The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1903-01-21

to get the appeal in shape so | can pre-
sent it to the State Board.
'.We confirmed your assessment as the
result of that hearing in the Mayors
office" said President Knox.
You have no right to do that" re-
marked Mr.. Weart. "How can you dis
pose of such an important matter as this
without proof?'
MIR. KNOX'S CONFESSION.
We acted on the advice of the people
who made the assessment, honestly con-
fessed Mr.. Knox.
When Mr.. Weart recovered from his
surprise he said: 'An assessment has
been laid by board appointed by due
authority of law to levy assessments un-
der oath. We feel aggrieved. We go to
the people who placed this assessment on
the property and state what the property
is worth. We hear nothing from them.
Then we file an appeal with your board,
an absolutely independent body, also ere
ated under authority of law to equalize
and revise assessments. You are also un-
der oath. This board has no right to de-
eide this appeal without first listening to
the evidence of the company. Now / want
that petition fixed so / can go before the
State Board. -
I'VE confirmed your appeal. as we con-
firmed other appeals, because we didn't
know you wanted to appear here" ex-
planned Knox.
"Our appeal was strictly according to
practice" said Mr.. Weart
1--WE are willing to reconsider it and
grant you hearing remarked the
President.
Had you asked for hearing we
would have granted it, spoke up Com
missioner Connolly. ''We didn't know
you wanted one"
after the conference upstairs 1
thought it was all right" ventured Mr.
Angel. ''and so / voted to confirm"
''On the basis of the figures presented
the Tax Commissioners told us to con-
firm. This being an administrative meas
ure we didn't think we ought to do other
wise" said Mr.. Knox.
Mr.. Weart again appeared greatly sur
prised He looked the President straight
in the eye and said, ''Why hold office if
that is the way business is to be DONE
You are an independent officer and
should be guided>by your own investiga-
tion.''
CHANGED THE SUBJECT.
Mr.. Connolly changed the subject,
which was fast being embarrassing
to the Commissioners. by remarking:-
"We were ignored in this matter all
along. Why didn't you come to us in
stead of going upstairs? We heard that
there was conference, but we weren't
notified. We didn't know anything
about it,
You have some of my fguresT' in
quired the trolley company,s counsel.
Z. Yes" answered AIR. Knox. .swe went
over them with the Tax Commissioners
Bat that was unofficial. continued
the lawyer. I'VE went before the Off
cials to see If what We believed to be a
mistake could not be rectifed."
IF you want a hearing we'll give.
you one,' remarked Mr.. Knox.
eve ought to have day set" said
Mr.. Weart. Whether we go ON with
the hearing or not is another question"
IF any mistake has been made in
terrupted Mr.. Connolly, ''it's on the COM
panys part for not asking specially for
the hearing
Mr.. Weart didn't deign to reply to
this. He merely repeated his statement
that he wanted day set for the hear
ing so the record would be straight and
he would be in a position to appeal to
the State Board.
Then Mr.. Angel. who did not want it,
to appear that the North Jerseys as
sessment had been confirmed on orders
from upstairs made this little speech:
"We wish, sir, to give you every facility.
That's what we are here for. The ad-
ministration investigated this appeal and
we took advantage of the results eff the
investigation. That's all there is to it."
The Commissioners agreed to- recon-
slider their resolution to confirm the as
sessment and consented to accord the
North Jerseys counsel an opportunity to
be heard next Tuesday afternoon at
O'Clock.
Realizing the utter futility of con-
yincing the board that the assessment
should be cut down in view of the hu-
initiating confession that the Commits
soners confirm. assessments because the
Tax Commissioners and administration
officers tell them to do so, Mr.. Weart
will probably not go very far into the
hearing. 1t is understood that he believes
it would only be a waste of. time.
H-