The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-31
ASSESSORS NEW RECORDS.
AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN OFFICE
SYSTEM Is PLANNED.
Present Books Are Anticipated and
VIII He Replaced by New and
Modern System Latest ideas
in Convenience ana Economy.

It Is practically certain that before ths
first Of next year work will have been
commenced on new set OF books or rec
ords for the assessors Office, to take the
place OF those now in use
Edward p. Kendall. chief deputy IN the
assessors office, stated yesterday that
the records az they now stand are not
only Inadequate. but present a constant
menace to the finances of the county, In
that many OF the entries from which the
tax rolls are made are posted in lead
pencil, and as the books are at all times
open to the inspection of those interested
II would be a very simple matter TO al
ter an entry by erasure or other change.
In such a manner that the assessment
on a piece of property would appear to
be lower by many hundreds or even
thousands Of dollars than was the origi-
nal intention.
Ten years ago" said Mr. Kendall, "the
present system OF books was entirely ad-
equate 20 the needs Of the county and
city. but Seattle has long since outgrown
II. We have more territory than San
Francisco, and our growth has been far
more rapid. These circumstances. coup
led with the steady increase in values
which has occurred In the past decade.
make IL only natural that the existing
records should now prove too antiquated
for the use of the Office.
All Favor IL.
IT have discussed this matter with
Councilman James. City Engineer Thorn
son. and other interested parties. and II
Is their united opinion that another set
OF books should be installed at the earli-
est possible date
THE most approved method OF effecting
such n change is perhaps to send some
member OF the force, In the Interested
office to Eastern cities where the rec
ords are of the most modern type. Here
the, visitor could make a careful study
and comparison OF methods. and on hts
return his observations could he embod-
led In the arrangement of a modern sys-
tenn OF records. This was the plan pur-
sued by the city. when. during the term
OF Mr., VIII II. Parry, as city comptroller,
N was found that the records were In
adequate 10 the work. AT that time Mr..
Parry was Instructed by the council to
make tour Of n number OF large cities
which he did spending week in each Of
the several modern offices visited On
his observations are based the system
now In use In the controllers Office.
which is admitted to be the most modern
on the Coast"
One great difficulty experienced with
the records they now stand IL that
they have not kept pace with the many
changes In the plats. .replats and modi-
ncations made about the city in the past
few years. The sections in this county
are In many instances OF irregular
shapes, owing 10 the topography OF the
country, so that Il ia practically impos-
sible TO obtain an accurate statement as
10 the size and value OF many proper
ties.
Much Trouble Experienced.
great trouble that has been expert
enced by the assessors force has been
In the fact that the outside deputies have
frequently become confused because of
the out-of-date plats given them ms
basis for their work. In a number of
instances assessments have been made
on the wrong properties. because OF dis
erepsncies in the OFFICE record. A block
set Re for Atf v,a,.tsr a..
be one change that Is especially needful
In making up the new records all the
most modern ideas will be utilized. and
every endenvor used to make the sys-
tenn adequate 10 present and future needs
The old system will be completely aban-
dened. save perhaps In some outside dis
triots. where the changes have been I'M
important The Spokane county system,
while perhaps not the most modern In all
respects. is far superior 10 that in use
here, and " is said that desired esti-
mate can be made or property as
sessed I'm one-half the time and with In
hnitely less labor than are necessary
here. This system, which was installed
year or two ago at heavy cost. has
the county.
The cost Of the Improvement as pro-
posed cannot be accurately stated until a
careful study OF necessary changes has
been made |, is thought; however. that
$4,000 VIII fully cover the needful cx-
penditures, and 5000 may possibly prove
sufficient
The entire time Of four men for two
years Will be necessary 10 complete the
labor Of making the transcripts OF exist
iugs records ana the installation OF adj
ditional books II will. Of course be nee
essary 10 place an order with the book
binders for an entire new set Of books
but as the present volumes are In very
bad condition from hard usage. and must
be Feplaced shortly. that item ~ expense
should hardly be charged against the
new system.
Mr.. Kendall estimates that the first cos,
of the system would he saved within the
first year by the increased facilities for
making and enforcing correct assess
nents He ig emphatic I'm the heiief that
many ~ the present records are IN such
condition az 20 make fraud not only
possible, but extremely easy, and states
that the sooner the new system Is in
stalled the better OF are the taxpayers
Of King county.
A meeting % the board 81 commission
eTs and the CITY council + scheduled for
an early date 90 allow q formal close OF
the work NJ the board ~ euuaiiyatfnn
and a. that time Mir Kendall VIII put
thc matter of the new system fully no
fkaa. kaffga ~ . d h..f