The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-15
REPORTS ON MOBILE
EXAMINER GORMAN COMMENDs
 TAX ASSESSMENTS.
Books of County Omcials in Good Con- dition and Statements Show Con- tinued ProGress of Gulf
 Section.

Of all counties recently examined as to the accounts, books and vouchers of
 officers thereof. Mobile. on which State Examiner J. T.. German yesterday re- ported to the Governor, Is conspicuous.
 The feature of the Examiners findings
 Is the increase in tax assessments this year over those of 1904, being together
 with the raises of undervaluations, a
 million and a half dollars. Hon. E. w. Harris, Tax Collector of
 Mobile County. substantially complies
 with the statutory provisions in the as-
 sessment of taxes" says MT. Germans
 report 'T verified his additions and re- capttulations and found them to be cor rect. The assessment for 1905 will show an increase of nearly a million dollars over 1904, which, with the raises made by the tax commissioner. will make an increase of about $1.500,- 900. The population of Mobile is rapid ly increasing, and property is increas- ing In value. From the best informa- tion obtainable, property is assessed for taxation at about 50 per cent of Its value. For instance. in 1904. money hoarded and on deposit was given in
 statements from the banks in January. 1905. show, ss,000,000 on deposit.
 Mobile County badly needs a map and land book. If the Board of Reve- nue will have these made I am satisfied the taxes on escaped property discov- cred in one year will more than pay the cost of such map and land book" There were forty-one corporations organized this year in Mobile County,
 representing a capital stock of $2.2S7,- 800. for which proper charter fees were collected and remitted, according to the report on the books of Probate Judge Price Williams, Jr. For the purposes enumerated the following other col | lections were made by the rebate l Judge: s755 for redemption of land sold at tax sales; $1.921.70 mortgage l licenses collected; $63,114.75 represent 1 ing the aggregate of liquor licenses for retail purposes and under a special provision of the new constitution paid
 to the school authorities.
 In the accounts of Judge Williams. a couple of slight errors were found by
 the Examiner. These were $s24 on re- demption of land sold at tax sales and $1 on mortgage taxes, these amounts
 being due the State. They were remit ted promptly upon the mistakes being pointed out to the Probate Judge.
 In the report on the accounts of Judge J. E. Afford, of the Mobile In- ferior Court, the Examiner discovered that the county is due the State $37.10 or removal 1eeS. OtnerWlSe the DOCKS of Judge Afford were found to have l been we'll and correctly kept. and the
 amount of shortage was paid as soon as the error was made known.
 Sheriff J. F. Powers was found to be indebted to the State $3.30 on account of an error in feed bills. His attention was called to this by the State Exam finer and prompt remittance to the State followed
 The books and accounts of City Court Clerk J. A. Shelton were found to have
 been correctly kept.
 Of Hon. H. M. Friend. Tax Commits sioner of Mobile County, Examiner German has the following to say:
 He Is doing his best to collect all de- linquent licenses and to obtain a fair and just valuation of property for tax ation and equalization of taxes Dur ing 1904 he increased the regular as-
 sessments by $514.934 and made assess
 ments of escapes to the amount of
 $1SO,92s. making a total of $695.S62
 Upon these assessments. s4.523.10 taxes
 were collected and $5,76S.50 delinquent licenses were collected. making total of $10.291.60 collected into the State Treasury" The books of the other officers were
 found to have been properly kept