The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-07-13
COUNTY RICHER.
Returns To Tax Board Show
Increase in Taxable
Area.
QUEER MIDDLE IN NORTH BERGEN
Land Which Should Be At
The Foot of the Hill
Appears at the Top.
QUEER MIDDLE IN NORTH BERGEN

The proceedings of the County Board
for the Equalization of Taxes yesterday
afternoon Were of more than ordinary
interest to the taxpayer of this county.
How the twenty-one and a half acres
of the Meigs property that was formerly
under the hill in North Bergen has man
. aged to get to the top of the bluff and
how the fourteen acres of the same prop
erty formerly on the hill has gone to the
foot of the incline is question that
bothered the members of the board con-
siderably yesterday. Assessor Kennel
could throw no light on the subject,
although he insisted that the fourteen
acres were below and the twenty-five
and a half on top of the hill despite the
fact that for a number of years it had
been assessed in the reverse order The
owner of the property, however, is ex-
peeted to appear before the county board
at this afternoons session and explain
by what system of legerdemain the acre
age has been transposed.
The muddle over the figures returned by
Assessor Kennel were finally straighten-
ed out when it was discovered that the
North Bergen assessor in estimating his
increase had made the mistake of not
considering the $4,000 exemptions peremp-
torily added 20 the valuations of the town.
ship last year. The result was that he
returned a total increase Of Sl2l, ,565, when
it should have been but SiG,s65.
The corrected figures from this town
ship showed: real estate, s3,0oS, 4S5; per-
sonai property. sl1O195; total, S3,17S, ,4s5.
The total for last year with exemptions
added was s3ls2. 49, The Strengthening
out of this Eangle also brought 70 light
the fact that the Seeaucus assessor had
failed to take cognizance OF the exemp-
tons in estimating his increase.
1t will probably be news 10 most people
of the county that taxable area of the
county has been increase. Such increase
IS due to the fact that in many munich
palities have assessed lands under water
extending in some cases about 200 feet to
the newly established exterior pier line on
the Hudson River
This was revealed through discussion
of the assessment of some of these lands
at yesterdays meeting of the Board The
delayed return from Gutenberg, which
was filed yesterday added a very incon-
siderable amount to the total increase
from the county. and the revised figures
from North Bergen showed a big decrease
from the amount of increase claimed by
Assessor Kennel on Tuesday. Gutten-
berg's increase was s446O, and North
Bergen's, s4e,365. a total of s50,S25. The
return filed on Tuesday by John Possehl,
OF Secaucus, showed an increase of
81, f08 over the figures of the previous
year when that borough formed part of
the North Bergen taxing district An ex-
animation of the field books by the mem
bers of the county board yesterday dis
closed the fact that the net increase
in Secaucus' ratables was but 1896. or
$l4,lS less than the amount claimed by the
assessor. The latter amount deducted from
the totals for for Gutenberg and North
Bergen would leave but $36,922 to be added
to the total increase of $4,212, ,31S reported
from the ten other municipalities, making
the total increase of the county, exclusive
of Hoboken which has not yet filed its re-
turn, $4,249,240.
1t is not expected that Hoboken, con-
sidering its recent heavy losses by fire and
the reductions allowed by the State Tax
Board on appeal will show much. il
any, increase over the figures of last year.
The total increase above given, may and
probably will be, enlarged by the sum
mary addition of percentages to the as
SCISSORS figures in those taxing districts
that the county board considers as under
assessed, but it seems highly improbable
that the total for the county will be
brought up to the $5,O0O,00O mark as was
expected.
Assessor Dominick J. Lahres of Gutten-
berg, who had failed to file his return.
and who was peremptorily ordered to do
SO yesterday afternoon, appeared and told
the board that the reason for his delay
was that he was employed in New York
and could not get away sooner
fhat is no excuse" replied Commits
sioner Mclean IF you could not attend
to your business you should let some one
else take it,
Il could not sacrifice my New York
position for the assessorship which only
paid me $3.50 last year, replied the as
SCISSOR.
I did not mean for you to give up your
New York position. I meant that you
should have given up the assessorslip If
you could not spare time to attend to the
duties,' remarked Mr.. Mclean.
Nobody wanted it," was the reason as
signed by tMr. Lahres for his failure to
resign the Gutenberg assessorship
He then read his return, which showed
valuation of S82S, $50 for real estate and
$466J0 for personal property, a total OF
ssi5,AOQ This was an increase of $3.50 in
the former and decrease of s.. .090 in the
latterS a net increase of $4, 400 over last
years figures.
Mr.. Lahres explained that the increase
in realty was due to the erection of five
new buildings, none large than two
stories. He had not reduced any valua-
tions from last years figures, but the
local Commissioners of Appeals had done
so.
There is a new brick building being
erected on Bergenline avenue remarked
President Morgan.
aThat is still under construction" re-
piled the assessor.
"But you have a right to assess it,
said Mr.. Morgan.
Mr.. Lahres said he had assessed the