Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-26
PROTESTING !
NUMBER OF UsINEss MEN KICK.
ON INCREASED ASSESSMENT
OF. TAXES. a5 RI sEs

OF TAXES.
Il Quite d number Of business men at
tended the meeting of the city equal
ization board last evening and protest
ed on the increase made in their
assessments Of stocks and merchan-
disc. y II, III ~, III :ls
They were compelled to await the 4
adjournment of the caucus of some Of
the alderman going on at the curb
stone and it was ree-quarters past
the allotted hour before the board got
to work. 8 Ri i4s. Il
R. T.. Best was the first spokesman.
He spoke of past experiences in equal
izing merchandise in this city when
stocks we're assessed out Of sight and
the merchants were compelled to go
to the state board Of equalization
for redress and secured a AS percent
reduction. He said the taxpayers
would probably band together to fight
the proposed increases as they con-
sidered them unjust, and if they
could not get justice at the hands Of
the state board they would probably
refuse to pay the taxes. He said the
largest clothing store in Fargo was
assessed but SC, 200, while he was as.
sessed that year $500, while he
thought $4,000 was ample in proper
ton to the stocks mentioned and to
the values placed upon real estate,
| which he claimed was assessed at a
much lower rate.
"A. w. Lucas followed. He said his
assessment had been doubled and he
wanted to know why He said there
were several Individual stocks of mer-
chandise in Fargo which were larger
than all the stocks in Bismarck com
bined, and they were assessed at the
same amount. he was. He wanted to
know on what percentage general
stocks were assessed and the mayor
said there was no percentage, that the
assessor set the figures and it was for
the board to equalize them as best
/ they could. y
w. H. Webb wanted to know why 1t
/ was that structures were assessed on
a basis Of IS cents on the dollar while
merchandise was kind OF free for
all. The mayor said it was because
Il the board had set that percent for
buildings. i n. 4 i4'
Mr.. Lucas said he had given into the
assessor the sum of $4,000, which
he though was a fair valuation April 1,
and he asked that his valuation be
placed at that figure.
1 3D.. G. Field said he judged that from
the way his, stock had been assessed
/ the assessor did not do his work on
/ April i. He had inventoried his stock
1 at that date and turned in what he
considered a fair valuation, but it had
been raised. Owing to freight block
1 ade he had little stock on April 1, and
he wanted only the goods that were
on hand assessed. .555,, p. &
/ H. G. Rhud protested on the raise
in his assessment from $1,000 to ST..
l70S, as he had very little stock on hand
4 at the time the assessment was made
The Capital City Bottling Works
people said last year they were raised
4 50 percent and again this year the
/ operation was repeated and they had
a kick coming. They were willing to
pay on last years basis, even though
their stock was never SO low as last
April. B. Z. a
! Mr.. Duemling of the Bismarck
Grocery Company entered vigorous
protest against their assessment be-
| ing increased from $4,000 to $40, 900,
and gave q lot of figures to show that
they only had about $4,000 worth of
stock on hand last April owing to the
delay in getting in stock by the rail-
roads. FL Il 4 t: A ;,,5 S..i;5, 5,#5 s
Mr.. Webb said Webb Bros. stock
never was so low on April I, as this
year owing to delayed arrival Of goods
and protested against their assess
ment being higher than $4,000.
The gentlemen then retired and the
council as a board of equalization re-
sumed the equalization of city lots.