The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1906-02-16
STATE BOARD SITS
TO REVIEW ASSESSMENT
IN TWO COUNTIES

The State Board Of Public Works
convened in the court house here at
no o'clock Wednesday morning to
review the real estate assessment OF
Harrison and Doddridge counties
under the new Dawson tax laws.
Those present of the board were
Governor w. M. O. Dawson, State.
Auditor Arnold G. Scherr, State
Superintendent of Schools Thomas
.C. Miller, and State Treasurer New
ton Ogdin. Suite Tax Commission
er G. W. Dillon and Assistant Tax
Commissioned, s. Darst, together
with Carl Priddy, clerk. were also
present The only absentee Of the
board was G. W. Swisher, secretary
of state.
The meeting was called to order
|by Governor Dawson, who was the
presiding officer and the Doddridge
county assessment was taken up.
Land Assessor Robinson appeared
and explained the assessment Of the
county TO the board. His assistant
next appeared and stated that Rob
igsQa had raised The assessment of Z
two inagisterial districts. after he
had made it and returned the books
to him.
Among other Doddridgc county
citizens before the board were John
NIowcry and John Al. Gribble, who
stated they were satisfied with the
assessment and that the people gem
orally in their county appeared to
be satisfied with the work Of the
assessor.
Tt was shown that the average OF
real estate per acre in tsat county is
about $27 Landholders interest in
oil wells. or the royalty. was placed
at $3.50 on each barrel produces
daily. Gas royalty was assessed at
five times the rental. y
This concluded the matterof the
Doddridge county assessment and
Tax Commissioner Allen d. NFitz-
hugh Of this county was called just
before the noon hour His EXAM
nation had just begun, when the
dinner hour came and the board adj
journed until s:3O o'clock in tile afr
ternoon. =
At the afternoon session Mr.
Fitzhugh resumed the stand It
was shown that the average per acre
of land not including buildings was
$54 in this county. He estimated
the value Of oilroyalty at 81 900 for
each barrel produced daily. Gas
royalty was assessed at three times
the rental value and coal ranged
from 800 down. City property is
assessed in proportion to coal and
country property. Mr.. Fitzhugh :
left the stand just as press hour.
Mrs. Delbridge lodged letter OF
complaint about her assessment.
There were still a few others to
inquire of at press hour.
The examination was conducted
bv State Tax Commissioner G. w.
Dillon, though Others Of the board,
the president of the county court
and attorneys representing coal and
other interests made some INQUIRIES,
and matters before the board were
gone into in considerable detail
The board arrived here Tuesday
evening over the West Virginia Y
Pittsburg railroad and spent the
night at the Waldo, where they re-
Iceived number of the citizens of
the city and county, who bade. them
a hearty welcome as guests Of the
city. All the members Of the party
are at their best and indulge Them
selves in the heartiest sort OF hands
grasps. The Governor expresses
himself, as.wellas did the Others, as
highly pleased with the workings Of
The new tax laws as far as they have
been tested, and is confident they
viii prove, when in full operation,
iii that has been claimed for them.
OF course, they do not hold out the
idea of absolute perfection for the
new laws now, md are frank to say
some notifications and a polishing
up will in all probability be found
necessary, and the Governor prom-
ises that such will be done by Re
publicans and not by Democrats who
may be the enemy of low and equal
taxation.
AS mere spectators in the court
room during the session were seen q
number of politicians, lawyers and
citizens, who were DESTROYS of learn
ing the nature Of the board's WORK
md how Harrison county compares
IN It's assessment with other coun-
lies, and especially counties in the
central part Of the state.