The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-16
.FQUALIz[Rs MAKE
BUT SLIGHT CHANGE
IN cONLEgs WORK
MAS
Twenty-four Days Work by
Eleven Men Results in Reduc-
ton of the Assessed VaIua-
ton by $4,000 Nash Be.
comes Dramatic at Finish.
= %>%%~>%%>~< . .
WORK OF EQUALIZATION
BOARD UNMARRIED.

after a session lasting tWenty-fOur
days, finished it's work and adjourned
yesterday
The eleven members of the board,
who were paid So per day for their
work, which consisted largely of talk,
succeeded in reducing the assessment
as returned by Assessor Conley some
thing like $4,000 and increasing it
$4,000, the net reduction being about
$4,000. This does not include the
raise of 100000 in the assessment
against the Northern Pacific Railroad
company, the legality of which will be
contested in the courts.
The work of the board, taken as
whole, is complimentary. TO the assess
ment returned by Assessor Conley, as
but few changes were made in the re-
turns as submitted to fhe board by
him. In almost every Instance where
an assessment was questioned the as
SCISSOR was sustained byFthe majority
of his colleagues on the board.
AT the very outset of the session
County Auditor Krahmer submitted
plan by means of which he explain
ed the total assessment would be in
creased some $5,000,00e. Ellis plan was
to make a material increase in the as
sessment of every Wholesale and job
bling institution in the city. The prop
osition was submitted tor the board and
was supported by, Commissioners Nash
and Pottgieser, but when thaltime came
for someone to assume the responsible
fty for the Increase, neither Mr.. Krah-
mer nor his supporters were willing to
do So and the pet scheme of the au-
ditor was never brought to a vote, be-
ing quietly relegated to the rear for
the want of some person to introduce
the necessary resolution.
Following the defeat of his plans
along this line, Mr.. Krahmer sought
to have the wholesalers and jobberS in
creased 20 per cent, and in this he was
also supported by Commissioners Nash
and Pottgieser, who stood by him until
the representatives of the firms affect
ed put in an appearance before the
board, when they abandoned the fight
and left the assessment as 1t had been
returned.
krahmer's Latest Effort.
Finally, near the end of the session,
County Auditor Krahmer prepared a
list of $50 of the wealthiest men in the
city, whom he thought should be as
sessed at a figure higher than that at
which they had been retur1ied by AS
SCISSOR Conley. This list was presented
to the board for Auditor Krahmer by
Commissioner Nash, who asked that the
names be read and the assessments
raised. The board, however, preferred
to accept the figures of the assessor,
and the last plan of the three members
came to naught.
There were many amusing incidents
connected with the work of the board,
none of them more so than the at
tempt Of Commissioner Pottgieser to
secure raise In the assessments
against the outside breweries doing
business in st. Paul. One of the brew
cries which Mr.. Pottgieser sought to
have increased was the Anheuser-
Busch company, of st, Louis, which is
a colleague of Mr.. Pottgiesef's on the
board Of county commissioners. After
many hours of talk at the board meet
ings, the company was, after three
weeks time, increased but 5000, and
the increase for other breweries were
in like amounts. 2f<S
Easy to Talk High Assessment.
II have followed the. work of this
board pretty, closely" said a county
official yesterday, and have noticed
that the members who ware doing the
loudest talking about low assessments
are not paying on any very large
amounts themselves. Take Krahmer,
Pottgieser and Nash, for instance. They
seem to have done the. most talking of
any members on the board, and the
three of them combined pay personal
property taxes on but. 1915. Krahmer
pays on $685. Pottgieser on $3.50 and
Nash, who found more fault with the
assessment than any other member,
does not pay one cent of personal
property taxes"
II supported Mr.. Conley in most
things, because I thought his assess
ment was very fair one," said Coun-
ty Commissioner David Gray yester-
day. There is always certain amount
of kicking on the work of any assessor,
no matter how he does his work, but
I don't believe there. has been a more
fair assessment made in years than
the one made by Mr.. CQnley this year.
/ am told, and know from personal OBJ
servation, that fewer kickers appeared
before the board this year than at any
time In the last ten Years."
The last session of thee board was
held yesterday morning, and was a
very busy one.
Nash Is Dramatic.
At the close of the meeting, and just
before final adjournment was taken,
Commissioner Nash dramatically de-
c1ared the work of the board to be a
farce.
What have you done?" roared Mr..
Nash. You have raised the poor
mans taxes and let the rich ones go.
It's the poor man who has to pay the
taxes. Wait until I am assessor and
things will be different This board
has not done anything to. earn its mon
ey.''
"If you don't think. you've earned
your money you need not take it, Mr..
Nash,,' said Mayor Smith, but the sug-
gestion was lost. on the county COM
! missioner, as Mr.. Nash was the very
first member of the board to draw his
warrant. He hurried to the auditors
office the minute the board adjourned
and drew his. warrant for $72.
The board yesterday, voted to leave
the assessment of Noyas Bros. & Cutler
at $4,000, the figure returned by As
SCISSOR Conley. BY a previous motion
| the assessment had been, raised to
| 5000, 900.
The assessment against the Hack
ney-Boynton Land company was al
lowed to stand at 100000. the return
| made by the assessor. Upon the mo-
ton of Assessor Conley, the Northern
Pacific was increased from S1S0,000 to