The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-11
TOPEKA HIT HARD
Heavy Decrease in Value Out
side the City.
Land, Valuable Two Years
Ago, Worth Little Now.
COMMISSIONERS ARE PUZZLED
Loss in Valuation in Four
Townships $643,49O.
Gain in Others Reduces Loss
to $277,9O5.

| Because of alleged faulty assess
ments in several townships. the valaa-
lions of Shawnee county realty shows
a depreciation of more than a quart er
| of a million dollars in the territory out
| side the city of Topeka. Only Topeka
remarkable gain of more than two and
a half million, leaves the county
creditabl showing.
| In Williamsport township aiohs
| there is shortage in real estate val
uations of more than a half mlilt"h
| dollars as compared with the 1911 re-
| turns Three other townships snow
| losses and the gains in other town
| ships fail to offset this loss by nearly
| S275O0O Not until the valuations are
adjusted by the board of review this
week will the real conditions be SHOWN
and the actual increases in property
values be shown.
From March, 1910. until March, 1872.
Topeka city showed a gain in realty
values of $25S2, TS5. Yet the county as
a whole showed gain of but s2,309,9 $50.
This left $277 ,905 to be taken from the
showing of Topeka city. The trouble
occurred when Auburn, Monmouth
Soldier and Williamsport townships re-
ported with shocking losses IN Valud-
ton. In these four townships alcne'
there was a decrease of $643,49O over the
figures returned in 1910 and the gains
made in other townships lacked W.T.
9O5 of an amount equal to the showing
of two years ago. In other WORDS tue
seven remaining townships MADE
gain in valuation of $36o,5sS, but
their gains failed by more than quar-
ter of a million in reaching the 1Ste
record.
These figures have caused sorrow
and distress to the county commas
sioners, who have been sitting for
week as a board of review. They
CHI lie
the several townships and adjust the
land valuations in a way that Will
show some form of consistency.
The valuations in Topeka will prob
ably stand without change. Much OF
the city's gain was due to Topeka
townships loss when the city annexed
new territory. Yet in the face of these
conditions, Topeka township showed
consistent gain.
Big Loss in Williamsport.
Williamsport township will be one of
the localities slated for a raise. Two
years ago the board lowered the town
shirs assessment and this year the re-
turns lowered the 1910 estimates of the
beard So the harmonious feeling which
exists between Assessor Pratt of VIII
Transport and members of the county
board is nothing to be proud of. Will
Transport shows a loss in realty values
in two years OF just $518,405, or a loss
of SO per cent. Its report l. 1910 of a
valuation of s1,532,4S5 was this year
hammered down to s1.014,0s0
Auburn township dropped from ST. |
256 600 in 1910 to s1,196,040 this year-a |
loss of $50. $780,
In 1910 Monmouth township showed |
a valuation on realty of 81, $40, 725. This |
year it is but 81, 503, 490-a loss of $37,- |
235.
Real estate in Soldier township was |
assessed on a valuation of s3,1s7, 040 N |
1910. The 1912 valuation is reported at |
So, 159, $50. This is a loss of $27, 800.
Real Value Is Greater.
The real estate valuations are taken |
every two years under the Kansas law
1t is argued that the value of the land !
i'll the county is, if anything, greater
than two years ago. Hence, when the
assessors went to the courthouse with
figures that showed the farming dis
trlct had taken a slump, there was
much sorrow. Now the board will try
to adjust the trouble
According to the returns now filed,
the valuation of Shawnee county realty
in 1910 was $51, 457, 275 as against s53.-
leI,155 this year. Topeka city realty
Is this year shown at s32. ISL, 250 as
against a valuation of $50, 26S, 465 in
1910.