Evening journal., 1904-07-15
FINAL REPORT
OF COMMITTEE
Much Talked of Investigating
Committee Gives Out Re-
suit OF Findings
MANY CHANGES IN ASSESSMENT


Pages and Contains Many Interesting
Eisures-Pennsylvania Railroad As
sessment Laid Bare.
The much talked about report Of the
investigating committee appointed by
City Council a month ago to examine
the assessment made by the Board Of
Assessment. Revision and Appeals this
year. was presented before City Coun-
ell last night.
Many incidences Of where assess
ments on properties had been reduced,
while the assessment on other prop
critics Immediately alongside of such,
were allowed to stand as fixed by the
city tax collectors and assessors were
cited The report also contained a de-
tailed statement of the assessment on
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's
property but offered no comment nor
criticism OF the assessment boards ac-
tions.
The report was signed by Messrs.
Cannon. Simmons, McGovern and Tay-
lor. The fifth member of the commit
tee. ID. w. Lynch. having refused to
/ sign it because the members of the
Board Of Assessment. Revision and APP
peals had not been given a hearing by
the investigating committee or an op-
portunity to defend themselves. After
a long discussion the report was adopt
ed by vote of to 4.
Those voting against the adoption of
the report were Messrs. Willis. Lynch,
Spence and McCafferty. and those who
voted for it's acceptance were Messrs.
Cannon, Simmons. O'Neill. Taylor,
Reilly and McGovern. on the ground
of being interested I'm the report. Messrs.
Kane McNulty and Zebley refused to
vote either way.
i The assessment on Mr.. Zebley's prop
erty was reduced while that of his
lneighbors was allowed to stand and the
fact was duly recorded in the investi-
/, eating committees report.
Motion to Defer Action Lost.
Before the report was read Mr.. Lynch
Of the Tenth ward said: zone member
Of the committee refused to sign thai
report for excellent reasons and NOV,
that action on the adoption in rejection
OF the report be deferred for one week.
In answer TO Mr.. Lynch Mr. Taylo
OF the Eighth ward said. Il hope th'
members of this body who voted e
limit the committees time in which e
report will be consistent and vote ac
cordingly If they vote otherwise i
: VIII be seen that they are inconsistent
Mr.. McCanerty of the Tenth ware
took exception 20 Mr.. Taylor's remarks
and thought he was premature. 1T il
not a question of consistency" said Mr.
lMcCaferty, zone member of the i'm
vestigating committee has asked tina
action on the report be deferred for on'
week. claiming that he had good rea'
sons for making the request
Mr.. Taylor replied Council knows
nothing of his reasons. He has no
even said who the member is who re
fused to sign the report"
!, Mr. McCafferty-"Th committee ha
heard his reasons.
Mr.. Taylor-"Yes and it voted to re
port tonight"
The vote TO either defer the readinl
q of the report one week or hear IL reai
Il at once resulted as follows: Vote to de
e fer: Messrs. Lynch O'Neill and ZebleS
j. 8; nays: Messrs. Willis, Cannon, Sim
mons, Taylor, Reilly, Spence. McCaf
ferty and McGovern. President Nc
n Nulty and Mr.. Kane refused to vote.
Railroad Assessment.
The report was then read. Referrin
:, Ito the assessment on the Pennsylvani
Railroad property it said
!. Since the passing Of the resolution
- Constructing the Collector of Taxes fo
: the northern district not to receive IN
lpayment OF taxes upon the property q
the Pennsylvania Railroad. the commit
= tee has secured competent and trust
=, worthy legal advice. upon both IN
!. northern and southern districts. an
i fnd there is no possibility OF maxim
lany change or alteration in the sSczs
= ment as laid by the Board of Aasres
ment. Revision and Appeals, and. 1,ere
fore. without going into a resume o
this particular property. the committe
- deem IL advisable to use The summar
y as given below. The committee woul
call attention TO the fact however, this
the assessment as at present laid, mel
II the city less income by S1.1S4.S5 tina
h lit did in 1908. despite the fact thi
they have since the last assessment aS
10, luuired considerable property and adde
- hundreds of thousands of dollars wort
Of improvements.
>, The Pennsylvania Railroad Compar
a I'm the southern district paid in ls'
,s $40. .66s.69: in 1904 they will pay 80
O52.25: in the northern district in ls'
N they paid s1.3S1.24; in 1904 they WI
~ pay s1.762.S3.
"a The totals in both years in both dil
N tricts are: 1908. S11.999.s3; 1904. $40
= S15.OS; making a difference of Sl.lS4.e
or less than what they paid last year.
- In 1904 the assessors valuation place
~ on this property in the southern di
q trict was S76O.745.
This amount was reduced by u
20 Board of Assessment, Revision and Al
~ lpeals to $685.. .245. a reduction Of Sl25'5'
i'm In the northern district the valuat'
placed upon this property by the A
SCISSORS was. $652. .759.
,a This amount was reduced by q
ad Board of Assessment. Revision al
Nv Appeals to $20S,513, of which amou
in S169.613 is at half rate only.
al This makes a total reduction on
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad proper'
"a by the Board Of Assessment. Revisit
ev and Appeals of S569.74
~ The depreciation of taxable proper
90 by the railroad changes from Mark
~ LTrop.b WAS S66. 90