Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-09-28
Public Meeting.

AT a public meeting Of the tax payers of
Averill Township in Jefferson County, held in
pursuance Of previous notice, in the town Of
Middlewav. on Saturday the 9th instant, on
motion, Mr.. PETER BOWERS was called to
the chair and JOIN H. SMITH appointed Sc
cretary. The object of the meeting having
been briefly stated, the following resolution was
unanimously adopted.
Resolred, That committee of three be APP
pointed to draft an appeal to the honorable
Board of Supervisors of this county in regard
to the excessive assessment made on the real
property in this township by our present as
SCISSOR, and report the same at future meet
ing, to be held in this place on Friday evening
next.
Whereupon, The chairman appointed John
+. Smith, Hirau ShaulI, and Richard Timber
lake On motion, the chairman was added
thereto, and the meeting adjourned accordingly.
PETER BOWERS, Chairman.
JOHN II. SMITH, Sec,y.
AT an adjourned meeting Of the taxpayers
Of Averill Township, held agreeably to adjourn
ment. on Friday the 18th inst. Mr.. Peter Bow
ers took the chair The former Secretary be-
ing absent, John w. Grantham Esq. was APP
pointed Secretary. The report of the COM
mittee appointed at the last meeting being
called for, the chairman thereof made the fol-
lowing report:
We. your committee, to whom was referred
the investigation Of the assessment recently
made bv Mr.. Greenwood, assessor on the
real estate living within the limits of Ayerill
Township. Jefferson County, do most respect
fully report, that from the best information we
have received on that subject, we find that he
has adiudged the valuation of the lands mostly
at fifty dollars and upwards per acre, and the
buildings thereon at c0rreSpondingly high
rate In comparing this assessment with the
last one made before the war, we find there is
q difference of some twenty dollars and up
wards per acre above the assessment made be-
fore the war, at which time our lands and ten
ementS were well enclosed; our forest lands
not destroyed our farms well stocked with
horses and cattle Of every description labor
was at about half the present rates; we gene
rally had more or less produce to dispose of;
our financial matters were comparatively easy
Yet, underall these advantageous circumstances
surrounding us, many deemed that assessment
as excessive. But now, when we look around
us and find that our fences, improvements and
timber so materially destroyed by the ruthless
hand Of both armies, thereby rendering our
farms more or less unproductiye for some years
to concur timber cut down and culled-
our farms meagrely stocked with few broken
down army-hOrses-labor exorbitantly high
no surplus proluce-family neceSSaries scarce
ndhigh-andmany other considerations which
are so apparent to any mind capable of judg-
inc on that subject as to render it unnecessary
for us to particularize further We cannot
conceive how our present assessor could arrive
at the conclusion that our lands had increased
so much more in value.
We are law abiding citizens. willing to pay
our taxes when our property is assessed at the
correct and real value. We feel aggrieved at this
excessive value, and stern necesSitycompelS us
to appeal to the honorable Board of Supervisors
Of this county to redress the grievance prior to
the collection of the taxes, by sending a COM
mittee to ascertain whether these things be so,
or otherwise as in their Judgment may seem
right, and if found to be correct, to have our
property reasseSsed.
In consideration of the foregoing report we
respectfully submit the following resolution
ReS0lret. That a committee of five of our
number be appointed to carry this report to
the honorable Board of Supervisors. at their
next meeting and urge our claims to their
most favorable consideration
Respectfully submitted
JOHN +. SMITH,
A.