Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-12-31
HEARING ON LAND
VALUES RESUMED.
James A. Berry, Real Estate
Expert, Again Placed
Upon Stand.
BRANFORD PL. PROPERTY
WORTH $1,000 A FOOT
Appeal from Assessment Taken
by James Mungle, Tax
Board Secretary.

Further hearing of the complaints
of James A. Mungle, secretary OF
the County Board of Taxation, pro-
testing as an individual against al
legged underassessments on land on
the east side of Broad street. between
Commerce and Mechanic streets. and
in Clinton, Bank, Academy and Bran
ford place, was held by the County
Board of Taxation today.
The protests embrace twenty
eight separate pieces of property, and
arise out of the fact that at the
recent hearing of the appeals Of the
Prudential Insurance Company
against over-assessments it developed
that other property in the immedi-
ate vicinity was assessed at much
lower rate than the Prudential.
James A. Berry, testifving as real
real estate expert for Mr.. Mungle,
resumed the stand today to finish
his testimony as to land values in
the affected territory, and to submit
to a long line of cross-examination
at the hands of a score of lawyers,
representing the interested property
holders.
After a few questions by Herbert
Boggs. city attorney. who represents
Mr. Mungle, Mr. Berry was turned
over to John r. Hardin, of Pitney.
Hardin & Skinner, for cross-examina
tion. Mr. Hardin represents the How
ard Savings Institution and the Vein
garten Brothers Realty Company and
several other owners.
Mr.. Hardin took up the question Of
the Weingarten holdings, first of
which are on the south side of Bran
ford place, between Treat place and
Halsey street. This property has a
frontage of sixty-one feet on Bran
ford place, and is assessed at $500 per
foot frontage by the city Board of
Tax Revision and Assessment. The
value placed on it by Mr.. Berry is
$4,000 a foot frontage, the same valu-
alton extended being placed on the
Stars property across Branford
place.
Mr.. Hardin and Mr.. Berry had sew
eral good natured Tits as the lawyer
tried to pin the real estate man down
to precise answer to questions, while
Mr.. Berry insisted on explaining his
answers.
Believed $1,000 Too Much.
Mr.. Hardin's line of questions in
dicated that he considered the value
of $1,000 a foot frontage too high for
the property. He got from Mr. Berry
that he had used unit value of 25x100
feet lots in making all his appraise-
ments. and had not considered
plottage in making his values
Mr.. Berry testified that he had not
considered common ownership in
placing a valuation of $4,000 foot
frontage on III Broad street, a part
of the Prudential holdings.
"If this property was owned by
stranger and had no connection with
the Prudential Company, it would still
be worth $4,000 a foot 'front.'" said
Mr.. Berry.
He also said he had considered
plottage in appraising the Vein
garten property. He was asked why
ne applied plottage on Branford place
and not on Broad street properties.
Mr.. Berry's answer was: "All prop
erty on Broad street consists of good
plots.'
City Originally Owned Property.
Mr.. Hardin then drew from the
witness that the Weingarten prop
erty had been originally owned by
the city of Newark and had been on
the market for a period while the
city was trying to dispose of the
property at a private sale.
Failing in this the city sold the
property at public auction, realizing
$217, 900, which had been appraised
by Mr.. Berry at $25O,OOO.
Mr.. Hardin then led Mr.. Berry to a
comparison of land values in the
neighborhood of Halsey street and
Branford place. He first called at
tention to Halsey and William
streets. Mr.. Berry stated he believed
that the Branford place corner was
worth more than the William street
corner. Pinned down to figures, he de-
clared that Branford place property
was worth $1,000 a foot frontage,
against $500 foot for similar loca-
ton on William street.
Comparing Branford place and Hal
sey and Washington and Camfield
street he placed the Camfield
street holdings at $1,000 foot 'front.'
age, against $4,000 one block further
east Mr.. Hardin then took up in
side lots on the south side of William
street, between Treat place and Hal
aexy street comma ring them with fhe