New-York tribune., 1899-06-09

deputy A-The amount OF money paid for the
purchase of the property.
Q.-Does that signify to you that the property 10
worth $4,000 at the sale? Aft believed It was
a fair report
Q.-Dont you know II is a very common practice
to write incorrect figures in the consideration OF
deeds? Al do
Q.-Dont you know that the very great proper
ton Of deeds that reported do not express the
real consideration? Al do.
Q.-Persons trading in real estate have reasons
OF their own for suppressing the real value from
the public. do they not. and put in false figures
sometimes for the purpose Of throwing the tax
office Off Its guard? A.-Possibly
Q.-And also not TO let their neighbors know?
Ayes.
Q.-Then what do you do when you find a sale
reported with SO 900 as the consideration expressed
What do you do then? Aft in my Judgment that
is the value of the property. believe 1t is correct
Q.-So IL has to back to your judgment
after all7 A.-Certanly.
Q.-You cannot get fair guide from the publ
cations In The Record and Guide" can you? A
Not at all times
Ono Now. for instance these field books are
practically copies of the tax books; they are
arranged on the same plan. they not7 A--The
tax books copied from the field books.
Q.-That is II. only got the cart before the
horse. A.-The same meaning.
LIGHT ON HIS JUDGMENT,
Q-Let see. here the north side of Fifty
ninth-st Second to First ave. We have No. al
FIT -nnth-st In 1893 the assessment was 81 500
the for 1889 Is $500. and opposite that
Is $l2,75o July II. 1898; what does that mean? A.
That II was assessed at that time for that amount
Of money In 1893
Off that property sold IN July? A.
There was a sale published at that time.
OFF that property was sold July IL, lss3' for
s12,75o. why It valued only at 1880 for the
purpose Of taxation7 A.-That is six years ago.
Q-Has property decreased there since them
Ayes.
Q.-How do you know? A.-That is my Judgment
Q.-What is your Judgment based on? A.-Prop-
ago.
Q-How do you know? A.-Because I see lot
OF For Rent" signs out.
Q-Have you inquired about the rents7 Al
believe I did that particular block.
Q.-Now. here Is further east, with rental
Of $50 on q tax valuation Of $1,000 That ~
pretty respectable rent for that section Of the
town. isn't II? Ayes
Q.-And the tenant makes the repairs; that Is a
pretty good rent; nothing the matter with that. ID
there? A.-No
Q.-What real estate knowledge have you upon
which you say that values have gone down
there? How many pieces Of property have been
sold within that block within the last year? Al
wouldn't know Of any except byireferring TO the
book
Dwell look (showing book. How many pieces
Of property were sold in that block last Year,
There is nothing there to show? A-Nothins on
that side of the street
Q.-So there is criterion there. and yet you
say you know only by referring to the oook' no"
many pieces Of property were sold IN tha' oioch
the year before? A-Nothing.
O-How many the year before that7 A.-Not
any.
O-That must be pretty good block OF prop
erty where people not parting with II? A.
Maybe they can't get a purchaser
o-And there are no foreclosure sales! Al
know the rental value when first went III the
Office.
o-you have there a sale Of 81. 70? A.-rhe
next one $4,000 In $780, n difference OF 5000 near
ly-that is a difference Of 5000 in about the same
kind Of property from 1890 to 1893
o-How about this here-S0,5Oo october !. 1881:
sl2 TO in October. 1885, that is an increase OF s-o
in two wears? A.-That is not the same KIND OF
property.
BOOKS NOT SAFE GUIDE
y pr. :, "a assessed the same within 800 Now.
you see that your books are not very saie su'ae
hers, A-Oh they are guide. We don't take
those exact figures: we have got to use our )uos-
ment because the values vary. The scale Of prices
varies.
Mr. Hofmen-Mr Moss. what was the amount OF
rent of that property assessed sl2,VW?
Mr. Moss-The property Is 1893 First-ave; the as
sessment for 1885, 81 o3D 1892 $1,000 the lease two
years, $3.50; repairs. May, 1871
Mr. Honman-Is that the first one you readF
Mr. Moss-That is the only one read that was
leased.
Dwell now let look at this. No. ll4o sec
ond-ave assessed for 1898 at $4,000. assessed Tor
1909 at $4,000 That means $1,000? A.-fes
O-Sold at auction June IL, 1897 for szS'"' Al
auction Do you that? Al see IL.
o-Wey. now. is an auction sale a fair criterion
for values? A.-Sometmes.
llu
selling for more than us Vaiue a' "u'"'"
Yes.
O-You do? Ayes.
OIs that YOUR experience OF the real-esta'e
business to find real estate selling for more thah
tie value? When? Al don't know OF any par
tlcuar case .uu.
thov seu at auction the same as any other way
~ you nut that S23 900 down? Al didn't
o.-some one put 1t there? Ayes SIT
Q-It had some influence upon you uioh 4" !
Ayes 49,. - .ho
,,arrs all down that column where you rubbed
out the increases Al rubbed out the hgures
had there. .o,.,
o-Yes Now l see that every piece OF properly
on that page shows the marks OF the rubber lheh
every niece OF property was Increased, according
~ ers, tudgment7 Al had figures In this
o,vr,r IN the 1899 column. figures In both col
umns. 49, ho,o nor.
= 80. "a an increase? A.-There isn't any.
o-And YOU rubbed vigorously that you
-.'shoA come Of the figures Of this year on Where
Won mean $500 you have $3.50 in several places
There are two places. There you have got S'oo
A-They are a little dim
HAD LOT TO RUB OUT.
Dwell. you must have had good deal 70 rup
49,, Al did and II was very hot too' WINE
was rubbing. - .o,
- ~. four hooks are the same.
oWeu now. you meant to bring an increase
y, every riece? A.-On what?
Va Or what we are talking about. Al oio
" ,-.o.a IN some OF the assessments.