Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-20
COUNTY BOARD
TOCANCEL CITY
TAX ON FIDELITY
No Decision Reached, However,
IN Other Cases Before Coun-
ty Commission.

Representative of the New York
Telephone Company, the Fidelity
Trust Company and several private
individuals appeared before the ESSEX
County Board of Taxation yesterday
afternoon to protest against assess
ments levied for taxation purposes.
The telephone company petitioneo
10 have it's three million dollar as
sessment reduced to two million dol
lars The trust company asked to
have Cancelled an assessment of $780,
900 levied against it by the Board OF
Assessment and Revision of Taxes
The individuals asked reductions on
the grounds that the assessments
were higher than they thought they
should be.
Former Prosecutor Louis Hood APP
peared in behalf of the Fidelity Trust
Company. He explained that the
company had been assessed by both
the city and county boards on the
same property.
Jerome 7. Congleton, president OF
the county board, explained that the
assessment levied against the trust
company by the city board was an
error He informed Mr.. Hood that the
city board had called the matter to
the attention of the county commits
sion, and said that the city assess
ment would be Cancelled.
John M. Ferry, tax agent of the
New York Telephone Company, asked
a reduction on the grounds that the
assessment was excessive. He said
the company would willingly pay
taxes on an assessment of two mil
lion dollars, but would oppose the
three-million dollar levy. He ex-
planned that the present valuation
was a million and a quarter dollars
above the company's assessment OF
81, 750, 900 for 1914.
Commissioner William P. Macksey
asked Mr.. Ferry to submit to the
board returns and statistics giving
the value of the companys property.
Mr.. Ferry explained that he had fur
nished the city board with the data,
and asked the county board to use
that if possible. This was satisfac-
tory to Mr.. Macksey.
Mr. Macksey, reading from the tax
assessment book of the county board,
said ii appeared to him as If the figure
two had been erased and a three sub
stituted in the telephone company's
valuation figures. He said this looked
as If it were the intention of the city
board to have the assessment remain
at three million dollars, as the figures
had apparently been changed from
two million to three million dollars.
Mr.. Ferry explained that there had
been a tentative agreement that the
| company's assessment would be prac-
tlcally two million dollars for three
years. unless there were some very
great changes.
Mr.. Congleton then explained to Mr.
Ferry that the city board had recon-
mended reduction to two million
dollars in the companys assessment.
No decision was reached by the coun-
1y board, however.
Mr. Ferry, before he left the board,
told of the trouble he experiences in
most cities with the assessment
boards. He spoke very highly of New
arlx's system and said he had always
had less trouble with the local board
shan with any he has to deal with.
lie stated that Newark was generally
among the first cities to be paid its
taxes by the company.
Louis Zapeikov asked to have the
valuation ON his property at 3O2-304
Belmont avenue reduced from 1000
to SAC, 900. Levi Welngarten protested
against the valuation of 6S Stratford
place at $162,500. He said II should
not exceed 1922, ZOO Alfred Peer sub
mitted two protests. He wanted fig
ures on IL Library court reduced from
s65 400 TO $3S,S40, and on $50 Market
street from $237 500 to $215, 400
Benjamin r. Howell applied for
reduction from $30,400 to $25, 900 on his
property at 1920 Marshall street His
brother, Monroe Howell. of 14-16 Mar
shall street, asked d reduction from
S27 800 to 1926 900. Both said they would
oe willing to sell at this figure and
glad to get IT,