Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-02-22
Board Of Public works at Martinsburg.

Virginia was held at Martinsburg or
Monday. The State officials present
were Governor w. M. o. Dawson
Auditor Arnold c. Scherr, Attorney.
General Clark W. May. State Super
intendent of Schools Thos. G. Miller
Treasurer Newton Ogden, Tax Com
missioner G. W. Dillon and Assistant
Commissioner John s. Darst. The
object of the meeting Of the board was
to hear reports and secure informa-
ton concerning the recent reassess'
ment of real estate, with view to
equalizing the assessments where dis
crepancies are shown between coun-
ties. The board met at Martinsburg
to inquire as to the assessments in
Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan coun-
ties.
The first county called up was
Jefferson. E. Rush Turner, who laid
the assessment for this county, was
examined ut length by Commissioner
Dillon aud Governor Dawson, and af-
ter he had finished, John c. Burns,
| N. R. Roberts and ]. VIM. Rider OF
the County Court, II. L. Snyder, of
Shepherdstown, and j. W. Irwin, Of
Shenandoah Junction, were called up
on to express their views as to the
fairness and efficiency of the assess
ment. Without exception, the gen
tleman named gave it as their belief
that the assessment was fair and
equitable and the best that has ever
been made in the county. The tx
animation was thorough and search
ing one, and the details as well as the
general results were carefully gone
into. The Governor and the other
members of the board expressed them.
selves as being thoroughly satisfied
with the Jefferson assessment, and
were greatly pleased with the work
of Commissioner Turner as well as
with the action of the County Court
In so carefully reviewing his work.
1t was their opinion that no county IL
tie State would show a more salts
factory assessment.
Morgan county was taken up after
Jefferson, and from the report Of Com
missioner Vanarsdale and citizens of
the county. it was apparent that ex-
cellent work had been done in that
county also.
The greatest interest centered
around the examination Of the Berke-
ley county folks, which occupied the
whole of the afternoon. 1t was cur
rently believed by many persons that
not only were there numerous irregu-
larities and inequalities in ne B -
Hey county assessment, but that tie
county as whole Was assessed at a
relatively lower figure than other
counties Tue Board Of Pub &c Works
had an inkIlug OF this state OF affairs
and if this is true, we are If I Z
opinion that they heard nothing to
change their opinion. Assessor Smith
in his examination stated that some
of the mountain lands were assessed
as low AS 25 cents an acre, the same
quality of lands in Morgan county
being put at dollar an acre. The
extremely valuable orchards were
not regarded by him as assessable prop.
erty, and he placed them at only the
surface value of the land. 1t was al
so brought out that the Berkeley
county land was assessed at lower
figure than adjoining land in Jefer-
son county. Assessor Smith got
solar plexus blow when Commissioner
Dillon forced him to acknowledge
that he had recently paid $4,000
for farm that he had assessed few
months previously at $4,000 He
had few uncomfortable moments
trying to explain this discrepancy.
Other Berkeley county landowners
who were called upon were Alexan-
der Parks, Geo. VIM. Tabler, May
berry Mckee and James F. Thomp-
son.
The session in which the Berkeley
county assessment was aired was live
" in the extreme, and searching
questions were put with the view Of
bringing out the alleged fact that it
was much lower in proportion than
Jefferson's. County Clerk W. F
Alexander AMI Assessor Turner, Of
Jefferson, took part in the examina-
ton.
The Jefferson county folks were
greatly tickled at the manner in which
the Berkeley county people testified
that Jefferson was so much better than
their county. With one accord they
owned up to our great superiority.
Jefferson lands are assessed on an av-
erage at about $3l an acre, while
Berkeley's average is about Sl3
When Assessor Smith was asked if he
believed that Jefferson land was worth
two and a quarter times as much as
Berkeley land, he answered yes
Still, be could hardly answer any
other way. We shall not hesitate to
remind our Berkeley county friends
of their officially acknowledged pow
erty and wretchedness if we hear Of
them putting on airs at any time here
after. The Board of Public Works
did not seem to be entirely satisfied
with the Berkeley assessment, and it
is generally believed that they will
increase it anywhere from Is to %
per cent.
The board went from Martinsburg