The record-union., 1899-08-31

they were new improvements and he
had assessed new improvements at
two-thirds of their cost.
Mr.. Austin said that if Mr. Brown
had a half million to invest, he would
guarantee to purchase good property
with it at less than it was assessed for.
Then it is a good time to buy Santa
Clara property, said Mr.. Brown.
L. H. Brown had list of property
with the appraisements and mortgages
and fired a number of questions at Mr..
Splitter in relation to them which were
small income from them or undesira-
bic location. One case was adjoining
a church, where the bell was ringing
noying
Mr.. Splitter said that several men who
owned property in San Francisco had
told him that he was assessing their
Santa Clara property away higher
than their San Francisco property was
assessed.
Mr.. Brown admitted that Santa Cla-
ra was assessed fairly in comparison
with San Francisco.
THE CASE OF SANTA CRUZ.
AT the afternoon session Santa Cruz
County's officials were heard. Though
the assessment roll showed an increase
of more than 100000 the board had
not thought the increase great enough.
Assessor Frank Mattison and Super
visor Edward White appeared for the
county. They said the county was
one of the best in the State, but Santa
Cruz was in a bad way, being under
bonds for a fourth of it's assessed val
uation.
The following comparative figures
We're given. Values in 1S9S-Outside
realty, s., ,967, ,795; inside realty, 81
I 2S2 900; outside improvements, ST.,
1S5, 800; inside improvements, 81, ,423,-
$50; personal property, 81, 12S, ,440; mon
ey and solvent credits, $90925. For
1S99-Outside realty, $4036, no; inside
realty, 81, ,2S0,255; outside improve
ments, 81 ,225, ,430; inside improvements,
81, AL, ,555; personal property, $1,123,-
420; money and solvent credits, $I5,-
40.
Assessor Mattison explained that the
highest assessments his county ever
had We're in 1898, but the boom collaps-
ed and there had been a decline of 15.7
per cent. since then. The city, he
thought, was bonded to DEATH" There
was q decrease of $50, 700 in the as
sessment of the city.
Instances were cited. as follows: Rich
ardson estate of 20 acres, three miles
from Watsonville, assessed at So, 100;
80 acres near, assessed at $4,000, ap-
praised at 400. Three acres in East
Santa Cruz sold in May for 81, 800 and
were assessed at 81 $50. The Bank Of
Santa Cruz had 30 acres appraised at
So, 800 and assessed at 81 200, but the
Assessor held that appraised values
We're too high.
Mr.. White said Watsonville was the
most prosperous part of the county.
Equalizer L. II. Brown thought the
Ford block there was far too low at
an assessment of $33, 800. He thought
1913 front feet were worth $3.50 a foot,
and that the improvements were worth
$50, 600 or more.
Mr. Brown also thought that orchards
were assessed far too low, since they
cleared from 500 to $50 an acre. The
Assessor said insects bothered orchards
and that people had to wait for years
for them to bear. He was, however,
gradually raising orchards.
Timber lands have deprecated" said
Mr.. White land the canyons and many
of the forests have been denuded, SO
they are worth nothing"
The county was then taken under ad-
visement The board will continue it's
work this morning.