Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-12-12
wa-hur County, .tsae-sur,

The grand jury Of Washoe county
Completed its labors last week Pud
made one OF the warmest reports To
Judge Curler that has ever been made 10y
any grand jury i'll the State. 1t c"mpii.
niants the clerk. auditor. and treasurer
for their efficiency and rips the com.
~missioner, assessor, district attorney,
justice of the peace and constable OF
Reno up aud down the back i'll great
shape. Tina; portion relating t" the
assessors way Of fixing valuations dnd
his diligence in performing the duties
his office shows that he falls far
short Of the requirements Of
the law. The concluding portion
Of their REF ort IN the ASSESSORS
Office shows how assessments are made
in Wnshoe county and the poverty
stricken condition 81 It's people, notwith.
standing the great prosperity they en-
IO! cd last year. As II will Interest the
people Of Elku county Ia learn nov the
people OF Wushoe county are laying up
wealth and paying taxes ON it, tie con.
GLIDING portion of the grand jurN's re.
port on the asses or's office will be
found below:
1t will be remembered that the Law
says the Assessor shall ascertain 10y
diligent inquiry ami examination all the
property subject to taxation.
Did he do this last year:
1t will also be remembered that each
blank statement contains "a mrtunr"ud.
um list of nearly all kind Of property.
This list presumably is intended to us.
sist the property owners and assessor III
making ont the stnncmcnt.
For instance, the list mentions house
hold furniture. pianos, god and silver.
ware. libraries. goods, wares and mel
chandisr, money. solvent debts capital
loaned. watches or jrweity. hurscs.
mules. cattle, sheep. hogs. bees. lumber.
bicycles.- etc.
1t Is Cow III order to inquire how near
the Assessor came by -liligcni inquiry
to finding all the asscssable property. in
this county.
For instance. WAS il 10y "diligeut in
quir!7 that he found only Is persons
who had money, and Ii II t" Uc rrr-
sumed thai the other 1871 wore one
less.
WIS it through -diligent- search that
only ll3 pianos" were fouud and did
he discover by examination that their
"aluc was only - dollars hnd upward:
Shall we believe that: ont OF the l51g
taxpa! crs, only il had solven: debts. or
that Washoe county has no more than
! 81 bicycles, quoted at - up?
Shall it 20 forth rs II fact that only Ii
people in WashOe county had j"wcIry.
and Of the cheap John" order. II that
there are not more than u watches in
our prosperous county ~ 5000 people
and that the value ~ these halt dozen is
no more than $50?
In closing this part Of our report it
may not he inappropriate to include a
part Of Judge IIuwley's decision after
hearing the contest III his Court at Car
ton last year III the case Of the South
ern Pacific Railroad Crrpany against
the action Of the Stare Board OF As.
scssOr-, during winch trial the manner
OF assessing was fully considered. We
may also note that the shortcomings Of
our several County Assessors must have
been exceedingly glaring t" cause the
language Of the Judge, Here it il:
IS. u, K. X. Co. "a. State Board 81
Assessors.
III ! were to venture ii suggestion ON
this subject II would be to the effect
that uniformity III the assessment OF
property can only be secured hy the
election Of intelligent. impartial and
hOcnst men to office. who will strictly
adhere 80 the provisions Of the c0nstitu-
ton Of tins state and assrss all property
Of every kind at its true cash value.