Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-21
COUNTY MAKES A
BATTLE IN BEHALF
OF ASSESSMENTS
Clearwater Insists That Val
uations Placed on Timber
Lands Shall Stand-Board
Hears Case Presented.

Clearwater county, the banner tim
Der county of the north, for which the
state tax commission recommends a
decrease in assessed valuation of 80
per cent, or grand total of $2,52s,207,
wiping out, IL that recommendation is
adopted, the efforts of that county in
making partial cruise of its timber at
heavy expense, finished presenting it's
case to the state board of equalization
today with a summary of some as
founding facts regarding timber as
sessment that is going on in the state
of Idaho.
The case was presented by Attorney
Hodge, supported by Mr.. Hoar, one of
the Clearwater county officials. They
left with the board a cruise book, said
to be one of the most complete ever
compiled in the state of Idaho, together
with other data in support of their
claim that the tax commissions rec
ommendation should not be adopted,
but instead the board should submit
the original assessment as reported by
that county to stand, thereby adding
to its assessment rolls practically
$3,000,00
A Big Test Case.
The Clearwater county case Is the
first big test one of its kind ever pre-
sented to the state board of equaliza-
ton. 1t is case wherein a county
after bearing special assessment on
its lands to raise funds has gone to, the
expense of cruising and attempting to
arrive at a fair cash value of it's stand
Ing timber-a task, it is claimed, which
Is one of the most difficult. Every other
timbered county in the panhandle Is vi
tally interested In the result. For years
the counties have felt timber lands
We're not being assessed high enough,
and were therefore not bearing their
just proportion of assessment. A
cruise was this year decided as a So
luton to the problem. Clearwater
county went ahead and ordered one
This cruise raised the assessed valua-
ton of the county's timber lands close
to 100000. Then the state tax COM
mission in one recommendation strikes
practically all of that valuation from
the county, claiming that it is not JUS
titled, that the values are not shown
to support it and that in order to equal
ize as between counties the Clearwatei
! county valuation on timber must be cu'
80 per cent
Clash Comes Early.
1t was upon this recommendation
that the Clearwater county officials
broke their fight. The first clash came
early when Attorney Hodge through
cross examination yesterday Afternoon
endeavored to draw from President
Ramstedt his reasons for recommend.
! ing the cut and his knowledge of tim.
Der lands on which to base these rea.
sons. The examination lowered around
! stumpage values, President Ramsted
| admitted that before making the rec
concentration of the cut he had no
seen the Clearwater county timber
cruise book and did not know what 1
shows. Finally, w. d. Humiston, o
the Potlatch Lumber company, inter
rupted the proceedings, protesting
| against the manner of examination
declaring the tax commission was no
on trial aud should not be placed IL
the light of defending the timber com
panies. Upon the suggestion of At
| torney General Peterson 1t was de
cided to have Attorney Hodge presen
| the Clearwater county case, afte
which the timber companies could re
| ply.
Documentary Evidence.
Probably the most interesting docu.
ment introduced at the hearing was &