The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-07-26
'RE AL ALUES
GET BIG BOOST
FIdUREs FOR ENTIRE STATE
H. EACH CLOSE TO
81 900 900, 900.

CHARLESTON, VIVA, July &C.
There Is trouble in the camps OF many
!, of the Corporations and many other
land owners of the State over the ac-
tinn OF the boards of equalization and
review. Z The real estate values are
being given boost and according TO
reports coming in to the State house.
the realty valuation this year will he
nboiit $1,000. 000.0 900, an Increase Of
about 5000, 600, 900 over: last year. = =
According to the administration AS
backed by s thH5 stax commissioners
office the boards Of equalization. In
Office thls year for the first time. are
a great success. Heretofore their
ty courts and for some reason or
other tney were slow in getting realty
values up to the proper figure, The
assessors would fix the figures seem
ingly low in some counties anil the
county courts failed to do any better.
The increases In most Instances are
made in coal and timber lands. And
here 1t might be suggested. or rather
has been suggested that there is n
reason for the low figures heretofore.
According to reports. and tine whole
Stnte Is familiar with them, In some
counties large corporations AMI
persons owning large areas of coal
and timber lands have been powerful
in politics and usually took an In
terest In the election Of assessors and
county commissioners. These. same
corpora tlons and individuals enjoyed
low figures on their real estate. Now
change is taking place. The boards
of equalization were appointed direct
Lby the State board OF public works
,,,,r, In ri TIM o,i.
mInistration to pick men who know
reaJty values and who. are not nfrni.l
to put the figures Mt what they SHOULD
be. They are men not connected SO
far MS Is known with any large land
owning corporations and men without
a price. Not That the members of
county courts heretofore have not
been honest men. But In many in
stances they owed their offices TO
large landowners and did not see
their way clear to shove up figures
MS the administration would have
them do.
Large Increase.
Late reports from some OF the coun-
ties show a large Increase owe. last
year. Most of the counties reported
SO far are in the southern end OF the
State though Preston and Webster are
coming to the front. In Preston the
indfca lions .nre favorable for an in
crease OF some 100000. But Mingo
county Is in the lead. now. There the
cincrease willAbe something like S3.0n0.-
1000. There HisEan interesting story
connected with aA1irgo county. Last
year Auditor Darst. then assistant tax
commissioner, went to Mingo. 30 the
, story goes. to appear before the coun-
ty court. He found tine door locked
and when he finally got In he foun:l
an order entered by which the court
mad adjourned. This year Tax Com
missioner Townsend visited the coun-
! ty. He had had. something to do with
/ the appointment the board Of
equalization and got! n hearing with
the result that. the increase Is large.
! I'm wyoming and Mcdowell counties
the increases will be large. In some
Instances the Increase Is about 300 per
cent. while In some counties thu as.
sessment will be practically the same
rs last year. But the increase, ganer-
ally is going to be m Item and in
, accordance with the spirit OF the new
| tax laws. 4E5