Evening journal., 1902-03-14
CONDEMNS NEW
CITY ASSESSMENT
Board Of Trade Adopts Set
Of ScathiDg Resolutions
ADVISES CITIZENS TO RESIST
Properties 10 Some Sections Of City
Are Assessed Beyond Their Cash
Value

Al lilt AiAtAAn1 Vi NAAN 'fNNNAt - J
Trade last evening the board put IT.
self on record as being opposed to the
new assessment made by the Board OF
Assessment. Revision and Appeals.
Resolutions were adopted condemning
1t and advising the taxpayers affected
by the increased assessment to refuse
10 pay it.
Chairman Pickles. of the special
committee appointed to look into the
assessment. made the following report,
which on motion was adopted;
"To the Board of Trade.
Gentlemen Your committee ap-
pointed to investigate the methods and
results of the special board of asses
sors appointed by the City Council to
make an assessment Of all the real es-
tate in this city. beg leave 70 report
as follows:
1T appeared to your committee that
/ the special board Of assessors were ac-
tuated by the idea that it was their
duty to increase the assessments
wherever possible, regardless Of the
law, which requires that all real es-
tate shall be assessed at such a figure
as it would sell for. if sold for cash.
THIS criticism applies especially toI
manufacturing and industrial estab,
llishments.
"The following summary has been
made of the results Of our labors. after
as full an investigation as the time at
our disposal allowed:
Eleven of the largest manuiactur-
ling plants in the city-aggregating un-
der the old assessment 81 1442S59-iiye
of them. amounting TO S77l075 have
mot been changed. and six of them, ag-
lgregating S671 ,7S4, have been Increased
bv the Board of Revision Sl55,l0O,
> equal to % per cent. advance. The
d three steam railroads, with an aggre-
gate assessment Of S540, ,150, have been
Increased S29. 500, or about 615 per cent.
ELEVEN morocco establishments-
representing an assessment OF SAO2.l3O
five have not been changed; one has
been reduced $4,000, and four Others
have been increased $4,000. an IN
Icrease OF $1,000, or about / per cent
lDf nineteen miscellaneous manufactur-
ling companies, aggregating under the
regular assessment, SASS $780, three
have not been changed; five have been
reduced s11 200, and eleven increased
s37. $50. or a total increase Of per
cent. In an aggregation Of thirty-three
manufacturing plants, and industrial
establishments, representing an assess
ment of S2010.7l5. there have been no
changes in valuation.
There has been no change In brew
ing property.
Lots. unimproved, in the Ninth
i ward. under the ownership of several
companies as we'll as private indivd-
uals, aggregating under the regular
- assessment S155.44O, have been in
creased to s271 .230, an increase Of $115,-
! 100. about "A per cent
I'm the judgment of this committee,
, the appointment of the special board
of assessors. was utterly uncalled for,
without warrant in law, as well as a
+ waste of the peoples money.
| I'm view of all the facts in the case
o lit appears to your committee that there
n is a very great need for some system
o or method for equalizing the assess
= ment of real estate in this city, so that
4 all property owners shall have their
!. property assessed at the proper value. -
g Mr.. Reed said the committee took
THE figures of the special assessors, the
r regular assessors and the Board of AS
+ sessment. Revision and Appeals.
r Andrew L. Johnson remarked that
lthe committee did not say whether
s. It considered the assessments exces-
4 sive. or whether they are equitable and
i lust.
u Mr.. Pickles said he did not consider
slthat the committee was appointed TO
a give opinions as to whether or not the
"a Assessment. is Just and equitable He
y Thought it was for the board to deter
\, mine. Mr.. Reed said the committed
lv was appointed to inquire into the as.
/" lsessment on manufacturing and in
r. ldustrial establishments. and the com
n. lmittee decided among themselves tha
o. they would not give any opinion, bu
Is would consent to answer any questions
rs In the Ninth ward alone the assess
Is ment was found to have been raiset
s115. .7gO, and in other parts of the cit!
lg from to "A per cent. over old assess
IL ment. The old assessors had figure,
'r. honestly and had only assessed prop
IT, erty at its cash valuation and to ALLOW
IL the taxpayers to be victimized by thi
sh new assessment was thought to be out
y rageous.
u Mr.. Russell said that he thought tn
=, Assessment was inequitable and shoull
h, be condemned. and offered a resolu
a ton to that effect. Archibald S. Reed
~ one of the committee, thought tn
es board should be careful in adoptin
m any measure that would let the outsid
X world know of the injustice that wa
n. being done the taxpayers of the city
]. He advised that the language of IN
,u- resolution be moderated, and afte
Continued on Fifth Pagel.