The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1904-04-11
CITY AND COUNTY ASSESSMENTS
SHOW AN INCREASE THIS YEAR

One of the busy places in Tacoma Just
now is the county assessors office. The
are employed in making assessments 25
in the country aud l6 in the city. The
regular Office force consists of three men.
All the extra men, except those working
in the office and who will continue until
the first of August. will be laid off as soon
as their reports are in. Many of the coun-
try deputies reports are in now and the
city deputies are expected to have their
reports in by the first of next month
Estimating on the figures now in. the
total assessment this year will approx
mate S32 ,625 .S62 Last year it was $40 :
59l .764
BY reason Of law passed by the last
legislature the county will lose several hun
dred dollars this year in the bank assess
ment. This law permits the bankers to
deduct from their total assessment their
own valuation Of the realty held by them.
instead OF the assessed valuation as here
tofore. The assessed valuation being only
a fraction of the real value of the land,
the banks, nearly all of which hold CON
siderable realty, will benefit decidedly by
the new law
The sources of increase in realty valua-
tions will be chiefly in the tide lands in
the city and timber lands throughout the
county, which heretofore have escaped
with IA very small assessment not at all
in accordance with their real value, except.
perhaps, in very few cases. 1t is not
altogether unlikely that the timber lands
were assessed high enough until within the
last four or five years, for previous to that
time there were plenty of timber claims
that were almost burden to their owners
and many claim holders sold their timber
at a small figure to get it off their hands
There will be an increase of assessment
placed on the Northern Pacific railroad
properties in this county this year. The
assessment against this property has been
very light formerly, considering the track
age the company has and the privileges
it enjoys
Still another source of revenue might
be mentioned that may be instrumental in
adding several hundred dollars to the coun
ty funds. and that is the Puyallup Indian
lands Beginning on the LIST of March
County Assessor Meath. acting under the
advice of County Attorney Fremont Camp
bell, appointed deputy to assess the
reservation lands. Suit was brought
against the assessor by an Indian to re
strain him from assessing the lands. The
case was tried in the superior court before
Judge Smell. who expressed the opinion
that the Indians are now full-hedged citi
zens, enjoy the right of suffrage, can buy
and sell lands, and in every way exercise
the liberties given under the constitution
to other citizens. and therefore would
naturally be subject to the same tax laws
as other citizens. The attorney for the
Indian, George I. Reid, has appealed the
case to the supreme court. and that court
will render its decision some time during
the May term.
An increase will be made in the assess
ment in some parts of the city which have
been built up within the last two years
In the southern part of the city the as
SCISSOR has been asked to raise the assess
ment on the improvements there. in ordel
that there may be more money raised Will
which to make further needed improve
ments.
The steady growth of the city within