 .50g;
plot s. one hundred and one lots. SllS 4oo'
without otherwise considering the 1ne-
qualities Of surface or the relation OF one
eve believe this property could not be
sold TODAY pToportiouately to the assess
ment, when yon take into consideration
the facts above set forth.
Other estates. in some respects more
eIgibly located than Castle Point such
as Highwood Park Weehawken Helgnts:
are selling at from $500 to Sl.S0o per lot
of 25x100. These have all improvements
in the way of streets, sewers, gas, water
etc
is too high and unequal and should ne
reduced and 7 respectfully request your
Honorable Body to authorize reduction
Of $4,000 to the amount which has pre-
vailed for several years last past
sswILIIsAM A. MACY.
sAgent for Edwin A. Stevens, Robert l.:
Stevens. c. Albert Stevens, Estate Of
Iohn Stevens. deceased. Mary NJ s.
Hyde. Richard Stevens
Mr.. Macy invited the Commissioners to
visit and inspect the property. He said
he felt satisfied that after doing so they
would reach the conclusions set forth in
the appeal.
Commissioner Mclean asked If there
was any water frontage to the property
and Mr.. Macy said there was none.
I'm computing the values did the Tax
Commissioners make allowance for possi-
BILE sstreets?" asked Mr.. Mclean.
"As I understand it, replied Mr.. Macy.
'thev divided the property into plots
and the plots into lots of 25xl0o feet
ssWhy do you compare it with the High
Wood Park property?" asked Commis-
sioner Morgan.
Mr.. Macy. because it is the most
desirable tract with which to compare It."
Comm 'sssoner Morgan-t'Why not COM
pare It with lots sold by the Stevens es-
tate in Hudson street2'
Mr. ETacy-s'That property was laid out
to be sold at $4,000 a. lot The latest bona
fide sale was sl.s5 foot frontage
Mr.. Macy exhibited a map to show that
there were no outlets to streets from lots
In some Of the divisions.
Tax Commissioner Oman, of Hoboken
said:-ssTne map we have on file was Civ
en- us by the Martin Act Commissioners
and is entirely different to the maps ex-
igibited. The maps that Mr.. Macy pro-
duced shows no continuation of river,
Sixth and Eighth strets allowing an OPEN
ine, to all but one plot.
Mr. Maoy-s'That map is erroneous. BY
a subsequent act Of the Legislature those
streets were closed"
Tax Commissioner Dfnan-sIt was
adopted by the Supreme Court
Mr. Macy-"I still insist your map is an
errer.
Mr.. Oman explained that last year the
property was assessed in its entirety.
This year. he said the property was
divided into plots al the request Of rep.
resentatives Of the Stevens Estate The
: Commissioners had estimated II 4-10 city
lots to the acre. but had assessed it as
plot and not by lots The Commission
ers. he said. had felt all along that the
plot was under assessed. This year they
thought they were justified in increasing
the valuations.
'AThe rate on the upper plot, which we
did not know had an outlet, was assessed
lower The lower plot was assessed at
the rate of 81 900 a lot The upper, con-
sisting of highlands, we fixed at the rate
of $500 per lot. I don't see where Mr..
Macy can compare it with Highwood
Park. If this were cut up for villa sites
the lots would bring $500 or $1,000 apiece,
and It's question If they could be
bought for that
Commissioner Mclean wanted to know
r. the property was going on the market.
M Macy replied
I'VE have no intention Of putting it on
the market. at least at present.. He in
sisted that the division Of ehe property
had deterforated its valae. He said that
If the owner Of one section wanted to sell
he would have to depend on neighbors for
an outlet to the streets.
Tax Commissioner Dinan said:-"We
were not in a position to feel that we
should sustain higher assessment be-
fore; but we now feel that we have ar
rived At the proper valuation Of this prop
erfy.
on motion Of Commissioner Mclean
action was deferred until after the Com
nissioners visit and inspect the property.