The Washington times., 1912-07-18
ASSESSORS WILL
MAKE NO CHANGES
IN P|NCHOT CASE
Richards Decides to Stand
BY Their Appraisal
of Property.

No change will be made by the board
of assistant assessors In the assessment
on the home of Clifford Pinchot, 1915
Rhode Island avenue northwest. former
chief forester, Notwithstanding Mr.. Pin
chot's declaration in a letter to Con-
gresham Henry George. jr.. that the
mansion has been underassessed about
~, 200.
This is the statement made today by
Assessor Richards, In a report submitted
to Commissioner Rudolph. The prop
erty, It is declared, is taxed In the same
proportion and at the same rate as other
property in the immediate neighborhood.
The board declares its willingness to
stand by it's appraisal, and the offer OF
Mr.. Pinchot to pay an additional $500 In
annual taxes will not be accepted.
Statement By Richards.
The following is Assessor Richards
statement:
"The daily papers Of yesterday and
today contain a news item in which II
appears that Mr.. clifford Pinchot has
at this late date discovered that bis
property is greatly underassessed, and
Mr.. Pinchot very generously agrees to
pay a tax on the greater amount than
now required, all of this, according to
the newspapers, being based on figures
furnished by the real estate firm OF
Murray & Cobb.
"I have had the assistant assessors
look carefully into this matter, and they
believe Mr.. Pinchots property Is as
sessed at it's full amount, and that IL
1t were placed on sale in the ordinary
way the chances are that II would
bring less than the basis Of assessment.
1t is assessed in the same proportion
and at the same rate as property in
this neighborhood, and there are recent
sales that indicate that neighbortng
property is about as fairly assessed as It
is possible for a board Of assessors to
make II.
Difficult to Decide.
Because one appraisement has been
made by a real estate firm OF a GER
tain piece of property, It does not fol-
low that the figures are absolute or that
no one else shall be allowed to submit
different figures or place a different es-
innate on the value OF the property. 1t
Is not true that even two or three real
estate firms can determine the value Of
property beyond any cayil. nor Is 1t
likely that any two or. three of them
would agree as to the worth of property.
The assessors, in arriving at their
figures have been guided by the opinion
of a great number Of sales in that To-
cality and by experience which is init
mate and which has extended over a
period of a number of years.
''As an instance Of what experts
testify to. attention is invited to the
and Shere
expert valuation ran as high as vs. a
foot. although the award of the jury
was less than half that amount.
I'm the condemnation of, Sixteenth
street extended. experts testify that the
land near Florida avenue was worth IS
a foot, while others placed 1t at less
than 81. the jury awarding somewhere
between these amounts.
Experts Vary Widely.
Another case Of expert testimony Is
in regard to the southeast corner Of
Seventh and D streets northwest, which
sold in 1905 for 355,0oO, but before the
sale It was necessary to obtain ap-
proval of the courts. Ten experts
testified to the value of the property.
the appraisals running from $46,5Oo to
$4,000. Several years ago. in the con-
demnation of an alley in the square
| bounded by Tenth and Eleventh ana Il
and F streets northwest. several ex-
perts testified that the land was worth
81 50 a foot. while others placed 1t as
high as $40 foot.
| "From the above it is easy to see
| that property values are not determined
and cannot be established by the testi-
mony of one real estate firm or expert.
The assessors are entitled to their opin.
ion as to what property Is worth II
| they can show sufficient evidence for
| the basis of their opinion, and this, l
| believe, has been done.
| Unjust to Assessofs.
"It is not just toward their work tc
have 1t given to the public that De
cause one expert places value on Q
certain piece Of property their esti
mate is wrong and the assessment
"As an instance Of expert testimon!
| in this locality, l will state that afte
hearing that values of land In the vi
cinity Of Dupont circle was placed
SIS square foot, I made inquiry OF si'
or seven persons who were acquainted
with the locality and who made pur
chases near by, and not one of then
placed the value at more than $lo
mo doubt there are many persons u
the city who can testify to some e1
periences in accepting expert testimon
in certain purchases, and who nave ex ex
perienced a change of heart as to IN
reliability of the testimony given.
} stated above, the assistant assessors ar
willing to stand by their appraisal {
the Gifford Pinchot property"