Amador ledger., 1903-07-24
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
Only Two Applications for Reduction of Assess
ment, and Both Denied.


The county fathers met as board of
equalization on Monday. July 20; all
the members being present.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved.
A. Caminetti appeared in behalf of
the application of w. A. Nevills, for a
reduction of the assessment on the
Moore mine, near Jackson, from S35, 900
to 800, 900.
| w. A. Nevills was sworn and exam
ined in support of the application. He
said the property was in the same con-
dition it was year ago; no develop
ment work done, no improvements
made. 1t was held under an agricul-
tural title, and therefore had no extra
lateral rights. The improvements
made years ago were delapidated and
out of date; they were assessed at S5, 900,
he would sell them for $1,000.
Assessor Marchant stated that the
valuation this year was based on the
sale of the property last year, when it
was sold to Mr. Nevills for $40, 600; the
assessment was made at so per cent of
the value as determined by that sale.
Mr. Nevills explained the reasons that
led him to bid up the property to those
figures; he had to bid it in to protect
his interests in other directions; he
and his partner owned four-sixths of
the mine; so that he had only to put
up two-sixths of the purchase price in
cash, representing the interest held by
the opposing bidders. The sale was in
no way fair criterion of the value of
the property.
A. Caminetti addressed the board at
length in favor Of the reduction asked.
He compared the assessment in this in
stance with the valuation placed upon
other mining property, showing that
some fully equipped mines were assessed
for far less than the Moore property.
He was not blaming the assessor for
dealing leinently with these mines; he
believed it was the right course to pur-
sue. But he did contend, in face of
all the facts, that the application for a
reduction in the case under considera-
tion should be granted.
On motion of D. Burke the matter
was continued until half-past o'clock.
The petition of John H. Springer,
asking for reduction on the Wildman
Gold Mining Company from S85, 900 to
$50, 900 was then taken up. The petition
stated that the trust decd covering this
property, and which was assessed for
its face value of $50, 0OO was of the ac-
tual value of $50, 600, and the reduction
was asked under the rule that the se-
curity should not be assessed at a valu-
alton in excess of the property given as
security.
BY unanimous vote of the board
the application was denied.
At adjournment was then taken until
1.30p.m.
Upon reconvening NJ. Newman moved
that the petition of w. A. Nevills be
granted. The motion was not seconded.
M. Newman then moved that the
assessment be reduced to $25, 600; Sec
onded by L. Burke. Motion lost by the
following vote: Ayes-Newmau, Burke.
Noes-Amick, Grillo, Moore.
No further business appearing the
board adjourned sine die.
The careful reader will not fail to
notice from the above report that no
official action has been taken on the
Nevills' petition; that petition was nei-
ther granted nor rejected; it was never
put to vote. 1t stands practically in
the same position that it did before the
board met; and the board has ad-
journed sine die without disposing OF
the business on hand. We do not pre-
tend to know the legal effect of this
failure. Upon inquiry, we have been
informed that upon reassembling in the
afternoon the board held one of those
so-called executive" sessions which
have become feature of late. What
was done at this private meeting of
public body we know not Probably
in the mix-up between the orthodox
and hetrodox method of doing business
the official disposition of the petition
was overlooked.