The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-20
BEGINS HERE ON THE 25TH
No Preconcerted Action by the Tax
Assessors Proved.
ALL SHOWED A WANT OF UNIFORMITY
Many Showed Instances of differentiation and
Also of Fair and LIBERALIZATION. Per-
sonaI Property Fairly and
Truly Assessed.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News II ObSerVer.)
Wilmington. Y. c., Nov. 15.-EXami-
nation Of the railroads witnesses was
resumed today with the same counsel
present. w. b. Hargett, of Jones
county, testified thai he was assessor
eight years ago and is now county
commissioner, that property in Tucka-
hoe township is valued at about -
per cent. On cross examination he
proved want Of uniformity in under
valuation and that personal property
is fairly valued. $. L.. G~erorock, Of
Onslow county, testified to same thing
as to his township p.
Dr.. w. j. Bullock. of Beaufort
ty, testified to 2-3 or - valuation as to
certain lands about which he had per-
sonal knowledge. Eugene S. Martin,
of Wilmington, testified to undervalua-
tion of 33 Is to 80 per cent in the city
of Wilmington. On cross examination
he admitted that differentiation was
not uniform. He stated under Obiec-
ton from the defendants counsel that
it was hearsay, hat he had heard
from several chairman of commissions
erS in other counties of a similar rule.
but had no personal knowledge of -.
F.. b. Stephens. of Southport, testi-
fed to differentiation of 1-3 in his
township in Brunswick county and
gave instances of sales of land at more
thar the assessed value. On cross eX-
animation he said the prices had been
inflated by a prospect of Il railroad
from Southport to the West which has
never come Alexander Lee. of Pamli-
co county,. testified to a 2-3 valuation.
but on cross examination admitted a
limited knowledge of lands in his
county and want Of uniformity in un-
LIBERALIZATION and that personal prop
erty was assessed at full value. ID. b.
Hooker. of Pamlico. testified to a 2-3
valuation. but on cross examination
admitted that he knew nothing of the
assessment of 1895 and confined his
testimony to Il few tracts of which he
had personal knowledge.
A. H.. PaddisOn, of New Hanover.
said he mad been sheriff of Fender
many years ago, and knew of no I'M
LIBERALIZATION in New Hanover. He
said in his township in Fender some
years ago property was valued at 2-3.
He had no knowledge of the assess
ment of 80 except as to his w prop
erty.
j. D. Moore. of Fender county. testi-
fled to differentiation of 60 to Is per
cent. On cross examination he confin-
ed his testimony to a few tracts OF
which he has personal knowledge. T.
+. Bagley. Of Wilmington. testified that
he was assessor in 90 in Wilmington
township, that property was valued al
from 60 to IS per cent. On cross eN-
animation he confined his testimony tC
Wilmington township and admitted
there was no uniformity in underval
~uation. He also testified to a reduc.
ton by the county commissioners il
80 or 20 to 80 per cent.
c. Mcqueen. president Of Murchisor
National Bank, testified that the stocI
of his bank was assessed at 52R pei
cent per share, there having been paiC
in $40 a share. He did not state what
was the actual or market value.
The effect of the testimony that has
been given in generally is that in Ger
tain townships of certain counties
there has been an differentiation II
the opinion of the witnesses of from 81
to Is per cent of true value. Most O
the witnesses had personal knowledge
Of but a few individual tracts. Very
few Of them were assessors, and zone
of them proved any ~preconcerted ac
ton among all the assessors, in any
county. All showed a want Of unifOr
mity. Many showed individual in,
stances of fair and generalization, ano
they generally agreed that persona
property was fairly and truly assessed
Counsel for State are we'll satisfied
with result of the Wilmington exami
nation.
Hearing has been adjourned to the
25th instant in Raleigh.