The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-11-08
THIS LOT SOLD
LIKE HOTCAkES
Singular Real Estate Deal
is Made at City Coun-
Gil Meeting.
OVER AN ASSESSMENT
Councilman Afford Takes Up
Offer of Lot Owner Who
Was Disgruntled.

A strange incident, the like of which
has never before occurred in the his
tory of Kenosha, took place Monday
evening at the regular meeting OF the
city council.
A group of property owners from
Isermann avenue had come to the
meeting to protest against the assess
ment made against their property for
the laying of a water main for which
they had petitioned. Under the old
rule no assessments were made for
the laying of water mains, providing
there were enough patrons on the
street to make the laying of the main
advisable. Recently, however, city
ordinance was passed establishing
uniform rate for this service and Iser-
mann avenue was one of the first
places to be hit by the new ordinance.
The property owners waxed warm IN
filing their complaints. They insisted
that the property would not be more
saleable because of the assessment and
that it merely meant an added expense
for them.
Lot Sold Then and There.
''My lot has been on sale for week
and / haven't had nibble," declared
Mrs. Elizabeth Horning Meyers, one of
the property owners. "Now | must
pay for this assessment and / will not
get any more for it. Anyone that will
give me $500 for my lot can have it,"
''I'll take it," said w. H. Afford,
president of the council. your lot is
sold"
"Come around in the. morning with
the cash and you can have it," declar
ed the woman.
Ppm not bluffing, I'll buy that lot
and think it's good buy" said Mr..
Afford.
Another property owner stated that
he had recently sold lot for $500 and
was glad to get it and that for this
reason he felt justified in objecting to
the assessments made against two 9TH
er lots which he sold. Mr.. Afford Of
fered to pay him $3.50 for each lot or
$500 and the assessment but this Of
fer was not accepted.
Cannot Rebate Assessment.
The council told the petitioners that
they would give every consideration to
the protest of the property owners but
that the assessment could not be re-
bated. 1t was pointed out that the
supplying of water service to lot
should make it either more saleable or
better for a site for a house.
The property owners were of the
opinion that they had been discrim-
mated against because in the past
there had been no assessments for lay
ing of water mains and they happened
to be the first group to be assessed
for such service.
Banks File Protest.
Claims were filed by the Merchants
and Savings bank and, the Kenosha
State bank for taxes which they paid
for 1922 under protest, raising anew
the old question of how bank stock is
to be taxed. The claim was referred
to the city attorney with the probable
ity that the banks will go into court
to secure ruling on the question. 1t
is a problem which has been raised in
every large city of the state.
City Manager Osborn secured the
sanction of the council to plan which
he has worked out for using a certi-
ficate of deposit as a bond for the
city treasurer in the collecting of the
taxes, which will be given to the coun-
ty treasurer as provided by law. The
plan if accepted by the county will
save the city nearly $500, which
amount was paid out last year for a
surety bond for the purpose.
The council adjourned to meet
Thursday evening to discuss the bud
get for the coming year.