The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-12

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Dwellings and outbuildings Is
Over 100000 Less Than Last
Year-County Jail, Which Is Ex-
empt, Assessed for $4,000 and
Not Assessed Last Year-He Will
Endeavor to Have Councils All
thorize an Investigation.
Select Councilman D. w. Vaughan
made a discovery yesterday afternoon
which he says will lead TO thorough
investigation of the city assessment
Mr.. Vaughan heard sometime ago
that the assessments made this year
IN many OF the wards were far lower
than those made last year.
He heard too that the county jail
had been assessed this year, and II.
took down the assessment books for
the Thirteenth ward for last year and
this year for that ward. A Tribune
man was in the city clerks Office at
the time ard examined the books with
Mr.. Vaughan. 1t was discovered that
this years assessment for buildings
and cutbuildings in the Thirteenth
ward is S76S ?3O. whereas last year'S
assessment for the same class Of prop
erty in this ward was $S24.495, or $685.
265 more.
A closer examination Of the books
revealed the fact that the county Jail
had been assessed this year for $4,000.
whereas 1t WAS not assessed at ell last
year. Then it was found that the
1\sbury Methodist Episcopal church,
which like the Jail cannot be assessed,
is this year assessed for over $4,000,
whereas it also was not assessed last
year.
The Scranton school district is also
assessed S3,5 200 and school property is
exempt from taxation. AS the result
of Councilman Vaughan's cursory ex-
animation 1t has been discovered that
the Thirteenth ward assessment on
buildings and outbuildings for 1900 is
s!11,JO0 less than the similar assess
,nent for 1899.
AMOUNTS NOT PLACED.
A cursory examination was also
made by Councilman Vaughan Of the
assessment books of several other
wards. 1t was noted that certain lots
on Eighth street in the Fifteenth ward
belonging to the Delaware, Lackawan-
MI and Western Railroad company and
assessed last year for the lump sum of
s2,20D are not assessed this year at
all. The lots are recorded but the VAL
uatiOn Is not carried across the page.
The law prescribes that when tri-
ennial assessment is made it must
stand for three years, until the next
one is made. The ward assessors are
directed to assess all extra additions
to buildings. etc. but they are not per-
mitted by the law to make any reduc-
tions.
Councilman Vaughan is going to
carefully and exhaustively compare
this years Thirteenth ward book with
last years and find out just exactly
what the reductions or omissions are.
EIe Is then going to look over Building
Inspector Jackson's records from the
time the 1899 assessment was made
until the time the 1900 assessment was
begun. for the purpose of ascertaining
just how many new buildings have
been erected in that time.
When he has done this. and has his
facts and figures all complete for this
one ward. he is going to introduce a
resolution in councils, providing for the
appointment of a special investigating
committee to thoroughly examine and
compare the books of each ward for
the years 1899 and 1900
SHOULD BE AN INCREASE.
Mr. Vaughan said yesterday: "Why.
instead of decrease of over 100000
h, nr hall
that much at least, when you take
into consideration the number of new
houses that have gone up lately in
that ward. How do we know the thing
hasn't been done in other wards, too:
This is thing that should he thor
oughly investigated. and I'm going to
do all I can to have an investigation
started. We've got little enough money
as it is to pay the city's current ex-
perses. without having our revenues
reduced"
City Assessor Gwilym Jones was seen
last night by Tribune man and asked
IL he had any statement to make re-
sardng the proposed investigation. He
said:
IF Councilman Vaughan has discov-
cred anything wrong in the assessmen.
", l.,
hope that the thing will be thoroughly
and completely investigated. If there
is any reduction In the assessment it's
not the fault of the three assessors.
We try to do our full duty, but we're
not allowed.
THE assessment is made by the ward
assessors, and we supervise the maxi
ing of it and are expected to examine
ngp AM oil
them with those of the previous year.
but We don't have the time nor arv-
thing like it. We are given the as
sessment books by the board of revis-
ion and appeal about October 20. and
the assessment has to be made by
January !.
is GENERALLY DONE.
ITS hard work to have it completed
in that time. but it's generally done.
AS soon as the ward assessors finish
the books are turned over to us by
them, and we usually have just about
started the work of examining them
when they are taken from us by the
board OF revision and appeal.
I'VE should have two or three
months to go over them. but we get
about two weeks generally. It's en-
tirely wrong. and If mistakes are be-
Ing found I say Pm glad of i, both as
a citizen and as city assessor.
I'VE are absolutely under the con-
troll of the board of revision and ap-
peal. We actually work about two or
three weeks and that's all.
"Nowhere near all OF the books were
examined this year. simply 'as said
haf hap l,,tt