Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-06-26
EAST NEWARKERS
TAX STRIKERS,
SAYS ATTORNEY
Mr.. Faulks So Characterizes
Members of Taxpayers AS
ISOLATION at Hearing.

resumption today of the nearing OF
the appeal of the taxpayers organiza,
ton from the assessments placed in
1910 on the property of the Clark Thread
Company and the Mile End Spool Com
pany. william H~orsemann, one of the
appraisers who put a value on the
Clark properties for the Taxpayers As
ISOLATION and the Hudson County Tax
Board, was the witness, whose testi.
mony was thus specifically attacked
by Mr.. Faulks. After 1t had one
on the record that Mr.. Horstmann
with his brother, conducted a machine
shop in East Newark, employed about
forty men. and that their shop was
about Sox50 feet in dimensions, Mr..
Faulks asked him this question;
What is your personal property
worth, on the same basis of valuation
as you applied to the Clark Thread
Company and the Mile enc Spool Cot
ton Company"
Objections Quickly Raised.
George L. Record, Frank L.. Hard
ing and John ]. Murphy. all of counsel
for the Taxpayers Association, object
ed simultaneously. President Frank b.
Jess, of the State Board, expressed
doubt as to allowing the question until
he knew its purport.
"Our information said Mr.. Faulks.
lis that the witness is taxed on a
valuation of 81, 600 personal property In
that plant. BY establishing a high val
uation on the Clark properties he is an
interested party; he will thus be help
ing to maintain a low valuation on his
own property" At this point MIR.
| Faulks said that many of the East
Newark Taxpayers Association We're
tax shirkerS, and that a lot of them
didn't even pay their poll taxes.
On the ground that the question went
to the credibility of the witness and
likewise had a bearing on his quail
ifications as al expert. the question
was admitted after a long wrangle.
Mr.. Horstmann began his reply by
stating that he had insurance for
1000. MI. Faulks insisted on a d.
rect answer
81 don't remember" said the wit
ness.
what are you assessed for?" re-
peated Mr.. Faulks.
~ don't remember" replied the wit
ness.
Cant you place a valuation on your
own machinery" asked the lawyer.
The witness answered hat he could
not do so offhand.
"Give us your best judgment" said
Mr.. Faulks.
Mr.. Horstmann said finally that there
was a room in the Clark Thread plant
almost the same size as his shop and
containing about the same amount of
machinery, upon which he fixed a value
of 1000, and remarked at the same
time that he would be willing to have
that valuation fixed upon his own ma
chinery.
The assessment appealed from had
been fixed at 1 1859, 200. The appellants
are asking that the property be as
sessed at true value, which, however,
is not named. At the beginning of the
hearing today Mr.. Faulks and Major
Carl Lentz, for the Clark company,
agreed TO let it go on the record that
the schedule made by the appraisers
of the Clark property al correct as
to the machinery, except that $4,000 Of
machinery had been added to one prop
erty since May. 1910, and that $4,000
had been added in another. They
agreed that the amount of stock was
approximately the same as in May,
1910.
The appraisal was made within a
few weeks past. The Clark attorneys
did not agree to the values the APP
p~raisers fixed, however.
The appellants also ask that the as
sessment on the Mile End Spool Cotton
Company be increased from 1871, 900 to
true value.
Experts Give Testimony.
w. j, Phelps, mechanical engineer.
of East Orange, testified for the Tax
payers Association as to the value OF
the buildings. He appraised the Clark
thread plant at $6S9. 900 and the Mile
End Spool Cotton plant at 1923, 900. In
reply to questions from Mr.. Faulks,
Mr., Phelps said that his figures were
based on the cost Of constructing the
plants of the same material and in
cluded fees for architects and such
items.
Joseph ii. Mclean, clerk of the Hud-
son County Tax Board, called as a real
estate expert. testified that the value
of the dock property was SLAP, 900. The
company admits it is worth 800, 600,
The value of the remainder of the real
estate is not called in question.
This ended the case for the appel
lants, and Mr., Faulke called Charles
Hedden. president of the Hedden Con-
struction Company, for the company,
Mr.. Hedden, whose firm built the Clark
buildings, testified that their cost was
1914, 900. He said that buildings answer,
ing the same purpose, built of rein
forced concrete, could be put up today
FAW cd-D nOA l. \ LII -
structed thirty years ago. Mr.. Hedder
further said that in reinforced concrete
from 10 to so per cent. of the wall space
could be utilized for windows. a de-
sirable feature. But 10 per cent. of the
wall space of the present buildings are
used for windows.