Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1905-02-01
STATEMENT OF FACTS.

SOrS from the OGlum attached TO tDe1r
action, in compromising the United
Verde tax suit, use all sorts of mis-
leading and sometimes false assertions.
One of these defenders of the super
visors queried few days since why
nothing was said about the Congress
compromise. another set up the claim
that the board of equalization had
jurisdiction hence was competent to
effect compromise.
Replying to the first of these, there
has never been any compromise made
with the Congress Gold company, that
the writer is aware of. If such a com
promise was made it must have been
at a session of the board in the early
hours OF morning or later in the night
than the United Verde and the Jour
nal Miner did not learn of it. As to
the board of equalization having jur-
isdiction it was not the board of
equalization but the board of super
visoIs which made the compromise, the
board of equalization having passed
upon the assessment nearly year be-
fore the compromise.
Whether those who are so eagerly
defending the board understand the
entire situation or make these mis-
leading assertions for the purpose of
deceiving their readers, is not known.
But that all may know the exact truth
of the case, from its inception to the
present time fair and impartial
statement of facts are herewith given.
The assessment was made by Wal
lace Willard in 1902. Not only was
the United Verde's assessment raised
but the assessment of the Congress
Gold company and several other min
ing companies was also raised.
They we're all passed by the board
of equalization without reduction and
so far as known, all except the United
Verde paid their taxes.
The latter company refused to pay
the taxes on the valuation fixed by
the board, and undertook to prosecute
an appeal from the board to the dis
trIct court. 1t did not, however, pay
the tax as levied by the board, and
under the Andrews law, as it is known,
an appeal could not then, nor can one
now, be taken without the payment of
the taxes in full by the appealing
party. Consequently, when the mat
ter was submitted to Judge Sloan,
early in 1903, he ordered the appeal
dismissed because the United Verde
had not paid its taxes before making
the appeal. At that time no further
appeal was attempted by the United
Verde, and it was generally believed
that the case was ended, the law being
so plain that the appeal in the first
place was palpable audacity.
In 1908 d. J. Sullivan was assessor,
and after careful investigation of
the United Verde properties, he re-
turned an assessment against it of
about three million dollars. The
board of equalization took no action
Oh this assessment until the 10Th day
of July, 1903, when without previous
notice. it took up the matter with FL.
J. Allen, the general manager of the
company. E. S. Clark, then district
attorney, came into the office of the
board while Mr.. Allen was discussing
the case and demonstrated against any
compromise being made, as it seemed
that one was being favorably consid-
cred. 1t was finally concluded by the
board that no disposition of the mat
ter could be reached that day, and
Mr.. Clark asked that day be fixed
fol the hearing, so that both the
county and the United Verde might
have fair opportunity of presenting
their respective cases on the merits.
The board finally ordered that the
case should be heard on the third
Monday in August, 1903, being the
last day on which the board Of equali-
cation would sit. Mr.. Clark was cal
led out of town the next day, and
when he returned, on July odd, he
found that on the day before, or more
properly speaking, the night before,
the board had met. with Mr.. Allen,
and had compromised the taxes for
1902 by reducing them from about
$50, 900 to about $50, 600, and had low
cred the valuation fixed by Assessor
Sullivan from three million dollars to
about $3.50, 000 or reduction in taxes
of about s92, 600. This sum, with. the
reduction of 1902, made total reduc-
tion il taxes of s1O6, 600. A fairly
good nights work for the United
Verde
The district attorney. after investi-
eating the matter, concluded that the
reduction made for the gear 1903 could
not be legally attacked, because it was
ostensibly done by the board of equal
ization, and during the period when
the board was lawfully authorized to