The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-07-10


President James C. Clarke, of the Jersey
City Tax Board, was the first sworn. He
said that while his returns showed cub
stantial increase. Jersey City had lost over
million dollars in ratables from different
causes during the past year This would
make the city's actual increase So O00DI.
The increase in the value of personal
property, Mr.. Clarke said, was due - the
new trust company and to the assessing
of railroad property. such as cars, poles,
etc, under the recent decision in the At
lantic City case. The increase in realty
was due to new buildings.
On account of the recent dock fires in
Hoboken the assessors had been granted
an extension of time to revise their re-
turns. Assessor Dollard told the Board
that the steamship company's representa-
tive was expected from Germany today
and something would probably be done by
Wednesday so that the return could be
made by Friday.
There was considerable property outside
of the land. One of the piers alone was
assessed as high as SIPS, 600. Mr.. Dollard
said Campbelrs stores had been assessed
a high as $4,000. An attempt was made
to assess the contents of the stores but
it was proved that goods in bond could
not be assessed.
The Assessor also spoke of a place
where raw rattan was stored. 1t has been
assessed, but afterwards it was learned
that it was in bond and worcestershire.
President Morgan said he knew that in
one of these stores whiskey was kept in
storage as long as possible to escape
taxation It was then exported and after
wards imported here. He thought that
would be assessable to the owners.
Mr.. Dollard did not know anything
about this being done.
Assessor Henry ]. Stilson of Bayonne,
in reply to a question by Commissioner
Mclean, said the railroad property in
that city had been assessed in conformity
to the recent decision in the Atlantic Cily
case He said he had made no reduction
on account of the recent fire at the
Standard Oil Company's works, as his
levy had been made by that time. The in
creases shown were due to new improve
ments.
Assessor James J. Bowe of West New
York, said that his increase in realty was
due to new buildings and to the Walker
property being cut up into building lots.
The decrease in personal property was due
to the removal of the Burns and Dunham
coal docks.
President Morgan asked If he assessed
the Traction Company under the new act
Mr.. Bowe replied that he assessed them
4 under the town charter. The North
Hudson Company was now assessed for
5000 worth of property in West New
York This was about 60 per cent. Twen-
ty-nine new buildings varying in cost
from $500 to $1,000 had been erected during
the year. He got at the value of new
buildings by his experience as builder.
Mr.. Mclean said that the board expected
more from that town, than the returns
show.
Mr.. Bowe replied that property there
had decreased not increased in value. He
could cite cases where it had been sold
for less than the assessed figure.
Assessor August Hoppe of the Town of
Union, said that the increase in the value
of his realty was due to fourteen new
bsildings erected during the year and to
the eoualizing of his assessments at the
suggestion of the State Tax Board.
eve had loss of $4,000 ON real and
c,ersoual.v explained Mr.. Hoppe. The
State Board told me to lower the Union
Brewery. I reduced it IS 900. They advised
an increase in the Bermes' and Peters
nreweries and I raised the former 900
and the latter 10000.
The Board appeared to be well pleased
with the return of Assessor John M.
Hannan, of Weehawken. He said that
the the immense increase on reality Of
nearly a million dollars over last years
figures of his predecessor, Assessor
O'Donnel. was due to an equalizing Of
the assessments, to adjusting the value
of the water front property ard to the
fact that he had taxed people who had
never been taxed before
President Morgan asked him to name