The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-05-08
UNABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT
ON MASON CITY VALUATIONS
MWAK Representatives Make Flu
tile Attempt To Lower Home
Assessment
May Go To Courts

Contractors Attorney Said Fail
ure To Reach Adjustment Will
Mean Legal Fight
Their efforts futile, two MWAK
representatives left Okanogan Mon
day after comforting with county
commissioners and John F. Thorp,
county assessor, on assessment val
uations of Mason City and the
company's equipment in Okanogan
county.
Max Kiser, Spokane attorney re-
tanned by the Mason Walsh Atkln-
son-Kier company, builders OF the
dam, and A. w. Hangar MWAK
treasurer, sought to mark down the
assessment list compiled by MT.
Thorp, but were unsuccessful when
the assessor refused to concede the
reductions proposed.
Mr.. Thorps revised assessment
valuation list, tentatively compiled
and subject to any change which a
detailed examination of the property
might indicate as required, establish
es the total assessaD1e valuation as
about $704, 900, half Of his estimated
actual valuation of approximately a
million and half dollars.
Refused To Meet Demands
Hope for quick settlement Mon
day was blasted when Mr.. Thorp
refused 70 meet the MWAK repre-
sentatives' demand and reduce
assessed values on the homes in Ma
son City.
AS q result OF the failure to
reach an agreement it is possible
the company will go to the courts
in an effort to pare the valuations
on which the firms property taxes
will be- levied. Mr.. K1ser declared
that this course OF action would be
taken if necessary.
In written proposal on which
the MWAK attorney and treasurer
sought Mr.. Thorp's signature, the
actual values taken for assessment
purposes, half of which would
have been taxed, the Mason City
houses would have been assessed at
80 per cent of their cost this year.
This would have been decreased to
% per cent in 1896, and down to IL
per cent in 1887.
Would Cut Valuation
The proposal, rejected by MIR.
Thorp, also would have established
the actual values on the Mason
City water, sewer, light and power,
and fire protection systems at Is per
cent of the cost. Other equipment,
consisting chiefly of machinery, and
office equipment, would have car
ried an actual valuation Of 40 per
cent of the cost.
Mr.. Thorp declared following the
conference that unless the MWAK
company agreed to a more equ1t-
able assessment basis the two mill
ion dollar blanket assessment Will
stand" The $2,O00,OlO assessment
was set by Mr.. Thorp following re-
ceipt of list of values from MWAk
which set the total valuation of the
companys property, including Ma
son City, on this side of the river
at SIPS, 900,
Before striking the Mason City
snag, Mr.. Kiser explained that the
company's previous valuation esti-
mate on some items had been low.
One of these was the bunkhouse
item, which had been set at $4,000,
but which Mr.. Kiser said the COM
pany was willing to increase to $26,-
353. He also stated that some items
had been omitted from the list
previously furnished Mr.. Thorp,
among them being the admlnlstra-
ton building.
Says Hotel Was Unfinished
The company's Mason City hotel
should not be taxed, Mr.. Kiser de-
clared, because it had not been
finished when the assessment
rolls were compiled in March. Mr..
Thorp said this would be investiga-
ted.
Another questionable item is the
company's piling bridge, over which
all the MWAK cross-traffic moved
for several months, but which now
has been torn down.
Slashed assessed valuations on
the Mason City homes is necessary
because construction costs were in
flated, much higher than they
would have been under ordinary
conditions, Mr.. Kiser said. He de-
clared that green" labor was en-
ployed, and that the company's per
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