Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-01-12
How Property iSIKept
Off the Assessors
List In Oregon
Big Farm Near COrVaIlIS--NO
Taxes Paid on itifOr
Several Years

Tho Corvallis Times prints a story
that illustrates tho value Of publish.
ing the assessment rolls by precincts,
as proposed In the Development league
tax bill, as follows,
There Is a half section Of land mile
west Of tho college, about whose status
there has for years, In the absence of
information, been much speculation. IL
is known as tho Gecr farm. IL is own.
cd and managed by BY Gccr, cx-stato
land agent Though about as good a
half section Of land a. lies out Of
doors, e has not bccn on tho tax rolL
somo Kind of hocus pocus seems to
have prevailed In its casc, wherein no
sheriff, assessor or other functionary
could mako its owner pay his proper.
tion Of tho taxes
Tho tract was formerly part Of
tho John Osburn farm. Away back
In tho pioneer days II was ono OF tho
Mulkcy donation land claims II IL
what IL known aa tho east half Of DO.
nation land claim 81. As consequence
of the osburn financial trouble a mort.
gage ON u was forccloscd and tho plcco
went 10 tho state. That year ahcri6
Burnett made shcrin'a assessment
on u and got tax money W. n. odon
claimed TO have purchased II, and no
was compelled 70 pay tho taxes that
year. But since that tlmo not dol.
lar of taxes has been collected on 10
None viii be- collected this year an.
less something develops Assessors
have not been able 10 End n way 10
get tho property on tho rolls. ny 0oer
oamo onto tho land, and with bic boys
occupied and farmed II. That was
four or Ave years ago, aud while 9th.
Or property owners have regularly paid
In their money, this farm has gone un.
taxed
II IL uniaxable now. 10 cannot ba
taxed because tho owner manages 20
have tho title remain In the state Of
Oregon, though he h, 10 deed and
fact, tho rightful owner n Is a
strange condition, but delightfuny
true, a. least 90 Mr. Geer
This ls tho way tho farm has for the
past several years escaped taxation.
Il was bought of tho state BY w. n.
oicll Tor $4,000. The sum Of ti5OO was
paid on Il. A certificate was issued,
bot the titlo win remain In tho state
until tho remaining 1900 IL paid. Man.
ifostly odell has sold the place 70
Goer, or olse he bought Il for Geer IN
tho first place, for within a short time
after the foreclosure 0eer appeared on
u and related that he was the owner.
81 long as the $1,000 remains unpaid.
just that long Mr. Geers farm win
he noutaNable, because The title is
in the state, and nothing that belongs
20 tho state can be- taxed The scheme
Is the sliekest thing in the world AZ
device for doigng taxes IL will
not be business Tor MF. Geer 20 pay
the remaining $1,000. aud so he is not
likely 20 do H. unless required 10 DO
80 hy the state land board That Is a
thing that may happen sheriff Bun
nett has taken the matter up for tho
purpose Of forcing this farm 10 pay
its just share Of taxea tie Is Ia cor
respondenee with the clerk OF the
school land commissioners, who have
matters Of that sort in charge. He has
called their attention 10 the abuse that
arises out Of the condition and Is urg.
ing that something be done TO force
the title 70 pass where IL belongs 20
the end that the Geer farm may bo
made 20 pay taxes like tho rest Of the
farms and homes
Il ------o