Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-09-02
D0NA ANA
VALUATIONS
A Slight Increase for 1904 Is
Reported by the County
Assessor.
THE FIGURES ANALIZED
Many Apparent Incongruities, But as .
Whole Assessment Returns
Are Fair.

Travelling Auditor Charles V. Sal
ford is receiving the assessment roll
of the different counties, and despit
the fact that the past year has bee
an unfavorable one for the increas
of value in taxables, most Of the coun
ties hold their own or show smal
gain compared to the fiscal year be
fore There rs greater uniformity ant
equality in the assessment than for
merly, due to the work of Travelling
Auditor Stafford, although there is still
much room for improvement.
The assessment for Dona Ana Coun
ty for 1904 is $2,20,,913, of which 81,
OS7,513 is subject to tax, an increase
of 1854, against $112,200 the year pre-
vious. The largest gain was made in
agricultural lands, $4,000, which this
year are assessed at $545,009. Other
gains were: Grazing lands, $10,104;
assessment, $137,370; mineral lands
s7,750, not assessed at all last year
horses, gain, $5,076; assessment, $45,'
679; merchandise, gain, $4,005; assess.
ment $67,755; surface improvements
on mines, gain, $3,915; assessment
$27,300; apiaries, $500; no assess
ment last year; sheep, gain, $2,350;
assessment, $22,S9S; money, gain, ST.
$50; assessment, $3,67O; swine, gain,
$1,112; assessment, $2,887; mills, gain,
$3.50; assessment, $12,250; notes and
accounts, gain $5S5; assessment, $6,-
575; watches and clocks, gain, 5000;
assessment $5,745; hay, gain, $305;
assessment, $500; engines, gain,
$135; assessment, $S,975; books, gain,
$40; assessment, $2,229 The greatest
loss was in city lots, loss, $53,S06; as
sessment, $145,520; cattle, loss, $4,-
387; assessment, $165,511; railroads,
loss, $4,19S; assessment, $911,124;
household goods, loss, $2,7S5; assess.
ment, $17,059; wagons, loss, $1,657;
assessment; $11,404; mules, loss, 81
445: assessment, $2.242; tools. loss,
$752; assessment $S25; sewing ma
chimes, loss, $493; assessment, 1886;
bonds, loss, $3.50; none being returned
for assessment this year; jewelry loss,
s270; assessment, $500; fixtures In
stores, ba1rooms, ETC., loss, 1920; as
sessment, $3,OS5; burros, loss, $81;
assessment, $119; musical instruments,
loss, $40; assessment, $5,075; gold and
silver plate, loss, $40; assessment,
$3.50; goats, loss, 81; assessment,
$5,621. An analysis of this assessment
will bring to light many apparent in
congruities, but under the circum-
stances it is undoubtedly as fair as
could be made under the present law.
The per capita assessment, estimating
the population at 10000, is $183.5O, or
about 60 per cent more than the per
capita assessment Of Santa Fe County.
The railroads furnish Al per cent OF
the assessment: agricultural lands "a
per cent, cattle per cent; city lots
Z per cent; grazing lands LIZ
per cent, merchandise per cent,
horses 2 per cent, mining l IL per
cent, and sheep only per cent. In
other words, next to the railroads, the
farmer is the heaviest taxpayer, and
far behind him comes the cattleman,
then the miner way down in the list,
and the sheepman still further down,
paying on one twenty-fourth Of what
the farmer, one-eighth what the cattle
man, and 66 per cent Of what the min
ing man pays in taxes. Values must
have dropped out Of city lots at Las
Cruces, for they are assessed at 25 per
cent less this year than last. Cattle,
mules goats, and burrds are also go
ing out OF fashion, for each shows
d screase in valuation. The people OF
Dona Ana County manage to get along
with less furniture than most people,
for less than $3.50 worth per head APP
pears on the assessment rolls. They
are also managing to do with fewer
luxurdes every year, for musical instru.
ments, jewelry, gold and silver plate
have declined in value since 1903, the
Jewelry being less than seven cents
worth per person, and gold ANA silver
plate only q 1ittlo over two cents per
person. However, the people ere Srow.
ang more literary, for $4,000 Of them
bought 90 worth pf books since the
year begorA, and there Are n the co1n.
~ flftssn cents worth OF BOOKS %
every person. The fact that quits Z
number of pumps, etc, were put up
during the past year Is indicated BY
the fack that the valuation Of engines
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