Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-04-08
A DECIDEDLY CROOKED
PIECE OF BUSINESS
Crooked in Inception, in Execution and
Finally in Issuing Bonds to Pay
for Crookedness.

Mayor Sleeves and City Attorney
Page were last night saddled with the
load of the Oaks addition improve
ment bond which has been causing
much discussion recently on the ques-
ton of its legality. The special com
mittee named by the mayor to investi-
gate the issue reported with the result
that the mayor and the attorney were
instructed to take the matter in hand
and take legal action.
The report of the committee indicat-
ed that the values Of the affected prop
erty in Oaks addition had been boosted
to procure the improvement and later
cut down to escape taxation
An extract from the report says:
"It appears that early in the spring
of 1911, according to the statement Of
the former assessor, Fred Stewart Wis
tied the assessors office and took up
either with the assessor personally or
his chief deputy, Albert Gille, the mat
ter Of making the assessment upon the
lots in the Oaks addition which had
then been recently plated, and set Of
figures were presented marked upon a
plat by Mr.. Stewart, who stated that he
thought that the assessed valuation
should be as indicated on the plat. That
the chief deputy who handled the de.
tails Of the matter, called the attention
Of Mr.. Stewart to the fact that the
values named were much in excess Of
the assessed values Of property ada
, cent to the Oaks addition lots and the
explanation was made to the deputy
that the property was more valuable
than adjacent property and that If the
, assessed valuation were put at the fig
ures named, that as they expected to
sell the property, at a good figure, the
assessed valuation being higher would
= make a better showing to prospective
purchasers.
h "Mr. Minton and Mr., Page Of your
. committee subsequently and on Satur.
|, day, the 9Th inst, had a conference with
Albert Gille, formerly deputy under Mr..
!. Rice, and exactly the same facts were
% related and Mr.. Gille states that he
- handled all Of the detailed business in
relation to the assessment both in the
4, years 1911 and 1912. Mr.. Gille also
stated under suggestion that he make
:, his position in the matter clear, that he
a made the original drawings Of the Oaks
addition and the plats from which the
% printed maps were made and that foi
these services and all the services thai
t. he rendered he was paid the sum Of moi
:. to exceed $35. That this work perform
"a cd by Mr.. Gille was done through th'
suggestion and invitation Of W, j. Cul
=. yer, who surveyed the land for the own
n, ers.
"Your committee has searched tn
county assessment rolls for tho year
1910, 1911, and 1912. We found th
u total assessed valuation on approx
~ ~ mately 43 acres Of land described an
:, assessed as acreage in the y ar 1910
~ total assessed valuation Of $2s,90
~ In 1911 the assessment roll shows al
-. proximately fifteen acres Of land q
sessed for $i2, 400 as well as all Of u
W lots and blocks in the Oaks additio
which was plated in 1910 out Of the
- acres Of property assessed as above i
=" dicated in 1910. The total assessmei
'e Of the II acres and the lots and blocl
plated as the Oaks for 1911 amount,
voc TO the sum Of approximately slO3,05
W. W.. For 1919 your committee has investiga
WV ed merely the detailed assessme-'
O"' relation TO the lots and blocks in q
Oaks, the acreage being Of no coui
quence for the purpose Of this inquii
ToOi Your committee advises that the o
''ol ginal assessment sheets as prepared a
rust signed by the chief deputy assess
'ne show n reduction Of practically so !
'ou' cent in each individual assessment.
IN nearly all cases throughout the ad
tion the two corner lots are group
a'eH' together and assessed as one parcel
'uOn both years and where an assessment
made at, say, sl4OO in 1911, tbe sa