The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-12-08

al 2, 4+5,O65 acres of land put un-
der the pillow during the past five
years has reduced pasturage to that
extent. In 1905 there were 21O,-
7l6 horses within the state, having
an average value of S29.07. There
are now 25S,8 horses with an
average of S4o.62. Of these, 1884,
PSI, or approximately 90 per cent.
are work horses. Then the value
of horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc,
was SIP, 766, AL; it is now SIS, 9S3-
433.
At that time there were 26,179
pianos and organs valued at 81 100
$40; there are now 81 1855 valued
at $4,461 ,O33. Then all house
hold goods. Office furniture, and,
including jewelry, silver plate,
books, organs, pianos, sewing ma
chimes, etc, were valued at Sill,
|12S,524. The same articles are
now assessed at $26, 2S3,SS5. Ag
ricultural tools, implements, ma
chinery, harness, etc, were assess
ed in 1905 at 81 Jas, $50; now at
81, 4O3,5 Goods, wares and
merchandise in 1905 were returned
at SIS, 800, 1884; now at $50, 1902
Manufactures were then valued at
So, 2o6, 446: now at $13,167 $50.
Bonds. stocks, shares, moneys of
banks, returned in 1905 at IS, 215-
1879, are now assessed at $12,518
40. The property of telegraph,
telephone, gas, water. electric
light, power. street, railway conf
panies. etc., were assessed in 1905
at IS, 924, ST; they are now return
ed for taxation at S24, 1913, 343.
1t is to be noted that the great
est Increase in the assessed value
of personal property has fallen,
first upon the public service cor
porations, next, upon the property
of banks and bankers, followed by
goods, wares, merchandise, etc. In
1905 farmers tools, implements,
machinery, live stock, etc, repre-
scented % per cent of the total as
sessed value of all personal proper
ty, while it now constitutes but
1873 per cent.
By Analysing the for going state
ment, it will be seen that the great
est ratio of increase in values have
been upon the operating property
of railroads, which shows an in
crease of 273.9 per cent.
City property follows, with an
increase of 1891 per cent; next
comes timbered land, showing a
gain of 1885 per cent. Unfortun-
ately it is impossible to make any
comparison between the assessment
of farm lands, but as the assess
ment of all lands, including timber
and other unimproved lands. i'm
proved lands and improvements,
there is shown an increase of 1886
per cent, while personal property
has increased but 96.5 per cent.
In connection with the personal
property assessment, attention is
directed to the fact that intangible
personal property assessed in 1905
is now exempt from taxation and
is not included in the assessment OF
1910, consequently the ratio of in
crease is not a true one.
These figures reveal the fact that
taxes have shifted to consider
able extent, from the property of
the farmer to public service cor
porations, city and other property.
Out of total assessment of 5000,
247 ,944, $377,275,92S falls upon
city lots and improvements, Sl6l,
696,8 upon steam railroads, $780,
"a ,OO3 on timber and other unim-
proved lands, S26, 585,973 on tele-
graph, telephone, gas, water, cleo
tric light, power, street railways,
and other public service corpora
tons, and the remainder upon var
e ~>rO~or<x,