Amador ledger., 1907-07-19
BOARD OF EQUALIZATION
A Rush of Applications for Reduc-
tionS by Corporations.

The final meeting of the supervis.
ors, sitting as board of equaliza-
tion, was held last Monday-that day
being the last upon which the board
could hear applications for reduction
or increase, being required to turn
over the assessment roll at u o. CLOCK
midnight. As expected there was a
rush of applicants for reduction,
almost exclusively by the corpora
tions. There was an array of lawyers
on hand also to represent the dis
satisfied property holders.
The first application heard was that
of the Central Eureka, which applied
for reduction from $40, 900, the
figures returned by the assessor, to
s75, 600. W. j. McGee represented
the company.
q. r. Jarvis was sworn and stated
that last year the property was
assessed for $780, 900. He said he had
assessed on basis of so per cent of
the quoted price of the stock on the
1st of March. He admitted that the
mine was not paying dividends, but
he thought reduction of $50, 600 IN
one year was fair.
Superintendent r. Hampton testi-
fled that the mine was not looking
we'll; that 1T had been running be-
hind for several months. 1t was
small claim, having only 800 or 900
feet along the lode line. The shaft
was IN bad shape, and there was moth
ing in sight to warrant expectations
that the property would again pay
dividends. 1t was shown that the
company had run behind about
$40. 600 in the last six months. He
considered SIS, 900 was a big assess
ment for a mine in the condition of
the Central Eureka, especially in
view of the fact that dividend paying
mines, such as the Bunker Hill and
the Fremont we're assessed at much
less figure, the Bunker Hill for S63,
000, and the Fremont 1885,
Hayward and Hobart Estate.
The agents of this property asked for
reduction from $40, 900 to $1,000, the
same figures as last year, on the 8
mining claims in Plymouth district.
They had been idle for many years,
were abandoned mines. Mr.. II.
Myers, the agent looking after the
properties, testified In favor of the
reduction. He said no demand had
been made upon him for a sworn
statement. He refused to sign the
statement made by the assessor, for
reason that he considered the assess
ment of the mines too high.
leila Mining Co.
w. h. Detert asked for a reduction
irons $4,000 to S38, 600. The property
was assessed for the latter figure last
year. This year the valuation was
increased $40, 900. The assessor said
that he assessed it in that way be-
cause he thought it was fair, and IN
accordance with other property
valuations.
w. f. Detert and Thos. Hydenfeldt,
b. +. Taylor and w. Harvey testified
in favor of reduction. 1t was
shown that the mine had not paid
dividend for three years; that when
it. did pay a dividend it did not ex-
coed $1,000. There we're 20, 900 shares
IN the company. 1t has been operated
continuously for u years. During
this time it had paid to stockholders
not to exceed between 50 aud 81 per
share, not equal to rate of interest
on deposits in savings banks. The
mine had been offered for years for
500, 900, including the Fleming and
Eudev properties; and could be
bought for that sum today. The yield
was about Sl.1 per ton in free gold
and tons of suIphurets daily, valued
at $50 to $50 per ton. The running
expenses were between $1,000 and
$40. 600 per month, with stoppages for
shaft repairs amounting to nearly
one-sixth of the total time. 10 assess
this property at 50 per cent of what
was asked for it was deemed unjust,
and not in the same ratio as other
mining property.
Blue Lakes Water Co.
W. II. Kline, the tax agent of the
California Gas and Electric Company,
the owning corporation of the Stand
ard Electric and Blue Lakes Water
Company, appeared and asked for
reduction on the bitches of Blue Lake
system from s24O.00 to SIG, QUO, or
reduction of Sl14,000. The total
assessment of the property of the two
corporations in this county was $500,
900, or one-eighth of the total assess
ment of the county. No application
had ever been made before for re-
duction. He pointed out the glazing
| inconsistencies in the assessment.
bitches carrying GOO inches we're
assessed as much as bitches with a
capacity of 1000 inches. Some bitches
that had been out of use for years.
and practically abandoned, we're
assessed the same as when they were
maintained as an active part of the
system. The old plant where simply
an old shed stood, was assessed for
$1,000. He stated that he had gone