Claiborne Guardian

Items of Interest

W. J. Mercer, Esq., deputy assessor, furnishes me with the following items of interest connected with the assessment of property in the parish: All real estate in the parish is valued at $718,212.00; stock, including horses, mules, cattle, sheep, hogs, &c., $304,827.00; vehicles, $2,633.00; money loaned or in possession, $5,990.00; capital invested in trade, $5,155.00; amount of steamboat stock, $250.00; diamonds, jewelry, watches, &c., $5,590.00; income over $1,000.00, $1,070.00; cash value of all bonds taxable by the State, $5,735.00—this item is composed exclusively of bonds of the parish of Claiborne; number of polls in the parish, 2644. Real estate in the parish owned by non-residents, $31,600.00. Total amount of taxable property, $1,299,615.00.

This assessment is nearly three hundred thousand dollars in excess of the last assessment.

Some of the facts to be gathered from these figures are, to say the least of them, rather singular. $1,070 is the full amount of the excess of all incomes over $1,000. We had thought that there were several gentlemen in the parish who were making over a thousand or twelve hundred dollars clear. We are not as a people possessed of many ornaments of precious stones and fine gold watches, too, are very scarce. Putting the average of all watches at twenty-five dollars each, and estimating all jewelry in the parish to be worth say two thousand dollars, (a very low estimate for the jewelry and a moderate average for the watches) we find that there are only 135 watches in the parish. The average amount invested in trade is about $2,000 to each trader, it being estimated that there are 36 merchants of some kind in the parish. Hon. A. L. Atkins it seems is the only person in the parish who rejoices in the possession of steamboat stock, he having given in the item of $250 under that head. Without examining the assessment toll—we think it strange there should be only 135 watches in the parish, and stranger than all is the fact that there is only $5,990 cash on hand or loaned out by the 2644 payers of a poll tax, not counting in all the young ladies, the old maids and the widows.

It a person well acquainted with all the people of the parish and with a fair knowledge of their consciences should go carefully over the assessment rolls, comparing the statements there made with his personal knowledge of individuals, their assets, receipts and expenditures, he would find food for several hours of serious thought.

We know so little about these matters that we dare not assert that any false statements have been made. To say the least of the matter, the figures present an unaccountable state of facts. One man claims that he follows the example of his neighbors in the valuation of land and stock, while another claims that "they all do it."