The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-30
BY OVER A MILLION
VALUE OF SAVANNAH PROPERTY
HAS INCREASED IN A YEAR.
STATEMENT OF THE RETURNS
SHOWS AN ADVANCE OVER LAST
WEAR OF S1,252,s79.

Valuation of Property of the Rail-
roads Responsible for More Than
One-HaIf the Increase-Increase
for the Railroads Was $625,139.
More Than Half That Amount
Was Assessed Upon the Plant
system by the Board of Arbitra-
tion-SubStantiaI Increase over
Last Year Is shown by All Forms
of Property.
The receipt of the railway returns
from Atlanta yesterday enabled Mr.. j.
II. Fl. Osborne, chairman of the board
of city tax assessors, to complete his
list of property valuation for the cur
rent year. From this list will be made
up the appropriation budget that is to
carry the city administration on dur
ing 1902. 1t will be turned over to
the Finance Committee of Council,
which will probably get to work on it
about Dec. 10.
Estimates from the various depart
ments of the city government for their
EXPENSES for next year have begun to
reach Mayor Myers. He has requested
the heads of departments to submit
their statements by Dec 1. The May
or has decided not to make public any
of the estimates. as he says they are
but tentative, being subject to the
changes that may be agreed upon by
Council.
In making up the budget for next
year the Finance Committee will be
able to figure in property that was
not included last year. There has been
a very satisfactory increase in valua-
ton shown, aud the result will be an
increase in the net receipts from tax
alton. if the city decides to levy taxes
at the same rate as provided for the
current year.
From the railroads will come about
one-half the increase. the Plant Sys-
tern returns were not accepted by the
controller general. whose attention to
the great disparity between the re-
turns and the real value of the city
property of the company. as it was
seen by the city authorities, was di-
rected by Mr.. Osborne, whose report
to the Mayor a year ago protested
against the acceptance by the control
Ter general of such valuation as was
placed upon its property by the Plant
System. The city had no alternative
hut to accept the returns accepted by
the controller general. as such is the
law, but Mr.. Osborne's protest served
to secure the increase, as the board
of arbitrators sustained him in his
position.
For 1901 the returns from the rail
roads aggregate $1.475.610. which is an
increase of $625, 139 over last year, when
the returns were $S50.471 for all the
property within the city limits. The
Plant Systems returns this year, as
advanced by the board of arbitration,
are S5T9,65S, while for 1900 they were
but S24s,579, showing an increase of
1891 ,0T9 More than one-half the Inv
crease in railroad valuation, therefore,
it may be seen. falls upon the Plant
System.
From none of the other railroads was
there any trouble over an understand
ing as TO valuation. The Central, the
Seaboard and the street railway all
gave in returns that proved satisfac-
tory, and there We're no boards of ar
bitration needed to judge between them
and the state.
A snug sum will be received into the
city's Golfers as a result of the in
crease in the valution of their proper
~. If the rate for next year should
be las on the thousand as this year.
the increase will net the city. SIS, 15S. 05,
it, as is always the case, the railroads
take advantage of the 10 per cent dis
count.
The following is a statement that
shows the total returns upon city
property for this year and the increase
over last year, each of the items show
ing a substantial increase: