Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-15
Council Bluffs
CITY ooUNcfL WAS GENEROUS
Granted All Reductions I'm ASSESS
ment Asked for, and More.

ment Asked for, and More.
The city council in final session as a
board Of review was in a generous mood
last night. Every reduction in assessment
asked for was granted and even some that
were not asked for. At its previous ses-
sions the board had increased the assess
ment as returned by City Assessor w. d.
Hardin approximately $4,000. BY the time
it completed it's deliberations last night
this increase of $4,000 had not been wiped
off the slate, but the assessors figures
had been reduced about $4,000.
The banks Jared we'll at the hands of the
councilmen. In the first pace, T. @. Tur-
nor, president of the City National bank,
objected to the assessment Of $4,000 placed
by Mr.. Hardin on its new four-story build
ing at the corner of Broadway and Main
street. 1t was too high, Mr.. Turner con-
tended, although in answer to a question
from one Of the councilmen he was forced
to admit the the building and fixtures
were carried on the banks books as as
sets of $4,000. on motion of Councilman
Rigdon the assement was reduced from
$4,000 to $4,000. Then Councilman Jensen
said that he had been asked by the Coun-
Gil Bluffs Savings bank to see to 1t that
its assessment was reduced proportion
ately If that OF the City National bank
was cut down. The bank owns what is
known as the Baldwin block at the cor
ner OF Broadway and Pearl streets, which
had been assessed at $4,000. 1t was re-
duced to $4,000.
"If you reduce the Council Bluffs Saw
ings banks assessment, it is only fair that
you treat the First National bank in the
same way" declared Mayor Maloney, and
a motion to reduce the assessment of the
banks three-story building at the corner
Of Broadway and South Main street from
$4,000 to $4,000 prevailed.
Incidentally it was stated that the First
National bank had filed a protest against
being assessed on $167, 500 of it's 100000 cap
ital stock on the grounds that it had that
amount invested in government bonds,
which were exempt from taxation. The
protest was laid on the table, as there is
litigation involving this same question now
pending between the city and the First
National bank.
F. S. Cowgirl, president of the Transmits
sissippi Elevator company, appeared in per-
son to protest against an assessment OF
$4,000 on the company's elevator at the
Union Pacific transfer Mr.. Cowgirl said
his company had expended 5000 in provid.
ing its own fire protection and the board
promptly offered to lop 5000 off the assess.
ment, leaving it $4,000.
At its previous session the board had
raised the assessment of 1921, 900 placed or
the Council Bluffs City Water Works com.
parry by Assessor Hardin to 1925, 900. This
increase of $4,000 was on motion of Coun.
Gilman Bellinger, seconded by Councilman
McMillen. 1t was cut off again and the
original assessment allowed to stand.
M. Marcus objected to the assessment oil
$IO0 on his residence property at the cor.
ner of First avenue and Eighth street ant
likewise to the amounts he had beer
assessed on numerous pieces of property
The assessment on the property at First
avenue and Eighth street was reduced {
$1,000, but all the others were permitted
to stand as fixed by the assessor.
County Attorney ]. ]. Hess and j. P
Hess appeared to protest against the rails.
ing by the Board of Assessment on the
Day & Hess building on Pearl and MAR
streets from SO, AGO, as placed by Mr.. Har
din, to $1,000. Their arguments prevailed
and the assessment was reduced to SO, COO
or 5000 more than the assessor haC
placed it.
Chris Straub appeared in person and pro,
tesltu against the DOafd raising the as.
sessmen of $16,OOO placed by Mr.. Hardin
on his property on Pearl street, occupied
by the waterworks and the gas and cleo.
trio light companies. to $4,000. The board
admitted it had been in error and Topped
off $l,0CO, leaving the assessment at 81, 900
l.. l.. Edison and Mrs. Field objected t
their properties on South First street be,
ing each assessed at $4,000, while adjoining
holdings which they claimed were equally
valuable were assessed at $500 and 81, 500
Mr.. Field said his mother had paid $3.50
for her property, while Assessor Hardin of
fered to take an option on Mr.. Edson'i
property for $4,000, which the latter de
clined. The board, at the suggestion o.
Councilman Rigdon, decided to reduce boil
assessments to $1,000 each.
The action of the board in reducing tn,
assessments aroused the ire of Councilman
Jensen. who declared with considerable
warmth that If he was serving on the coun
ell next year he would certainly not at
tend any. session of the Board of Review
You have acted like a set of big chumps,
he declared. Here is the city falling be
hind its anticipated revenues and yet yol
go and cut down the assessment Of thos
who are well able to pay 1t. The who'll
thing Is simply ridiculous"