Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-16
Board Of Equalization Con-
cludes Work and Sends
Out Notices Of Increases
to Ottumwans
THE INCREASE IN TWO
YEARS is 100000
Traction Company's Assess.
ment Raised $4,000
Public Water Co., is
Also on List

The aggregate amount of the as
sessments on Ottumwa real estate and
personal property will be 100000
more than it was two years ago. This
is according to an estimate made last
evening by Former City Assessor j. F.
Peck at the close of the meeting of
the board of equalization.
Mr.. Peck said: .The assessments
| on real estate is only made every two
years. Always on off years the as
sessments on the personal property
show up better. LAST year on per-
sonal property the assessments were
increased by 100000 over what it was
the year before and this year believe
| that the assessments on real estate
will show an increase of half MI.
lion dollars over two years ago or an
increase of $1,000,0O0 on realty on per-
sonal property in the two years
The assessment on personal pro-
perty will be about the same as last
year so that the results of the last as
sessment will be practical increase
Of 100000 over the average year
ago.
"Of course these figures are not
anywhere near exact, only a guess
really. The reorganization has not yet
been made, but when it is believe the
results will show that / have placed
| the increase at about the proper
figure.
4 The work of the board of equaliza-
ton will have little effect on the
amount of the assessments, since
i those. that are raised only balance the
amounts cut off by exemptions and
reductions.
Notices Sent Out Today.
The work of the board of equaliza-
ton preliminary to the sending out of
the notices of the raising of assess
ments was finished last evening, and
the notices to tax payers whose as
sessments have been raised are being
sent out today from the Office of City
] Auditor Charles Deeds
1 A number of the larger concerns Of
the city are affected by the action Of
the board. The largest raise was in
the assessment of the Ottumwa Trac-
ton and Light Co.
The property of this concern was
assessed at s141,696 and the board Of
i equalization raised it to $200,196 9th
er Of the larger firms affected are:
4 Mckee and Potter, J. H. Merrill &
Co., Harper & McIntire Co., Stand
ard Oil Co., NJ Friedman, The Ottum-
wa Iron Works, and Haw & Simmons
Hardware Co.
/ The assessments of all the larger
furniture houses were raised, includ-
ling those of w. H. Cooper & Co., Hall
Eckfelt Furniture Co.. Ottumwa Fur
niture Co., and the Martin Furniture
and Carpet Co.
The assessments Of the Dain Man
ufacturing Co. and the John Morrell
: & Co., Ltd, have not been made as
yet, the presidents of both these in
stitution being at this time out of the
city.
At the meeting of the board last
J evening, the raises in the assessments
recommended by the committees, were
concurred in. The clerk was authorize
J ed to send out the notices today and
tt rsday eveninf was set as the time
/ for the next meeting when objections
to the actions of the board in raising
the different assessments might be
heard.
Smaller Properties Raised.
In addition to the assessments of
the taxpayers named the assessments
; on large number of smaller proper
ties were raised. The assessment on
the property of the Public Water Co.
was reduced about s21,O 900 making it
$4,000, an increase over last year
: of about $4,000. The assessments
as made this year by Assessor Peel,
was $4,000 larger than last year.
B Superintendent Winans of the water
3 works plant protested against the
new assessment to the board of equal.
zation and the reduction was made.