Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-13

handed you contain substantially q correct
statement Of what was said By youreelf
and by the other persons participating In
it, Ayes, sir.
Mr.. simerai: The REALTORS now oner the
said article in evidence, same being marked
exhibit No. 81. the purpose being 70 sbcv
that the board wiilfuliy violated the COR
rect rule Of valueing this property after
their attention was specifically directed to
It, so that they did not act in ignorance.
mo objection).
Mr.. simeral-we will offer in evidence
the hles Of The Omaha Daily Bee marked
Exhibit sly for the purpose Of showing
the market value Of the stocks and honds
Of the railroad corporations herein In
volved.
Mr.. ~Baldwin-To which the respondents
object as incompetent, immaterial and ir-
relevant.
Chief Justice sullivan-I think Il is adj
missable. and same Il received In evidences,
Mr.. Simersl-The tax commissioner %
the city OF Omaha, and OF the city Of South
Omaha. being absent from the court, Il 10
agreed that IL they were present that the
tax commissioner OF Omaha would testify
that the valuation Of property IN the city
Of Omaha for municipal taxation 10 at the
rate of 20 per cent OF fits actual value and
that the tax commissioner Of South Omaha
would testify that the assessment Of 1903
Of property in South Omaha Is valued ct so
per cent or upward Of the true cash value
thereof.
Mr.. Kelby-So far as I am concerned and
have anything to say In this matter, I shall
certainly not permit that. In the arst
place, because the testimony Is incompetent
and immaterial; and second, because II is
not the fact.
Mr.. Baldwin-This is all subject 10 the
objection that 1t is incompetent and imma-
terial, and also subject to the right to re-
but It.
commissioner Of the city Of Lincoln, II
present, would testify that for municipal
purposes here all property is assessed At lie
actual value.
Mr.. Baldwin-This is subject to the same
objection that II Is incompetent and imma-
%terial, with the right to rebuff 1t.
Chief Justice Sullivan-The evidence will
be received subject to the objection.
Mr.. M. 1. Aitken, tax commissioner OF
Lincoln, being duly sworn. testines as fol-
lows, examined by Mr.. Harrington; Mr..
Aitken, are you the tax Commissioners OF
the city of Lincoln7 Ayes, sir.
o.-Upon what basis as compared with
the actual value is property assessed for
municipal purposes In Lincoln for the year
1902? Al assessed the property at the
full. fair cash value.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Kelby: When did
your duty as tax commissioner OF this city
begin7 April 10. 1901.
Q.-This is the first term Of once that
you served? A.-This is the first term. yes,
sir; the second year.
Q.-Do you know about the assessment
Of property for 1901? Ayes, sir.
| w thew asseSRad at their actual
cash value for 1901? Ayes. sir.
Q.-What is the relative difference be-
tween the assessment of 1901 and 1902?
A.-But little. l raised them q little for
1902. Made them a little higher.
Odd you personally make the assess
ment in each Of the wards in the city OF
Lincoln? Al assessed all Of the real es-
tate myself, and the personal superin-
tended somewhat.
Q.-You procured Il to be done through
deputies regularly appointed by you? A.
No, sir; l did all Of the real estate by OBJ
servation and personally.
Q.-And personality1. A.-The PERSONAL
ity was done by the deputies. l after
wards looked at the schedule and ad-
vanced a number Of the larger assess
ments.
o.-what do you mean by "fair. cash
valuef" A.-Well. what / considered It
worth.
o.-what you considered it WORTH A.
Yes. sir.
Dwell, from what consideration was
your judgment based as to its WORTH A.
Well, the selling price and the rental
value. and a part Of It, Of course. was
assessed with the view Of making II fair
and equitable with other property.
Q.-Take the Richards block. ON o and
Eleventh streets. do you remember what
the assessed value Of that was for this
Year, Ayes, sir; sos 200.
Q.-Do you consider that as its actual
value7 Ayes, sir, and more than IL
cost.
Q.-Do you mean to say that building
cost less than sos, 900? Ayes, sir.
Q.-What is the ground worth? A-rhe
ground l valued at $35. 900.
Q.-What did the building cost? A.
That building cost $50 5000 and I valued It
at $50, 900.
Q.-You are sure Of that? Al had II
from the contractor, and there was q COM
plant filed before the Board of Equallza-
ton this year and the attorneys made
statements Of the cost of the building and
of the property, giving those figures.
Q.-Do you know what the aggregate
rentals are that are derived from that
buildlng7 A.-Well, I only have the state
ments Of the attorneys In the case.
Odd you make any investigation TO