The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-04-05
WEDNESDAY, APRIL ), 1905.
THE ASSESSMENT SEASON.

This is the time of year when the
county assessor calls upon his neigh
bors and friends, makes a few remarks
about the weather, and requests them
to make a statement as to their wealth
In taxable property. 1t is required
that all taxable property in the pos.
session of Montana citizens on the
first Monday of March be listed with
the assessor, and that it be appraised
at its full cash value.
The total assessment Of Montana
last year, according to returns made
to the state board Of equalization,
amounted to S20l, 764, 1856, in which
railroad property represented a valua
ton Of some s36, III, 2lS. The total
value of taxable property, other than
railroads, was therefore about $l64,.
900, 900.
1t may not be generally known, but
the official assessment returns are in
evidence to that effect, that Montana
ranchmen and stockmen are the own
ers OF more than One.half the amount
Of this $l65, 600 900 worth of taxable
property. In round numbers, the re.
turns show that ranches and improve.
last year of over s45 ,OOO, 900, and the
various kinds Of livestock appear in
the list to an aggregate value OF some
$40, 600, 600. Excluding railroad prop
erty from the calculation, Montana
stockmen and ranchmen pay more
taxes than all other property owners
in Montana.
Reference to the assessment returns
Of 1904 shows many items which indi.
cate that owners of certain classes Of
taxable property were averse to tell.
ing the assessor about their financial
condition on the first Monday in
March OF that lyear. Under the head
OF "solvent credits, including deposits
in banks.' it appears that the %, 900
residents of Cascade county had only
$3,l56, or an average Of less than l2t
cents for each person. This, however,
Is q better showing than that of YELL
lowstone county, whose tax roll shows
no returns whatever upon this class
Of property.
According to these assessment re.
turns, the 5000 residents of Teton
county had only $35 worth of watches,
jewelry, cut glass and precious stones
on the first Monday Of March, 1904.
In Lewis and Clark county, the home
OF many wealthy Montana citizens,
about $2l 1900 worth of this class of
property a returned for taxation.
In the matter of farming utensils,
Gallatin county was at the head of
the list last year, with q valu alton of
s57,355. Valley county, according to
the official returns, had only 81, 846
worth of this class of taxable O
erty.
In Chouteau county last year, the
tax roll showed the ownership of only
$3.50 worth of "wheat, oats, barley.
hay and WOOL but in the neighbour
ing counties OF Teton, Cascade, Fer.
gus and Valley there was not a dol.
lars worth of these items listed for
taxation. Ia fact, in all the twenty six
counties of Montana, there was listed
only $lO4,34l worth of these products.
In only two counties Of the state
Cascade and Lewis and Clark-was
there any coal listed for taxation last
year, and in these cases it was in.
cluded under the head of lumber and
wood. The contents of all the ice
houses in Montana on the first Mon.
day in March OF last year had q value
OF only $3.50, according to the assess.
ment list of the state.
These features OF the tax roll of 1904
indicate that many property owners
are afflicted with a strange loss of
memory during the assessment season.