Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-29
AFTERMATH
A FEW COMMENTS ON STELLAR.
POINTS OF. THE LATE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION

There were a number of peculiar
things about the late proceedings of
the city board of equalization that
are very interesting, especially in
view of the outcome Of the fourteen
laborious work done by some Of the
mebers of the board who seemed
to have a kettle of fish to fry.
For instance, that way of getting
at the valuation of stocks OF, mer-
chandise. Under some circumstances
it might have worked first rate had
all the members been fair, but in
this case some of the work done UNI
der it was rank. In cases where a
question arose over the assessors
figures each member Of the board put
the value he thought ought to be
placed on the stock on a piece of pa
per and the ballots were gathered in
a hat. As an example of how unfair
this way was, 1t may be supposed, Z
as the governor once remarked, that
one party valued the Bismarck gro
Gerry stock at 100000; Webb Bros
at 100000, and Lucas at $50, 900.
When this and other amounts were
averaged up it boosted the assess
ments at great rate, and yet the
man who did this has time and again
secured the reduction of his own va
rious property interests. II
One of the patriotic equalizers
moved to cut out the assessment of
the Northern Pacific right Of way,
but his honor the mayor ruled the
motion out Of order. 4
In consonance with time honored
custom when, in the regular order of
procedure, the property of one Of the
veteran members of the council was
reached, instead of equalizing it
there and then, it was passed until
the balance of that kind of property
was worked over, and then reduc-
ton almost invariably followed to
the profit Of the aforesaid veteran.
In this way So, 900 was knocked off
the assessment of a certain hand
some 5O-foot building and another
81 900 was Topped off another alder
mans building, Just to keep peace in
the family 81
That was an interesting session Of
the board last Saturday when the lots
;ons Fifth avenue between the alley
and Broadway were up for equaliza-
ton. Somehow the machinery got
loose, and in order that these lots
might be equalized in fairness to the
raises in the block farther north on
that street, those on the east side
were raised from $4sS to $3.50 and
those on the west side from 1926 to
$500. Other blocks were then taken
up, and then came the usual confer
ence in the corner, followed by mo-
ton Of the owner OF most of the
Fifth street property to reconsider
the raise. and it carried, and the lots
between the alley and Broadway
were left at a conside rably lower val
nation than the lots north OF Broad
way, all Of wffeh showed statesman
ship and public spirit, especially al
good lawyers say the law prohibits a
member Of the board of equa lization
from voting upon the equalization 81
his own property And all this III
view of the facts that lots III the
same block on Fourth street were
raised $4OO. !.
IT was a pathetic sight to witness
the grief In certain quarters because
one hotel was not lowered and an
other raised. And the equanimity
with which the veteran moved to
knock OF s., 900 from his own prop
erty while voting TO raise the assess
ment OF another old timers block
was lovely to behold. a
Regular attendants on the board
meetings noted with interest how
regularly four Of the members voted
"aye's when thumbs were turned UP,
and may when thumbs went down.
Il was hard lines for the patriots
after all the caususses, whispered
conferences and ghosting that the
well planned edifice should fan just
as the finishing touches were being
added. It was a narrow escape fol
the taxpayers as a whole.
All Of which leads many taxpayers
to believe that the time has come
when Bismarck could be governed
better by the commission system thar
BY the present ward system. 5s
See = How Women Vote tf,f