The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-30
AS IT IS IN PENDER
So IT IS IN BLADEN
No System of differentiation
Say Witnesses.
ASSESSED AT FULL VALUE
All Testimony Thus Far Favors the
Commission.
PROVES The RAILROADS CLAIM BASELESs
The Assessors From Brunswick and Columbus
Counties Will be Examined Monday, Wit
nesses From New Hanover tuesday
on Valuation of A. c. [.
Especial 70 News and Observer)

Especial 70 News and Observer
Wilmington, y. c., Dec. 29.-The
examination of witnesses in the rail
road taxation cases was resumed today
at 9:30 a. m. The railroads were rep
resented by Messrs. Day, Price and
Romtree; the commission by Messrs.
Connor and Hinsdale. The following
witnesses from Bladen county were
examined on the part of the commits
sion: f. NJ. Willis, NJ. \. Tatum, II. w.
Tatum, j. NJ Melvin, T. S. Owen, c. NJ
Cain, S. \. Ferguson, II. j. Freeman,
assessors; j. S. Williamson, register of
deeds, and w. 5. Anders, Chairman OF
Board of County Commissioners.
The witnesses testified 10 the alb
sence of any rule or practice of am
dervaluation of either real or personal
property in the county. Some had
been assessors several times and none
of them had ever heard of such n prac-
tice, on purpose on the part of the
assessors to assess either real or per-
sonal property at less than its true
value in money. They ali. except one.
testified that their own property was
fairly assessed, and he said that he
had no doubt that the other assessors
intended to assess his property at ac-
tual cost value, although he thought
that they had undervalued il. This
same witness said that his own per-
sonal property --asseSsed~ at full
value, but he thought tnat in his town
ship other personal property had not
! been assessed at more than three
fourths its value. He is the only
witness whom the State has examined,
who has intimated such an opinion.
w. j. Williamson, register of deeds.
testified TO the fair valuation and
generalization of a large number of
tracts and to great many sales in his
county where the property had
| brought considerably less than as
sessed value. Almost ali of these sales
were voluntary cash sales. On cross
examination he stated that he had
made a careful search through his
records, both at request of railroad
attorneys and Of corporation attor-
neys, and had found but one instance
in which property had sold for more
than its assessed value; that even in
this case it was SO explained to the
railroad ATTORNEY that he would not
take cefIlIlcateS or the deeds to OtlcF
in evidence. Property had been sold
to non-residents for much more than
its worth.
Counsel for corporation commission
have expressed opinion that testimony
taken thus far for Wake. Durham,
Johnston, Fender and Bladen. has
been entirely satisfactory TO them,
and that it fully and completely neg
atives so far as these counties are con-
cerned the claim upon which the case
of the railroad companies is based:
that there has been a systematic and
international differentiation except in
isolated cases which have happened
through mistake.
Assessors from Brunswick and Column
bus counties will be examined ON Mon
day, witnesses from New Hanover
county ON Tuesday when the valuation
of the properties of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Company will be gone
into. Next Friday the assessors from
Duplin county will be examined at
Warsaw. and on Saturday, at the
same place, the assessors from Samp-
son county.