The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-22

cash value. That is, 1 THINK, Senerally
arrived at as near as the assessors are
able to do so. Two years ago they as
| sessed the land of the county at full value
| and possibly little over that. / think
| the lands of the county are now WORTH
more than in 1S99."
THE TRUE MARKET VALUE.
Mr.. Geo. F. Uzzell: 'In making the as
sessment we came as near as possible to
| the true market value. In some cases
we probably got it too low, but generally
! not
CONSIDERED ELEMENTS OF VALUE.
Mr. c.. S. Powell: I'm assessing prop
erty we considered not only the quality
of the land, but also the income derived
from it and its location. Taking into con-
sideration all the elements of value, we
tried to arrive at it's true cash value. l
am now agent for large tract known as
the Lunsford land, I'd take the tax value
for it. The river lands of Johnston coun-
ty would hardly bring the price it is as
sessed for
On cross examination the witness said
he had heard some complaint of under
valuation of personal property by few
people.
PRICE AT A CASH SALE.
Mr.. George L. Jones: eve always I'M
derstood the assessment rule to be that
of fixing the cash value-what it would
bring at a cash sale. That was the rule
followed when / was an assessor, and
I've never heard of any other rule.
SPIRIT of THE ASSESSORS.
Mr. Ashley Horne 81 have never heard
of any scheme or system to undervalue
property for taxation in Johnston county
have about 5000 acres of land in Clay
ton township some of it, in 1899, they over
valued and some they undervalued, but
taken altogether they came very near the
real value. The spirit of the assessors
was to assess property at it's full value. ;"
On cross examination, Mr.. Horne said
that in 1899 his real estate in Johnston
county would not have brought over the
tax value, at this time Q90O) he thought
it would bring little more.
my observation is that property away
, from the railroad has increased little
in value, but that around town has in
; creased in value"
Forty per cent?
mo. possibly 10 to 20 per cent in some
cases."
Isn't it your impression that property
in North Carolina is undertaXed?" asked
Captain Price.
mo, can't say that. think we need
, an equalization of tax. Some property
is now we'll taxed and some is not"
A STATE TAX COMMISSION.
Mr.. Horne said he favored the appoint
! IT.
the employment of a salaried tax officer
in each county. This, he thought, would
result in getting on the books much prop
erty not now there and equalize the val
uation of the property already on the
books.
ALL THAT IT WAS WORTH.
Mr. N. G. Gulley: 81 don't think the
land in my township year ago could
have been sold for much more than the
tax value
On cross examination the witness said
some tracts were assessed at more than
! their actual value, some for less and
others at about the same. He would not
, take the tax valuation for his place, be-
cause he didn't want to sell; he thought,
however, that was all it was worth.
SALE OF RIVER LANDS.
! Mr.. VIM Richardson: 81 am familiar
with the river lands of Johnston county
and l don't think over a third of them
would bring tax valuation. In 1899 they
could hardly be sold at any price. / cut
, up one of my farms, one of the best in
the county and sold at private sales. The
terms were a small cash payment and the
balance on six years time. was able TO
sell only the best parts of it and the
average price brought was less than the
tax value. i nave known of no sale Of
island lands in the county since, though
some of them have been advertised ever
, since the Smithfield Herald was started
! WOULD BANKRUPT THE STATE.
On cross examination Captain Price
referred to State Auditor Furman's report
which calls attention to the difference in
tax valuation and census valuation of
property of the State.
But if you go by that recommendation
to tax according to census valuation you
/! would bankrupt the State. Why when the
census man came along sometime ago he
asked one of my overseers how much
land / had in that township and what it
was worth. He replied that it was worth
$30,000 whereas / had very little land In
that township and it was not worth more
than $500. l had eight other men rent
ing farms from me and every one of
them may have given in land for me. !"
IF PUT UP AND SOLD"
Mr.. c. B. Saunders: sThe tax value we
! put on land was what we thought it woulG
bring if put up and Sold
/ On cross exaination the witness said
he thought the land of B. R. Jones as
] sessed at it's full value. He had heard
| two or three persons complain about it.
! On redirect exaination this witness gave
full description of the Jones and Rad
ord lands, of which so much hadbeen said
, on cross exaination. He said the house
! were of small value and though part OF
each plantation is fertile, the rest is
+, hardly worth having
WOULDN'T GIVE TAX VALUE.
Mr. J. C. Keene: eve tried, as asses
sors, to fix the true cash value of the
land for taxation and I think we sue
! ceeded pretty we'll. There is considerable
, land in the county that ] would not give
! the tax value for. In 1899 my place was