Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-03-07
THEY ARE OFF !.
ASSESSORS ARE WELL ARMED
FOR 6O-DAY STRUGGLE.
Don't Try to Conceal Anything from
the Assessors Critical Eye
He Will Find You Out
Deputies Have Their
Instructions.
lFrom Fridays Dailyl


Yesterday the deputy assessors OF
Dickinson county with the exception
of four, met at the court house and
we're given their books and instruc-
tions for the annual assessment OF
1912. Today their official duties
begin and they have 60 days to COM
plete their work.
Following are the deputy assessors
that reported yesterday: John Stoff-
err, Buckeye; X. L. Knisely, Cheever;
ohm A. Lindahl, Center; C. G. Diffen-
baugh, Flora; H. S. Hill, Fragrant
Hill; w. C. Woolverton, Garfield;
r. A. Baker, Hayes; John Tisch-
houser. jefferson; Job Steiner, Lo-
gan; S. H. Gugler, Liberty; Fred
Biehler, Lyon; J. w. Henderson, Lin
coin; G. F. Meyer, Noble; Norman
E. Reese, Newbern; Glen Ryan,
Ridge; william Sigg, Rhinehart;
William Kandt, Union; James Will
son. Wheatland; ]. E. Wallace, Will
lowdale; E. NJ. Funk, Grant; c. H.
johnson, Hayes; D. Snider, Abilene.
John Johnston of Banner, P. P. Hick-
ert of Holland, A. A. Ryon OF Sher-
man and John TRACER of Harrington
were unable to attend on account OF
bad roads.
County Assessor Murphy's Address.
County Assessor Murphy gave the
assessors some excellent advice in
an address to them. He said:
This being the third biennial
meeting of assessors for the assess
ment of real estate under the revised
system, l am sure we are better
equipped than on any previous oc-
casion for the successful compliance
with the law. Under the old plan
of assessment there were 1900 or
more assessors employed with vary
ling ideas of the requirements OF the
law and with the standard of work
before them to be generally observed
the result was competition in getting
low values instead of a harmonious
lendeavor by all to arrive at the act
Iual money value as is required by
law. But am happy to say that this
condition of affairs no longer exists
but each and every assessor Is hon
estly trying to comply with the law
according to his judgment OF valua
lions You all know that property
must be assessed at its true or actua
cash value, but to arrive at thai
value let us suppose that one Of
you gentlemen wished to sell his
farm and was fully advised OF 1tf
value, and was not obliged to sell
Another gentleman also we'll inform
ed as to values would purchase but
was not obliged to. This 1t seems
TO me would be the true or casE
value of the farm. While on tnli
subject let me call your attention
again to the fact that real estate
of moderate values, have nearly al
WAYS been assessed at a greater per
lcentage of true value than have beer
1.-The more valuable properties, hence
arises the necessity for boards o
review and of equalization to remed!
Injustice resulting from the work o
the assessment.
AS to methods of classifying. AL
tracts of land should first be classi
fled regardless of the Improvement
at its value per acre. For instance
} two men owning adjoining farms, tn
naked land is of equal value, tn
land should be assessed at the sam
price but one farm has $500 wort
!, of improvements, the other has $2OOC
The one with the costlier improve
ments will of course enhance tn
value of the tract per acre on whic
they are located.
Regarding personal property,
, don't think / can add anything t
the instructions of one year ago a
I then stated the grouping OF
classes of personal property is wront
The small estate Of the widow @
, orphan, the income from which
t necessarily small and simply aids
E eking out a frugal existence shout
Z mot ha classed with the property {
: the owner whose holdings produc
in income a surplus over and abov
q the cost Of even luxurious ivint
: Household furniture is not In tn
/ same class with manufacturing ma
!, cl incry, the former is unproductiV
: and deteriorates from year to yea
: while the latter is an aid to produ
t rim. Shares of building and loa