USA > California > Placer County > History of Placer county, California > Part 35
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The assessed value of the 29 canals in the aggre- gate is $375,000.
SAW-MILLS .- There are about twenty saw-mills in operation in the county. The trade is one of the most important in the county, and one which is increasing in growth and prosperity. The assessed valne of these mills is 886,000, paying $1,419 State and county taxes.
TOLL-ROADS AND BRIDGES .- There are nine toll- roads and bridges in the county, the assessed valua- tion being 871,000, paying $1,171.50 State and county laxes.
CAPITAL INVESTED IN GOLD MINES .-- The amount assessed on capital invested in gold mines in the county is $100,000, which has been assessed only on productive claims. The total State and county tax on the same is $1,650.
There are but two successful quartz mills in the county, both of which have gone into operation within the present year. They were both built as experimenters or prospectors, with steam power only sufficient for six stamps. Messrs. Strong & Co., near Humbug Canon, in the extreme castern part of the county, have the honor of putting into operation the first successful quartz-mill, and Messrs. Hancock & Watson the second, which is located at Sarahsville, near Michigan Bluff.
TOTAL ASSESSMENTS .- The assessed value of the taxable property of this county for the year 1855 is $1,700,000. Rate of taxation $1.65 on each $100.
SUPERVISORS' REPORT, FEBRUARY, 1856.
The Board of Supervisors of Placer County made the following report of the financial affairs of the
county from February 17, 1855, to January 1, 1856 :--- Warrants outstanding unpaid February 17, 1855 $ 43,570 61
Warrants issued since February 17, 1855 75,943 24
$119,513 85 Warrants redeemed to date of January 1, 1856 32,906 61
Balance outstanding. $ 86.602 24
Estimate of interest aecrucd. 4,750 00
Due Murphy & Co. from Court House Fund 3,229 79
$ 94.587 03
Cash in Treasury, January 1, 1856 3,022 73
Total liabilities to date. $ 91,564 30
At the session of the Board making the above report, February 4, 1856, bills were allowed aggre- gating 85,980.32. This allowance was for the ordi- nary expenses, salaries, criminal transportation and prosecution, without any indication of extravagance or corruption, showing a careful administration of county affairs. Notwithstanding the lack of evidence of any willful extravagance or corruption, the con- tinual increase of the debt and the low value of the county serip shows a want of competent business ability in those having charge of the county finances.
The Board of Supervisors created forty-three road districts, and appointed a Supervisor to each, with an allowance of 85.00 a day, not to exceed six days in a month, and all men liable to poll tax were required to do certain days' work, or commute for the same by the payment of a tax of 84.00; but notwithstanding this all the principal roads and bridges were private property, and toll-gates with heavy tolls were very frequent.
An effort was made to check the decline of scrip and the accumulation of the debt by the passage of an Act of the Legislature, approved March 11, 1856, which empowered the Supervisors of Placer County to levy a special tax annually, in addition to other taxes, of one per cent. on all taxable property. This to be applied, one-half in the payment of stationery, fuel, lights, board of prisoners, and repairs, ete., of public buildings and the payment of Murphy & llolmes for labor and material on County Jail, and the other half to go into the General Fund.
TREASURER'S REPORT, 1856.
The County Treasurer reported the following net receipts during the year beginning June 2. 1855, and ending June 2, 1856 :--
Property Tax.
× 31.055 44
Foreign Miners' License 40,691 52
Poll Tax 4.067 25
21.159 12
Licenses_ _
1.158 50
Fines from Justice of Peace
9-1 50
Military Tax. .
110 00
Sale Court House lot
528 94
Hospital Fund from State
School Fund from State
547 29
Total Receipts
$102,412 56
152
HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
The State's portion of this was
8 36.473 40
County Fund.
53,026 26
To El Dorado County 93 00
To Nevada County ..
57 00
Hospital Fund.
4,974 91
Court House Fund
3,732 58
School Fund.
1,493 55
Special Fund
2,568 26
Road Fund
85 60
$102,412 56
UNOFFICIAL STATEMENT.
The Herald, as an argument against the party in power, October 15, 1856, in showing the indebtedness of the county, made the following statement :-
Amount of county debt, as published by the Supervisors May 19, 1855 $ 60,524 57 Amount of serip issued from June 2,1855, to October 1, 1856 77,366 91
Interest for ten months .. 11,031 20
Special Fund Debt ... 2,555 42
Due Murphy & Co. 1,227 63
Uuaudited Debt (estimated) 15,000 00
Total.
$167,705 73
From which deduct a credit of. 66,140 63
Making total debt, October 1, 1866 $101,565 10
ASSESSOR'S REPORT, 1856.
The Assessor, in his report to the Surveyor-Gen- eral, dated October 24, 1856, furnishes the following items connected with the wealth and finances of the county :--
CULTIVATED LANDS .- There are 5,844 acres of cultivated lands in the county, and about 12,000 inclosed. All lands in this county are claimed under the Pre-emption Act, the Spanish grants terminating at our western boundaries.
CANALS .-- There are twenty-four canals assessed in the county, the value aggregating $399,100. I reported the assessed value of the canals last year at 8375,000. It exceeds that sum this year 824,100. As a general rule canal stock has not paid capitalists in this county, and it is owing to this fact so many canals are assessed at so low a figure. The original cost of one of these canals was double the present cash value of the whole number. The united orig- inal capital of six of these companies amounts to the sum of 81,228,000, and now assessed at $344,600.
LUMBER AND SAW . MILLS .-- There are twenty-two saw-mills in the county, cutting an aggregate of 12,500,000 feet per annum. The value of rough lum- ber at the mills is estimated to average about $20.00 per M., which amounts in the aggregate to 82,500,- 000 per annum. There is no one business in the county, except mining, that affords more employment than this.
TURNPIKE ROADS AND BRIDGES .-- Seven toll-roads and bridges are assessed at $84,000. The roads have a total length of 17 miles,
There are four quartz mills in successful operation, and several quartz ledger are worked with arastras. The placer mines have been productive, and it is estimated that $6,000,000 of gold has been produced in the county in the past year. One lime kiln in operation produces an excellent quality of lime, and large quantities are shipped to Sacramento and Marysville.
ASSESSED PROPERTY .- The total amount of assessed valuation in the County of Placer is 82,200,000; last year it was $1,700,000. Notwithstanding the depre- ciation of many kinds of property I have been enabled to increase our property tax half a million dollars. The increase is owing to more diligence in searching out invisible property, consisting of money and gold-dust, solvent debts, and money invested in mining claims.
SOLVENT DEBTS .- The total amount of solvent debfs assessed in the county amounts to :- $130,000 Coin and gold-dust. 114,000
Capital in claims. 125,000
Merchandise 205,000
Total $579,000
Rate of taxation: State, 60c .; county, 65c .; special, $1.00; total, $2.25 on each $100 of valuation.
CHAPTER XXV.
FINANCIAL HISTORY.
(CONTINUED.)
Board of Supervisors February, 1857-Relief Measures-Asses- sors Report 1857-Redemption of County Warrants-Finan- cial Report 1858-Reducing the Debt-Assessor's Report 1858 -Supervisors' Report February, 1859-County Debt -Assess- ment Roll 1859-Supervisors' Report 1859-Reports and Taxes 1860-Finances in 1861-Taxation in 1862-The Finanees in 1863 -- Finances in 1864-Contest with the Railroad for Taxes -Tax Levy 1865-Railroad Assessment-Legal Distances- Taxation in 1866-Tax Levy in 1867-Central Pacific Contro- versy-Great Wealth of the Railroad Company-Assessment and Taxes in 1868-Robbing the Treasurer-Taxation in 1869- Exorbitant Bills-Railroad Suits Compromised-Taxation in 1870-Sale of the Railroad Stock -- Sourees of Revenne -- Taxes in 1871-Proceedings against the Railroad Company-Property in 1871-William Van Vactor.
AT the session of the Board of Supervisors in Feb- ruary, 1857, it was ordered that the rate of taxation for county purposes be fixed at $1.65 upon each $100 of valuation. The State tax was seventy cents upon the same, making a total of $2.35. The rate of payment to the Jailer was fixed at $150 per month, instead of $200 as formerly. The forty- three road districts were abolished and each township made a road district, with a Supervisor to each, and the road tax changed from $4.00 to $3.00. Com- plaints were made that the allowance of $10.00 per week, as the board of prisoners in the County Jail, was exorbitant, when hotels furnished board at $7.00 per week.
A serious source of expense was the care of the indigent sick, the contract for which was let at $20.00 per week, if not exceeding ten patients, or 818.00 each per week if more than that number. Under this system the care of the sick cost the county 84,248 for the quarter end ing April 1, 1857, or, at the rate of $16,992 a year. To remedy this, the Legislature passed an Act which limited expenditures to 812 00 per week for each patient, forbid the creation of any debt for the purpose, and permitted the Hospital Fund only to be drawn upon for its support.
ORLEANS HOTE
ORLEANS HOTEL A. LIPSETT OWNER & PROPTR. AUBURN PLACER CO. CAL.
153
FINANCIAL HISTORY.
RELIEF MEASURES.
The rapidly accumulating debt and the heavy taxation admonished the people to take all possible measures for relief that their skill as financiers or feelings of economy suggested. Special laws were enacted for Placer by the Legislature of 1857, one approved February 4th, reducing the Board of Supervisors to three members, and another amending the "Special Tax" Act of 1856, approved February 7th, by which a " Redemption Fund " was estab- lished. The Special Tax Act ordered a levy of one per cent., to be devoted to paying contingent expenses, etc. The amendment changed the course of this moncy, and added to it one-half the county's share of the money received from the foreign miners' license, and devoted it to the redemption of, or purchase at agreed rates, of outstanding warrants.
ASSESSOR'S REPORT, 1857.
Mr. A. S. Smith, the County Assessor, published in September, 1857, a most elaborate and interesting report of the condition of the county, earning him the commendation of being the most efficient Asses- sor Placer ever had. The total amount of taxable property returned for the year 1857 was 82,169.504 .- 88, upon which the State tax was $15,189.53, and the county tax 833,627.33, the rate being seventy cents for State and $1.55 for county purposes on each $100 of valuation. An abstract of the report classifying the various properties, will give an idea of the progress of improvements, or the decline in values in the county.
RANCHES .- In my report of 1855 I returned 143 improved ranches, which, including stock were assessed at $219,000. 1 am able this year to report 226, being an increase of nearly 100, and the improve- ments alone, exclusive of stock etc., is assessed at $131,585, and in the aggregate, improvements and stock 8522,911, being an increase of 100 per cent. The number of acres claimed and located upon by one or more occupants is about 400,000, about one- fourth being fenced.
HOUSES AND BUILDINGS .- In the county, I have on my tax roll 832 buildings-hotels, stores and dwell- ings, assessed at sums varying from $50 to $10,000. The aggregate taxable valuation of this property is $243,154.
MERCHANDISE .- The assessed valuation of merchan - dise is $179,543.
MONEY .- The bulk of the amount assessed under this head was in the hands of miners, and to whose account I want the amount credited. The cash capital as on the assessment roll, amounts to 8140,688.
MONEY AT INTEREST .- Again the bulk of this tax- able property is in the hands of miners. This amounts in the aggregate to $116,391.
-
MINING CAPITAL .- Of no tax is there so much com- plaint as that levied upon money invested in mining. The amount taxed under this head is $179,543.
SOLVENT DEBTS .- After deducting offsets of amounts due creditors either in Placer County or outside of it, the amount assessed of solvent debts is $165,000. Srock .- Horses 960, value $101,303; mules 373;
834.545; eows 2,194, 8111,448; swine 4,763, 812,681; yearlings 1,052. 822,825; beef cattle 635, $13,815, work cattle 472, 830,886; sheep 3,835, 813,823. Total 14,264, assessed valuation 8391,326.
The value of cattle, sheep and hogs slaughtered in the county will amount to over 8600.000 in the year, nine-tenths of which are driven from the lower counties and pay no taxes here.
CANALS .- There are in the county thirty-four canals, or ditches, variously assessed at from 8100 to $100,000, having an aggregate length of 512 miles, conveying 8,760 inches of water, and assessed at $325,600. The principal of these are the American River Water and Mining Company, carrying 2,000 inches, and assessed at 8100,000, and the Auburn and Bear River Water Company, with 200 miles of main and laterals, carrying 2,000 inches, and assessed at $75,000. There had been expended upon the latter about $100,000 during the year, still it is assessed at much less than the previous year.
QUARTZ MILLS .- There are eight quartz mills. assessed at 827,400.
TOLL- BRIDGES AND TURNPIKE ROADS .- Of toll- bridges disconnected with turnpike roads there are nine, assessed at $14,600, six of which are half assessed in El Dorado and one in Nevada Counties. Of turnpike roads there are eight, three of which have costly bridges, assessed at $56,750. Total, $71,330.
SAW-MILLS .- Total number of mills, twenty-four, producing annually 29.035,000 feet of lumber. Assessed value of machinery, 865,000.
FLOURING-MILLS .- I am gratified to be able to report the erection of two flouring-mills within the past year-the Placer County Flouring-mill, by S. W. Lovell, a few miles above Auburn, and the Auburn Steam Mill, by Gatter & Scharpf, at Auburn.
The assessed value of property in the six principal townsofthe county was as follows: Auburn. 8365.858; Michigan Bluffs, $132,003; Yankee Jim's, $129,136; Todd's Valley, $121,723; Iowa Hill, 8105,391; Gold Hill, $72,169. Iowa ITill was assessed subsequent to the great fire in that town, which was the cause of the light valuation. In the towns where the offices of the ditch companies are located the ditches are included with other property.
The amount of money paid into the State Treasury for the year ending June 2, 1857, was $16.446 74 from property tax, and 832,748 25 from all other sources, making a total of $49,192.02.
REDEMPTION OF COUNTY WARRANTS.
Under the law creating a " Redemption Fund " there had accumulated for the purpose. by May, 1857, the sum of 86.092.83, and proposals were made for the surrender of county warrants, and 814,032.95 were offered at prices ranging from 74 to 90 cents, and $7,304.66 worth were purchased at priees rang- ing from 74 to 87 cents on the dollar, making a saving to the county of $1.211.83. This not only saved the county in the payment of the warrants, but raised their value from 55 cents before the Act went into operation to 77} cents selling in the mar- ket. The Aets regulating the hospital also effected a considerable saving, which, with others, aided in
20
154
HISTORY OF PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
rapidly reducing the county indebtedness. In August another purchase was made, saving $1,023.32, and in November a third, saving $1,438.40, the price ranging from 80 to 843 cents per dollar.
FINANCIAL REPORT, 1858.
The report of the Board of Supervisors shows the condition of the county indebtedness, on the 6th of January, 1858, as follows :-
DR.
To amount of warrants outstanding:
January 1, 1857.
$ 82,810 12
Issued to May 1, 1857, and interest. 18,482 00
8101,292 12
By warrants redeemed and cash in funds 18,822 29
8 82,469 83
May 23d. statement warrants issued 17,058 26
$ 99,528 09
May 23d, warrants purchased by Re- demption Fund. ... 7,304 66
Total indebtedness .$ 92,224 43
In June the indebtedness was reduced to $83.618.64. in November to $81,913.30, and the statement of January 6, 1858, showed a total indebtedness of $74,321.85.
The result of the agitation aroused by the rapid increase of the debt in 1855 and 1856 causing legisla- tion. new taxation and economy in the financial man- agement of the county is seen in the great reduction of the debt during the year 1857. At this time eighteen counties exceeded Placer in the assessed valuation of property, nine of which were exelus- ively mining counties, and two partially so.
REDUCING THE DEBT.
The Legislature in 1857 enacted that warrants remaining uncalled for in the County Treasury exceeding one year should be canceled and destroyed by the Board of Supervisors, and in pursuance of this law the Supervisors of Placer County, in May, 1858, canceled and destroyed $2,19-1.75, of scrip, some of which had been authorized in 1832, and carried as county indebtedness through the intervening period. With each meeting of the Board. other warrants thus remaining over were destroyed, and thus, with other reforming systems, the debt continued to decline.
Upon this subject the Herald of August 21, 1858, науя: -
As this is a subject of vital interest to the taxpay- ing voter, we propose to give a short review of the finaneial condition and prospects of the county. The books of the County Auditor show that on the 2d of June, 1857, the debt of the county in scrip, exclusive of interest on the same, was $83,618.94. This indebted- ness was subsequently increased by the allowance of bills of the old county officers, to an amount exceeding $8,000-making the actual debt, including the inter- est, not far from 898,000. To reduce this amount and pay up the accumulating interest is a heavy task, yet it has been done, and under most disadvan- tageous cirenmstances.
It will be recollected the Legislature of '57 with- drew from the counties the revenues which up to that time they derived from merchants and liquor dealers, of what was known to the revenue laws, of the ninth and tenth elasses. The amount thus taken from our county for the year 1857 is estimated at from $10,000 to $12,000. This law has been repealed, and in future we shall have this revenue.
It is well known that the revenues derived from the tax upon foreign miners' lieenses has fallen off until it does not equal twenty-five per cent of the former sum. The criminal business of our courts for the past year has been an expense of $24,807.81, exclusive of the salaries. Notwithstanding these dis- couraging facts, by reference to the records, we find our county debt has been reduced to $73,091.81, and there is every prospect that by the 1st of November next we shall not have outstanding county obliga- tions to an amount exceeding $55,000. We arrive at this latter conclusion from very reliable sources. The property assessed in 1857 amounted to $2,169,504, and supposing the whole tax to be collected would yield the county a revenue to be applied to our own purposes of $33,647. The assessments this year amount to $3,170,693, probably to be increased. But suppose we calculate from the figures we have, as the law now stands, any one can see that the county por- tion of therevenue will amount to $52,305; the State . portion of the revenue this year being sixty cents on the $100 instead of seventy cents, as last year.
ASSESSOR'S REPORT, 1858.
The Assessor, in his report to the Surveyor-Gen- eral in October, 1858, congratulated the people of Placer upon the increase of property, good business and continued prosperity. The number of far ns had inereased to 300; the value of live-stock had become $413,542; there were 35 canals, with an aggregate length of 550 miles, assessed at $283,160: 22 saw- mills, that cut 35,000,000 feet of lumber, and assessed at $58,400; 17 turnpike roads and bridges, 8 of which were assessed at $59,500; 13 quartz mills. 11 of which were assessed at $32,000. There were 131 individuals and companies who paid taxes on 84,000 and upwards, being assessed in the aggre- gate 81,143,328. The total amount reported was $2,787.473, and the rate of taxation was 60 centr for State and $1.65, per $100, for county purposes.
SUPERVISORS' REPORT, FEBRUARY, 1859.
The Board of Supervisors, February 7, 1859, ordered the tax levy to be fixed at $2.25 for the ensu- ing year on each $100 worth of property, being 60 cents for the State, 40 eents for the General Fund, 90 cents for the Special Fund, 25 for Indigent Siek Fund, 7 for School Fund and 3 for Road Fund. Dur- ing the last quarter warrants had been drawn to the amount of $11,737, and redeemed to the amount of $17,889.83. Bids for surrendering warrants to the Redemption Fund ranged from 81 cents to par, at which latter figure over 85,000 worth were pur- chased.
COUNTY DEBT.
June 2, 1859, occurred the change of officers of the county, at which time an account of the debt and
155
FINANCIAL HISTORY.
cash was made. The debt outstanding was found to be 860,943, and the cash on hand 87,648.56, leav- ing a total indebtedness of 853.294.44. Scrip was redeemed by the Redemption Fund at the rate of 834 cents.
ASSESSMENT ROLL, 1859.
The assessment roll of the taxable property for 1859 showed a total value, real and personal of $2,- 985,538. By a decision of the Supreme Court, min- ing elaims were rendered exempt from taxation, and were not assessed in 1859. There was also a decline in diteh property; the American River Water Com- pany's ditch, which in 1858 had been assessed at $100,000, was reduced to $75,000, and the Auburn and Bear River ditch from $75,000 to $50,000. Live- stock was assessed at $529,441. Seven quartz mills were reported, worth $12,450. Thirty mining ditches with a total length of 592 miles, and capacity of carrying 7,150 inches of water, were assessed at 8258,025. Ten turnpikes with an aggregate length of forty-one miles were assessed at $50,450. Not- withstanding the deeline in diteh property, and the exemption of mines, the total assessment exceeded that of the preceding year $198,065.
November 7, 1859, the Collector paid into the Treasury 831,000, being collections from property tax and foreign miners' licenses during the month of October, the largest amount ever paid in at one time in the history of the county.
SUPERVISORS' REPORT, NOVEMBER, 1859.
The Redemption Fund in November contained $15,828.41, for which scrip was surrendered at rates ranging from 95 to 98 cents on the dollar. This high rate of the county paper prevented any great saving to the county.
By the report of the Auditor in June, there were outstanding warrants to the amount of 860,945.84, and issued up to November 1, 1859, $15,929.47, making a total of $75,875.31. In the meantime there had been redeemed $17,910.84, leaving an indebtedness November 1st of 857,964.47. During the session of the Board, $10,573.23 of bills were allowed, and more than $15,828 redeemed by the Redemption Fund, and other payments reduced the debt to about $46,000, a large reduction from the debt of two years previous. This favorable condition was in bright contrast to most of the other counties. particularly the mining counties, whose dependence had been so much on the foreign miner's tax. El Dorado, which a few years before had boasted of entire freedom from debt, was at this time $103,000 in debt, and Tuolumne, another of the counties that had surpassed Placer in population and revenue was $150,000 in debt, with a revenue of $45,000, and of Nevadu with a debt of $112,274.
REPORTS AND TAXES, 1860.
The Board of Supervisors in February, 1860, fixed the rate of taxation at sixty cents for State purposes,
and $1.40 for county purposes, making a total of $2.00 on the $100 of valuation. On the 2d of June the County Treasurer advertised that he would redeem scrip up to No. 2,618, which had been issued three years previously. Soon after that was issued, the Redemption Fund was instituted by which the amounts left outstanding were kept down.
June 4th, the citizens of Auburn voted a subscrip- tion of 850,000 to the stock of the Sacramento, Placer and Anburn Railroad, but this did not become a county indebtedness. On the 27th of the same month, the people of the county voted adversely to a subscription of $250,000, part to the same railroad. and the remainder to other rail and wagon road projects, which matter is more fully noticed in the chapter on Railroads in this book.
November 13, 1860, the Assessor made his report, showing a total assessment of $3,080,081, of which 8889,953 was for real estate and improvements. $63,500 for eleven turnpikes and bridges, $5,000 for three bridges disconnected with turnpikes, $7,800 for five quartz mills, $59,100 for thirteen steam and nine water-power saw-mills, cutting 20,056,000 feet of lumber, 8217,600 for twenty three ditches having a total length of 394 miles, and $545,914 for the value of live-stock. Diteh property declined in value. although one large ditch leading from Canon Creek. a tributary to the north fork of the American River, had been added to the list. Agriculture and horticulture were rapidly increasing, although the number of acres reported as taken up was but 102 .- 503, a much less amount than reported claimed by Assessor Smith several years before. The tax rate of $2.00 for county purposes brought a direct revenue of 861,601.62, less by near 86,000 than the revenue derived from the previous year's assessment, when the tax rate was 82.25 on the 8100.
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