Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1916-01-22
ROSELAND DAIRY
OWNER SEEKING
TAX REDUCTION
Asks County Board to Cut OF
$4,000 from Assessment
on Buildings.

Henry Becker, proprietor of the
Roseland Dairy at Roseland, appeared
before the Essex County Board OF
Taxation yesterday afternoon to ASK
for reduction on his property, which
is assessed at $4,000, reduced to
$27, 100.
Mr. Becker is satisfied with the as
sessment on his land, which is S2,70O,
and his personal assessment of $7oOO.
He thinks. however, that his assess
ment of s27,100 on his buildings should
be reduced to $4,000. He testified be-
fore the board that the buildings were
mostly barns and sheds used for dairy
purposes, and that If he should go out
of the dairy business the buildings
would not bring anything like their
original cost. He produced figures to
show that the cost of his second new
COW barn, one of group of three, has
only cost s9,092.33. He was unable to
state the exact cost of building his
other barns, as he said he had kept
no figures.
Land values in Belleville became
the subject of investigation before the
Essex County Board of Taxation yes
terday afternoon, when Michael Maio-
ran, who described himself as an ag-
grieved taxpayer, asked for a review
and correction of the assessments on
son. Maioran is said to have been
| acting for others beside himself. The
investigation will be resumed before
the end of the month, when further
expert testimony will be taken.
Jerome T. Congleton presided at the
hearing and Maioran was represent
ed by w. II. K. Davey. Frank A.
Neary, tax assessor of Belleville, was
present to defend his judgment and
the Edison interests were represented
by George w. c. McCarter, of the
law firm of McCarter e. English.
1t was alleged in the complaint
that Mr.. Edison's personal property
assessment was fixed at $1,000, that
goods in the factory on the south side
of Franklin street were not assessed
at all and that two lots, one on the
south side of Franklin street and the
other on the west side of Belmont
avenue, are assessed at $4,000 and
$4,000, respectively.
Mr.. Maioran, when called as a wit
ness, said that he had lived in Belle
vile for fifteen years and was asked
if he were familiar with the price of
/ lots sold in the Silver Lake section
of the town, where are located the
properties in question. He was asked
regarding the value of lots 25x100 feet
in side streets. Mr. McCarter OBJ
jected to the question on the ground
that the witness was not a real es-
tate expert.
The witness was asked regarding
the assessment of the Franklin street
property at $4,000, and in answer to
questions admitted that lots nearby
which are 79x100 feet, are assessed at
5000. He testified that the ASSESS
ment on three Franklin street lots
was $500 and that this figure was
only $40 front foot or a trifie less.
| He thought that there was no differ
ence in the value of properties in this
section of the town.
Tax Assessor Neary said that when
he went to the factory buildings on
the south side of Franklin street be-
tween May 20 and June l last all he
| found in the factory he entered were
twelve cabinets for use in the man
| ufacture of victrolas. He said he
had not gone into the other factory
building but believed it to be empty,
as another concern had just moved
out.
Frank z. Pendlebury, OF 1873 Bel
mont avenue, was the next witness.
He said that he had visited the build
ings and they seemed to be pretty
full of merchandise. There were
cabinets of all Sorts" he said, land
just inside of the door of one of the
buildings the goods were stacked up
| higher than I could reach. The stuff
had been brought in and out since
June and was in the buildings on
| Franklin street"
Rollins c. Marsac, president of the
King Marsac Company, real estate
dealers, testified as an expert. He
said that he had purchased twenty
three acres of land on Belmont ave-
nue. near the Edison factory about
| six years ago. He was asked by Mr..
Davey what he regarded as the value
of lots on the opposite side of Bel
mont avenue from the Edison fac
tory. He said he could not estimate
| the value of lots, as many were sold
on time and were bringing in higher
prices than if sold for cash. He said
the property was more valuable as a
whole than If cut into building lots.
He said the land was most valuable
as a prospective factory site. When
finally pinned down to figures, he
said that lots with a frontage OF
twenty-five feet would be more val
liable in two years than at present
but that lots might be estimated tc
be worth $400 each.