The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-07-21
LAND VALUATIONS
TO HAVE INCREASE
County Returns Examined BY State
Board of Equalization Show Flat
tering Report Of Banks.

Oklahoma City, July 2O.-The as
sessed valuation of lands throughout
the state is due for an approximate 40
perNcen increase and town lots about
20 per cent over figures returned by
various county boards of equalization
as the result of inquiries of the state
board Of equalization at its hearing
yesterday 1t is understood that such
a resolution will be adopted before the
board makes up its final figures on
real estate and personal property.
Representative of railroads hereto
fore charging that farm land and town
lots were assessed at an average of so
and so per cent of their fair cash
values and who had been invited by
the state board to furnish details be-
fore this years assessment was made,
appeared with information gathered
from the official records of fifty-eight
counties. 1t shows that 2,162 pices of
land sold during the current year were
assessed by local boards at ALI per
cent of what they brought on the mar
ket, and that 1889 town lots trans
ferred were assessed at only 4S.7 per
cent of what they brought at sale.
County returns examined yesterday
revealed that in practically every in
cfo bot
had been computed upon the 100 per
cent basis, considering their capital,
undivided profits and surplus, less real
estate owned but in numerous in
stances land and items of personal
property were found to be even less
; than returned year ago. When con-
! sidered from the standpoint of totals,
however, counties show heavy in
crease. State Auditor Meyer believes
] it will reach many millions. The fix
6 ing of land values according to the
discussion, also will be based in west
ern Oklahoma counties somewhat up
on the price school land brought at
the recent state sales.
The hearing developed that it is the
custom in some counties to recite false
and inflated considerations in deeds
that go on record.
When Alfalfa county was on the
grill, railroad representatives submit
ted tailed record of thirty-eight real
estate transfers, and comparing the
same pieces with the assessment rolls,
showed that town lots were fixed for
taxes at 377 per cent of what they
brought on sales and that farm land
was assessed at 42.3 per cent.
Frank E. Ransdell, county attorney
of Ellis, which county returned an av-
erage land value of $9.46 per acre. said
r he thought that was too high, and that
as an average other property, such as
live stock, should be lower there than
elsewhere because it is not prosper
Gus county.
That bankers of Grant county per
feeted an organization, and thus were
fable to keep their assessment down to
rs per cent of the full value, was the
testimony of E. H. Breeden. Other
wise the inquiry took similar turn as
applied to other counties. The rail
roads showed, however, that Grant
county land was assessed at but 35.s
per cent of what it was going for or
,gsthe market, while town lots were listed
at 99.5 per cent.
Kay county has it's land in at at ar
average value of $50 per acre, and
horses at $73 per head, and Chairman
Burkhalter of the board of county com
missioners told the board that he
thought the rendition reflected wha
might be regarded the full value with
in meaning of the constitution.
FIo one appeared for Beaver county
but letter from George H. Wright
county clerk, informed the board tina
the county board had done what /
thought to be right. Land had beer
returned by the people at from 6 tt
s. per cent, he said, causing the boart
to boost it to what 1t regarded the fai
q value. The letter stated that this caus
ed the people to "roar," and if the stat,
board increased the figure any farther
the people would revolt and fight col
lection of taxes"