Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-02
s
MORRELL LEVY
NOT CHANGED
COUNCIL DECIDED TO STAND PAT
ON ACTION TO TAX FIRM
Ss25,ooQ
BUT FEW REDUCTIONS
True to Their Resolution, Reductions
Were Made on Assessment Where
il Was Shown tho Raise
Was Unjust.
BUT FEW REDUCTIONS

| AFTER que consideration VI lile nv
test Of John Morrell against the plac-
ing OF the assessed valuation Of the
John Morrell & Co. packing plant A.
$525, 900, the board of equalization Fri.
night decided that the figure should
stand When the assessor turned IN the
assessment of the plant 1t was fixed at
$558,000 and it was understood that
John Morrell would sign the rolls II the
figure was placed at $50S,000. The
| 900 but this figure was protested.
Reductions Were Few.
1t will be noticed by the following
list that the raises in valuation made
by the council were rescinded only In
very few instances and then there WAS
good cause for so doing. AS stated at
the first session in which the increases
tended to stand pat and this was the
feeling which still held sway when
they considered protests last night.
Slight reductions were made in the
stock Of several merchants because or
the comparisons made by the protest
ors showing that the valuations were
not comparatively equal.
The changes made follow:
| j. S. Weir, 2 horses, $50, and one We
hicle, $40; reduced from 500 to $50.
| assessment was raised from $50 TO
5000
D. Hickman, automobile assessed at
$24S, allowed to stand. (Was raised
from $24s to $1,000
D. j. Curruthers, real estate reduced
from $500 to $500 (Was raised from
$500 to 5000
Charles Connelley, real estate raised
from $4,000 to $500. Placed at $4,409
as made by the assessor.
Madeline A. Snowdon, assessed at
u, 900. Allowed to stand. (Was raised
from $4,000 to $3.0000
Alfred Briggs. assessment on horse
and vehicle from $3.50 to $500. Allowed
to stand at $3.50 as made by the assess
| or.
John and Sarah Porter assessment
raised from 5000 to $500. Reduced to
$3.50.
Chas. B. Lewis, real estate assess
ment raised from $4,000 to $4,000,
placed at $4,000 by the board.
Sophia Wagner, real estate was re-
duced from $4,000 to $1,000.
Ella Queeney. real estate, reduced
| from $1,000 to $1,000.
| w. H. Wheaton property be changed
in record book to show so acres instead
of 81 and assessment stand at $4,000
as made by the board.
| ANNA, Calvin and w. S. Manning.
real estate, reduced from $1,4oO to w.
200.
| N. Friedman reduced from $4,000 to
$3.50 on stock.
w. ]. Donelan & Co., reduced from
$50, 900 to $47,500 on stock.
s. C. Cullen Co., reduced from $780,
900 to $4,000 on stock.
J. A. Phillips reduced from $4,000
to $4,000.
Hears Protests.
When the board Of equalization con-
vened, several protests which had been
allowed to 70 over until that evening
because the affected property owners
were unable to appear at the two pre-
vious meetings were heard. A. B. WI
liams spoke in behalf of Of J. H.
Anderson, whose assessed valuation on
his buildings on Main street had been
stated that although the building had
not deprecated in value it was very
old, poorly constructed. and not mod
! ern He declared Mr.. Anderson had
stated that he intended to tear 1t down
and replace 1t with modern structure
and the cost of razlng would only be
paid by the material now In the build
! ing. The taxes should. therefore, De
placed on the lot alone. Mr.. Anderson
receives about $4,000 income from the
rental and his operating expense Is
$1,000 Mr.. Williams then made COM
| PARSONS with other property In that
block and showed wherein the tax on
the Anderson building was proportion
ately greater. In conclusion he declared
81, 800 was fair price for the assess
able valuation and it should be left
standing at that.
Mrs. Wagner Protests.
Mrs. Sophia Wagner was the next to
appear before the board and entered
protest against the raise In taxes Ut
her property on the corner of Mill an
Mclean. She asserted that last year
| her taxes amounted to $25 and now it
! is placed at $50. Her neighbors pay
only SIS on piece of property that is
comparatively Of the same value. She
asked the council to reconsider and re-
| duce it II they saw f1t.