The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-19
UNEQUAL TAXES
IRVING ASSESSMENTS
MIXED UP.
Residents Show. That Inequalities Exist
and County Board Will Look
Into Matter Further.

terday afternoon and presented figures
which,, IL correct, show a dispropor-
tionate assessment of thousands OF dol
lars worth of real estate in that own
The ~Irvington Board of AS
SCISSORS, composed of James IL.
Mortland, who has held office for
twelve years; George F. Brandenburg
and Charles w. Pfeil, supported the
Justice of the leyies made, admitting,
however, in a few instances that the as
sessments were too high, and agreeing
to a reduction. There was such a pro-
nounced discrepancy between the as
sessments on and actual value of the
properties, a list of which was sub
mitted, that the members of the county
board will pay a visit to I~rvington
some time mex week and make a per-
sonal investigation of the matter.
In the Irvington delegation were
Mahlon S. Drake, former Assemblyman
George Scribe, Oscar Frahnert, Joseph
H. Walker, John C. Mcclure, Francis
Lacombe and others.
Before the general subject of Irving
ton assessments was taken Up indt-
vidual complaints were heard from Mr..
Drake, and Mr.. Mcclure. Mr.. Drake
complained about a valuation of $4,000
upon four stores he had built in Spring
field avenue in Irvington in 1900. He
compared his assessment with that i'm
posed on Mayor William L. Glorieux,
of Irvington, on property the latter
owns at the junction Of Springfield and
Clinton avenues. ~Iryington.
IT am not here" said Mr.. Drake, Ito
complain that my assessment is too
high. Mr.. Glorieux's property is as
sessed at $4,000. $4,000 less h a my
property. His property has as good, il
not better, location as mine. l have
valued my property at $4,000, but | do
not think Mr.. Glorieux would sell his
for less than $35, 900. l would
give $50, 900 for it myself, $4,000 more
than the assessment"
Joseph H. Walker complained along
the same lines as Drake, his property
being situated in the vicinity of the
Glorieux property. He considered the
assessment of the Irvington Mayors
holdings too low.
Mr.. Mcclure, who WINS -four lots,
25x100 feet each, in Maple avenue, adj
joining the new park site, complained OF
his assessments. The lots he own are
valued at 81, 900. he said, and a five
room house on the tract cost SLIGO,
with o~utbuildings worth 5000. He was
assessed 81 900, and recently had his at
tention attracted to the discrepancy be-
cause of the park site purchase.
What investigation 1 have made"
said he, shows that The persons who
have the least valuable property are
assessed the highest and pay the heavi-
est taxes"
1t was agreed by the Irvington asses
sors that McClure's assessment is too
high, and a reduction will be made.
General conditions in Irvington were
then taken up and were threshed out at
some length. Tracts of land owned by
Mayor Glorieux shared very prominent
ly in the ensuing discussion. Former
Assemblyman Scribe, in the course of
an address, produced a list of proper
ties and made comparisons which
showed, he alleged, hat assessments
were not levied on a fair basis as be-
tween one property-holder and another,
and hat property of certain persons,
including Mayor Glorieux, was largely
under-valued.
Included in the properties to which
Scribe made reference was a tract
of land at Maple avenue n Grove
street, three and three-tenths acres, as
sessed at $23, 500. Other of Mayor Glor-
ieux's holdings and the assessments to
which the speaker called attention were
$50 Clinton avenue, land S., $50, house
1000; $50 Clinton one and
three-tenths acres, 205 feet on Clinton
avenue, $50 feet deep, land Sc, 500, house
1900; five acres, 612 feet Mortimer
place. 500 feet Colt street, All feet Gin
ton venue, land $27, 900. house $7,2O0;
1892 Clinton avenue, land $4,000, house
50, 100.
There were others, Mr.. Scribe said,
who were fortunate as far as low as
sessments were concerned. Among
them, he declared, was John Conner,
owner of property at Lyons and Union
avenues, who was assessed $6,O0O 1or
three acres of land, $4,000 for one acre
of land and $1,000 for a house.
The Boerger Plumbing Company, he
| stated, owned a piece of land 525 feet
on Grove street by $50 feet on Coli
street, and was assessed on it $1S,bOO, 81
per cent. of its actual value, Mr.. Scribe
said. He also called attention to q
tract of land 578 feet on Grove street
by~365 feet on Colt street, assessed a.
$4,000, owned by P. N. Jackson, and g
tract at Grove and Colt streets, ownec
by Fannie w. Warman, assessed a.
half it's market value, he claimed, al
though giving no figures. Other pieces
of property were cited by the formel
Assemblyman, some of them in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of Springfield
and Clinton avenues. One of these i
owned by the North Jersey Street Rail
way Company and is assessed at $4,oOo
Mr.. Scribe declared that the pieces O
property he had mentioned were as
sessed as low as from 40 to SO per cent
of their value.
Oscar Frahnert also had a list 0
properties showing an under-assess
ment which he presented to the boaro
1t was in part as follows: "a Florenc
avenue. C. Hendricks owner, assess
ment $2,65o, cost or actual value $4,000
Is Headley terrace, Fred Eckelhofte
owner, assessment $500, cost or actua
value 81. 500; II Headley terrace, Fran
Eckelhoffer owner, assessment $2,6O'
cost or actual value 81, 800; As Florenc
avenue, w. c. Woost owner, assess
ment 81. 500. cost or actual value $5,SOO
81 Florence avenue, A. Endler owner
assessment $4,000. cost or actual valu
$4,000. Mr.. Frahnert took occasion I
say in regard to this property that
contract for carpenter work on a hous
there amounted to $4,000 and the owne
asked $4,000 for the house and lol
Others We're: ~ Florence rel Emm
Reunig owner. assessment 81, 200, cost Q