Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-21
Up An ASSESSMENT
City Council Hears Protests from Those
Who Had Been Raised.
CUTS OFF TOTAL OF TWENTY THOUSAND
Implement Men object to Having VAL
cations Raised, but Do Not Succeed
in Convincing the Members
of n Council.

h city council has completed it's work
as a Board Of Review. 1t met Yesterday
afternoon to consider protests from in
dividuals and firms whose assessments on
personal property had been raised by the
board a week ago. The assessment as re-
turned by City Assessor Everest was raised
by the board about SIS, 900 and yesterday
afternoon It made reductions amounting to
about $4,000. leaving about $4,000 OF the
Increase 70 stand.
The banks were not represented at the
meeting yesterday and their assessments
were permitted to stand. 1t Is understood.
however. that the Council Bluffs Savings
bank will take its assessment into court.
Alderman Lougee expressed himself in
favor Of leaving the assessment where the
board had placed them a week ago on the
grounds that real estate had been assessed
enormously high as compared with personal
property. Nearly all OF the agricultural i'm
plement firms whose assessments had been
raised were on hand with protests They
claimed generally that their stocks, which
had been assessed, consisted chiefly OF goods
in transit.
john S. Gretzer. representing the Grand
Detour Plow company. in making his pro-
tests, said It was the first time he had ap-
heAN a HAbAEoE n ~ NOuIU De
the last. Our company does not have to
stay in Council Blurs and we can move
across the river II we want to- he said
During the discussion Of the company's as
sessment Mr.. GretIer said: Alderman Nc
Donald knows as we'll as l do, and in fact
We all know II. that the Implement com
panies carry a good deal larger stock than
they are assessed on" This brought Alder
man Lougee to his feet with an inquiry IL
Mr., GretEer really meant what he said.
Mr.. Gretzer replied that he did and this
ended the discussion. the board at once de-
Gliding not to alter the assessment.
The Aultman-Miller company and the
Fuller & Johnson company, whose assess
ments had been placed at 5000 each, both
made protests. but without avail. The Gale
Manufacturing company, whose assessment
had been raised from $4,000 to IS, 200. pro-
tested and asked that it be reduced 10
$1,000. After Mr.. Gretzer's admission the
board declined to make any reduction.
Keys Bros. whose assessment had been
raised from $500 to 5000. succeeded in
inducing the board to reduce it to $1,000.
The Union Transfer company. whose assess
ment had been raised from $4,000 to 81. 200.
also succeeded in getting the board to place
It back at the original figures. The assess
ment Of Thompson & Sons, which had been
Increased to 81, 900 from 81. 900. was placed
back at the 1000 mark.
Reduce ~rchandI Assessments.
John Beno & Co. protested against their
assessment being raised from $55, 900 to
$50. 900 and the board placed IL back at the
original amount, as II did in the case Of
Ferdinand Weis. whose assessment had
been raised from 81 1000 to $4,000. Mr.. weis
showed that he had recently placed most
OF his surplus cash in government bonds.
c. r. Tyler OF the Crystal mills, whose as
sessment had been increased from $1,000 to
5000. explained to the board that he was
on the bear side Of the wheat market and
that he only carried insurance of $4,000
upon his stock which was insured. he said,
to the limit and the board reduced his as
sessment to s.. 900.
J. W. Squire. protested against having his
assessment raised from 10000 to $50. 900.
and explained that owing to the inability
to place loans he had recently invested
much Of his capital in real estate. The
board accepted his explanation and placed
his assessment back at $4,000. as made by
the assessor.
The other changes made By the board were
unimportant.