Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-16

ta1hed, s. s Learned fhef he claims q
have made = thorough md systemIfic
canvass, after having 1lrst d~iscovered
many inaccuracies and Inequalities Ii
the old assessment books. He claims,
so It Is reported, to have cound pieces
of property In every ward in the city,
which was never entered upon the as
sessment books, and upon which as q
matter of course, tAe owners did not
pay taxes. In q single block in one sec
ton of the city, four such inaccuracies
! were found, while in another section
a 13 acre tract has escaped the notice
of previous assessors. Mr.. Helmbright
makes the further claim, so it is said,
that he found a wide variance in the
appraised value OF adjoining pieces OF
property, and endearored to equalize
them by fixing upon a uniform rate
per front foot, the rate varying, OF
course, in different blocks.
The charge has been made that Mr..
Helmbright went to Charleston and
held a conference with Auditor La
Toilette. Close friends Of Mr.. Helm
bright say this is untrue, but admit
that he called upon Mr.. LaFollette
here, and in the r of a converse
ton, simply told Mr.. La Toilette how
he was getting along with his assess
ment work.
Mr.. A. S. Hare's Statement.
A Register reporter asked Mr.. An
drew S. Hare, member of the Board Of
County Commissioners, whether 1t IS
true that Assessor Helmbright held
| conferences with the Board, at which
the Assessor was coached in his work.
Mr.. Hare replied that at the request
Of Mr.. Helmbright, members of the
| Board did meet him upon different oc-
| c~asions. and that Mr.. H~elmbright re-
ported the progress of his work, and
sought advice upon such matters as the
correction Of gross inaccuracies, etc.,
which he had discovered.
Property Owners Talk.
Mcclure Bros, lessees OF the Mcclure
House, are among the property own
ers in the business district, who suffer
from the big jump in the Assessors
valuation. Said a member Of the firm
yesterday:
There is one phase Of this matter
that should not be lost sight of. What
is true in our case is true in others.
We rented the house from the Mcclure
Hotel Company, and the rental value
was based upon taxation among other
things. The increased valuation will
make a change of about $500 a year in
the hotel property.
''The Assessor is said to have ap-
praised property on this side of the
street at $500 per front foot. The no.
tel property, fronting 126 feet on Mar
ket street, is assessed at sos, 600, which
makes it over $500 per front foot. The
building is 126 feet square. Possibly
we are also assessed $500 a front foot
on the Twelfth street side.
1.-The Assessor claims that residence
property is vs'tually the same as before.
Take the Mcclure homestead on South
Front street as a sample. We have
been trying to sell it for $4,000. 1t
is appraised at $4,000. We will knock
Off the $500 and pay a fair commission
to any man who will sell it for US for
$4,000"
A member of the firm Of Schenk G
Sons said: THE principal objection to
such a heavy valuation Of Ohio county
property is that our citizens will make
further payment into the State Treas
ury without receiving the benefits in
the way of improvements. We pay
taxes for Improvements to other Sec
tions of the State, and there is always
a disposition to gouge Ohio county
still further. They call Ohio county
people producers down in Charleston,
and Notwithstanding u payment OF
a largely disproportionate share of tax
es, everybody is familiar with the in
dis position of Legislatures to allow any
appropriation of State monies to come
this way"
Said Mr.. Howard Hazlett: There has
been a large increase in residence
properties, whatever statements may
be made to the contrary. 1t looks like
we are discriminating against our
selves, for the benefit of the rest of
the State"
SUDDEN DEATH.