New Britain herald., 1918-02-02
Town Topics

! Usually at this time OF the year the
grand list as arranged by the assessors
is the topic of prime interest locally
and thus would doubtless have been
! true this wear had not tho dcIibcra
| tiOns Of the salary committee ut his
| particular time ectpSed all else from
| a purely local stand point. Neverthe-
, less interest in this important grand
| list is not lacking, especially to the
individuals and few comparisons
! with the list of a year ago may prove
/ interesting For instance, a year ago
the grand list contained mention Of
1887 automobiles. while this year
1880 are registered for a. valuation of
s731 500, which is $213.525 more than
the 1887 were valued at a year ago
Also. this year musical Instruments
etc. are valued at $12,275, which is
s3925 more than appeared on the
grand list of 1916. The amount Of
iewelry, etc, assessed this year is
$4,000 as against $6,63S last year, but
household furnishings are somewhat
reduced for where a year ago the fig
ure was $50, $50. this year it is but
$65,9S6. Depositors' accounts at in
terest show a reduction, for where 4
year ago the figure was S10,749, this
year it is but Sl67, This apparently
great decrease is clearly explained by
the fact that a year ago amounts were
exempt from taxation only up to 500.
Within the past year however, the
statute was changed so that depositors
are exempt from taxation UP to $500.
Money on hand in excess of 500 has
also dropped from $22.6O3 in 1916 to
1 sc
other taxable properties not men
toned elsewhere this years list is far
heavier than that of 1916 for where
a year ago it totalled only $500, to-
day it totals S149, 384. This year the
assessors summary shows $3.50 Il
houses valued at s14,928, 900, as
against 1912 "A houses in 1916 valued
at s16,339, $50. Thus there appears to
be rs additional houses assessed this
year, yet the total assessment for all
is 81, 41O, $50 less than it was when
there were fewer houses. This does
not indicate a great depreciation in
the property here and is explained by
the fact that many pieces of property
containing stores are now listed under
that head. Under the head of houses
and lots however, there are 1850
recorded in the present list, or 1850
more than a year ago. The valuation
has also increased surprisingly, from
s2,636933 in 1916 to S4,90S,313 at
present, a jump Of $2,271,3S0.
Another highly important item in
this period when the automobile is
supplanting the faithful old horse is
the number of horses, wagons, etc,
and neat cattle as compared to the
number a year ago. On the 1917 list
are only STA horses valued at So, $50,
which is a decrease Of 113 horses
owned here during the past year and
a decrease Of $685. in the value of
horsehesh owned in this city. Like
wise there are but 312 neat cattle
in the city, 3 decrease of 324 since a
year ago. Also there are "a less car
riages here now than there were
year ago when there were 742.
Turning to the large manufacturing
concerns, from whence New Britain
people earn their livelihood and
from whence the city Golfers are suf-
ficiently enriched TO carry on affairs
successfully, one finds that the Amer
lean Hardware corporation, assessed
a wear ago at s7,196, 500, is this year
assessed at s3,45O less or s7,192,O5O.
This difference is due to the sale of
Frary & Clark has been boosted up
S1O4,9OO from $2,397, 600 In this
case the factory's purchase of much
real estate accounts for the jump,
The North & Judd Manufacturing
company has likewise been boosted
from $1,000, 500 to $l,l54,3 $50, and the
Stanley Works has been jumped from
$2,253,4o0 to S2,795,6 while the
Stanley Rule & Level company has
been increased from $2,5S1, 900 TO 81
55910O. The New Britain Machine
company, which has expanded greatly
during the past few years, is on the
books at 1925, 700, or s99,70O more
than it was in 1916. Among the other
concerns one sees an increase of $19,-
500 for the Fafnir Bearing company,
an Increase of $500 for the Eastern
Malleab}e Iron Works, an increase of
5000 for the Traut & Hlne Manufac-
turing company, and jump of $58,
900 for the Beat & Caldwell COM
pany.
Comparing the differences between
the 1917 grand list, and the last
named list with the 1915 list it ap-
pears that this year the list has been
boosted to S50007,571, an dncrease of
s1932,524 over 1917, when the list
was increased to $4S, 075,053. which
was S2,465,095 more than the total
assessed valuation of the grand list in
1915.
Rudyard Kipiing has said that the
fem ale of the species is more deadly
than the male. A weil-known grocer
, here would add that they are likewise
more tricky. He knows because
early In the week he had a consign-
ment of sugar and sold it to the
stampede Of women in one-pound lots.
Adjourning to the outside, several OF
them changed coats and hats and es-
saved to return for another pound.