Council Proceedings: September 2 and October 7, 1904

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To the Honorable Mayor and city Council,

Gentlemen:

In obedience to your direction I have attended the sessions of the Board of Equalization in its consideration of the personal tax rolls.

The amount of property rendered and assessed when the Board took possession of the rolls was $6,110,570. When the assessments by the Board were concluded on yesterday the roll showed an assessment of personal property accounting to $8,954,044, making a new raise by the Board over the amount of property rendered of the sum of $2,843,474 which will give to the city in additional revenue from personal taxes the sum of $49,759 more than it would have received had the Board of Equalization taken no action upon the rolls.

While this enormous increase is shown, yet the increase over the personal assessments of last year is only $180,936 owing to the fact that the renditions this year were some six hundred thousand dollars less than the amount shown by the roll of last year. There will, however, be an increase to the city of a new revenue of over thirty-five thousand dollars out of the personal tax alone to which should be added a net increase of about $17,500 from real estate, giving the city an additional revenue over last year of sum $50,000 or more.

The enormous increase of $2,843,474 made by the Board was only done by the most strenuous labor on its part and the active and faithful assistance of Mr. Gilvin, the Assessor and Collector, and his deputies, and I commend all of them to the Council for their fearless, intelligent and impartial action, and certainly they are due the thanks of the Council for the successful manner in which they have performed their duties. I say successful manner for the reason that I do not believe that there will be a single contest, there never having been any serious chance of but one and that was finally settled.

It might be supposed that serious friction would have been developed in making this increase, but with the single exception there has

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been none and I myself have been much surprised at the readiness with which all parties have acquiesced in the action of the Board, recognizing its justice and fairness.

In only one instance has the charge of persecution been made, and I feel quite sure that on due consideration the parties making it will feel that no idea of persecution ever entered into the minds of any member of the Board or of your City Attorney. If, however, such should not be the case, your City Attorney is perfectly willing to submit this charge to you and rest content with your calm judgment of the natter. Frequently people who escape just and proper taxation, when compelled to contribute to the revenues of the municipality resort to such charges, but I trust that in the present case no such motive was the impelling cause.

My duty has been an unpleasant one and undertaken only on your express order and I have fulfilled it to the best o my ability in as fearless and impartialla manner as I was capable of, and so far as the results to the city are concerned I think that the statement speaks for itself. It was necessary in many cases for a bold stand on behalf of the city to be made, but invariably when such was necessary such stand was taken and always resulted in the city's getting, it not all, at least a substantial portion of its just rights. I have reason to feel proud of the results obtained and if in any manner my services contributed to the same I shall feel happy, knowing as I do the necessities of the city at the present time caused by its rapid growth and the urgent need of public improvements which must be constructed out of the current revenues.

Respectfully submitted,

E.C. Orrick City Atty

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Report of City Attorney on Board of Equalization

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FILED OCT 7 1904 Jno T. Montgomery City Sec'y

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Ft. WORTH, TEXAS. OCT, 6, 1904.

TO THE HONORABLE T. J. POWELL, MAYOR, FT. WORTH. TEXAS,

AND TO THE HONORABLE ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF FT. WORTH, Tex. THROUGH CLAIMS COMMITTEE.

Gentlemen:

We, your Equalization Board, have earnestly and ardously labored in behalf of your City for eighty five long, hot and burdensome days, and the results of our labor are before you.

We have received for this ardous work the sum of $3.00 per day. We confidently believe that you will at our earnest request grant us an additional compensation of $2.50 for each day that we have worked, making the amount due each one of your Equalization Board an additional $170.00. We confidently believe that you will appreciate the earnest labor and intelligence that we have manifested in your interest, and we confidently expect you to approve our claim for which we will earnestly thank you.

We are, most earnestly.

Your Obedient Servants,

W.L. Ligon Jno J Roche EW Taylor

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Petition of Equalization Board asking for $2.00 per day.

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We y'r Com tee on Claims recommend that the within petition be granted and that the extra amount asked for by the members of the Board of Equalization be allowed. We heartily command the efforts made by the Board and congraluate them on their success in Discovering and finding so much lost property.

Q.T. Moreland MM Lydon Zurn

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