Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1911-08-26
Mr.. sites, statement.
ALEX. CLoIHAlN

| Mr.. Sites Statement.
Mr.. Editor: - think it due the pub
lie and honest taxpayers Of Berkeley
county that cali their attention 10
sene of the malicious falsehoads OF
the report Of the taxation committee
Of the Berkeley County Horticultural
society. Why was the chairman. Hon.
G. ]. Faulkner's report suppressed and
the Silver moagrel report adopted,
which was not signed by Senator
Faulkner.
The records will show that the
street once marked out on paper over
my property was abandoned by the
County Court and fenced up before III
/ bought ii. 1t is my home and not for
sale, but If any of the committee, or
any one, will give me one-half the
price they say it Is worth | will make
him a deed for 1t. As to the statement
that all the orchards that have stock
in are assessed at the minimum for
! farm land, will say that have stock
, in one farm only, and 1t has never
been set in trees.
Take their report and go to the land
book and compare their false figures
with facts They say j. w. Campbell is
assessed $40: the books show $50;
they say D. G. Miller is assessed 1907:
the fact is s114. They say Gray Sill
yer, 1902; the books show SIS, and so
en- through the list. How any man
eo,.f t,1.
falsehoods cannot understand. Every
additional value that was put on al
farm by reason of an orchard was
agreed to by all of the board, and the
information from which the estimate
was made was furnished by the or
chard member, Mr.. ]. r. Catrow, for
the truth which ] refer You to MT.
Rathbcne, the clerk, and the asses
sors.
There are many inequalities and
many orchards not assessed although
two members of the board requested
orchard men from the different parts
Of the county to come and give i1for-
mat on that we might fairly and prop
eriy equalize the assessment. Only a.
/ few OF them came, and as to whether
they attempted to help equalize or
evade an assessment you can deter
mine by examining the sworn steaog-
rapher's report filed with the records
of the board. The president of the
horticultural society, who has recent
~ seld valuable orchard properties
end Is manager for several companies,
I was sworn, and when asked as to the
value of orchards that had recently
changed hands he fatty refused to an
swer, saying 1t might make them pay
more taxes.
The orchards of Berkeley county are
| worth millions of dollars, from which
| the owners derive am incline Of $780,
Geo to $350.000 annually. Is II fair that
these people go free and other
people pay all the tax? Not to take
into consideration the value that an
orchard adds to a tract of land, 1t is N
violation of the law and constitution
and unjust to every other tax payer.
! The assessor has to derend on the
| cath and honesty OF the tax payer for
tn intangible personal property. Go
| to the clerks office, examine the APP
praisement and settlement OF Mrs. r.
A. Bishops estate and see what part,
| If any, was ever assessed. Mr.. Silver
| mess. Mr.. Sigler stated to the board
it did not. OF these two men which
one would you believe? The appraise-
melnt of ]. w. Bishop and Mrs. f. A.
| Bishop shows personal property that
could only be assessed on the personal
property books of $50, 3SO34. The as
SCISSOR got 100000. Has Annanias kept
back part of the price? This celebrat-
! ed name in no instance refers to Mr.
Sigler.
| Mr.. Alex Clohan, who has drawn
more than $25, 1000 salary in the last 13
years and recently sold s25, 900 or
chard, town property for $1,000, and
other orchard properties, lis assessed
S155, including money, notes, house
| iIold goods, etc. He will pay four cents
to West Virginia ON all this property
Examine all the records and draw
your own conclus on as to whether
| these people want to be fair and hon
| est with all other taxpayers.
heartily invite an investigation by
the Board of Public Works and tax
commissioner, believing it will be the
means of bringing tax dodgers to JUS
! tice.
will never agree to let the great
orchard wealth go free and make the
man with an humble home ii town or
country pay all the tax
JACOB SITES.
President Board OF Equalization