The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-08-26
STATE EQUALIZATION BOARD
KOOTEEAI ASSESSOR EXPLAINS
win EaIss Railroad vaHuntfons-A sig
variatisu IN Land yaIuss-wIii SEQ the
County Assessor 10 Furnishes VIA
Contracts.

The state board Of equalization
held two sessions Saturday, one. which
Waa open In the forenoon. and an en-
ecutive session IN the afternoon.
In the forenoon explanations Of
discrepancies between the 1904 and
1905 reports on patented lands we're
received from assessors Of Kootenai,
EImore. Ada and Oneida counties.
Chairman Isaacson Of the Caasia
county board Of commissioners, also
appeared before the esqusIizers and
asked for reduction In his county
generally because Of the alleged
imitation Of values at Twin Falls In
pursuance Of an understanding be-
tween the assessor and the townsiie
company and, further, because the
county as 3 rule had been assessed
higher than the other counties in the
state. Unless some relief was given,
be said Cassia would be compelled
10 TO pay an unjust proportion Of the
state tax He said he would not
object, however, IL all the other
counties were raised TO the Cassai
level.
E W. johnson appeared before
the board again and made another
argument in favor of raising the
assessment Of railroads, claiming
that they paid taxes on only ] 1 per
cent Of their valuation, as determin-
ed by the government, while other
Glasses Of property in Idaho we're as
sessed not less than so per cent Of
the actual cash valuation.
At the executive session 4 number
Of matters were considered, bat no
HnnI action was taken, although
tentative agreements we're reached on
several points. Some Of the mem
bsrs favor raising Of land values and
IL is probable that this will be done.
Horses and sheep may also be elsvst-
ed, while there is q prospect that
range cattle will be lowered. The
board adjourned 70 meet again
Monday.
Warren Flint. assessor of KoOtenai
county, was the first TO respond to
the crossflre Of interVogatOries By
members Of the board. He was
asked about the patented land. which
showed a falling of of over twenty
eight thousand acres on the face Of
the returns Of the board. Mr.. Flint
said that the subsequent roll would
embrace a large amount Of patented
land. increasing the total Of last year
fully forty thousand dollars. He ex-
planned that in the patented Iand be
: took the list Of the former years for
! his principal roll. After the assess.
ment Of other classes OF property was
over. be said. be instituted q search
for the additional patented land and
this was placed on the subsequent
roll. He said be understood that was
the plan followed generally by as.
SCISSORS. He stated that he had as
sessed the tillable land at about thl
same az last year. Il wAs worth from
SIS 20 $l35 an acre, the latter pric'
covering land in ten acre tracts neal
towns Only per cent Of tn
- patented lands of the county, b
said, was suitable for farming pur
poses. Land from which timber had
been cut was assessed az fifty cents d
one dollar an acre. Logs were as
sessed at 81 and lumber IS Pc
D thousand feet. Land with timber Of
C was assessed at SO an acre. Con
= siderable trouble, he added, had bee
Experienced in assessing equities 1
10 land purchased from the state. Their
e was no record In his county Of th
~ greater part OF the state contracts
% 3oEsrnor GoOding said that In fatuI
assessors Wondld be furnished, fre
- Of change. with q record Of transa,
90 lions Of that character in their re-
% Dective counties. Mr.. Flint admit
= ted that town property, improvement
y and merchandise we're assessed 4
oI low In his county. In response to
40 question by Mr.. johnson he said a
n' assessment Of the county as a who
was within City per cent Of the actu
cash value,