The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-27
n beIng typogrnphicalIv imnracticn

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Wood -..-.- 2i2,g5G 7l9l21 90 .7Sg 80 ~
wyoming. 6lI,S5t 20. 90 2s5,gsol Sl7,Isl
II being geographically impractica.
BILE to put the footings of the foregoing
table in their proper places, we stat,
them separately: The total number o
acres OF land i'll the State is %, 4Ol sis
the total present valuation of the same
is 81, $50, 2Is; the total of estimated new
valuation is sI55, s2s. 429. The columns
of averages do not foot. OF the estimnt.
ed averages we remark, that distressing
ourown judgment, we asked the Audi,
tor of the State to look over and correct
them, and we have the opinion of thai
officer that as they now stand, they are
very liberal, certainly below in every
instance the present actual market
value.
For lack of room we conId not in.
clude in the table an exhibit of personal
property, nor are we able to give pre-
else figures in regard to it, the valun-
ton being altered each year, as the
property appreciates or deprecIates. In
lsG0, however, the personal property in
the counties now composing this State
amounted to 81, i57,729. II we offset
the enhancement in one part of the
State by the deterioration in the other,
incident to the war, we may conclude
the total value is not materially altered.
1t is certainly not diminished. We
therefore adopt the figures of 1850.
This makes the aggregate in the State,
at the present valuation, SOS, l23, 977, and
the estimate OF same under new vaIua-
lion SIL9,3SG, lbs.
In the foregoing calculations, no lots
or buildings in any city or town are
included. The present valuation of
this species of property is Sg,l75, O79-
considerably over one-third of which is
in Ohio county. We believe it a fair es-
timnte to say that the increase in value
of town property has been proportions
ateIy rs great as in lands. In Wheel
ing and Parkersburg, it has been much
greater. We suppose the S9,l75,O79
ought to be 2O,OOO,OOO mt least. Wheel
ing and Pnrkersburg alone will ap-
prOXimRte that sum. Adopting these
figures, we shall have n grand total of
all the property in the State amounting,
at the present valuation, to SlO7, 299, O56,
and under the estimated new valua-
ton, TO Sl99, 3sG.l5s.
The present valuation, as shown in
the foregoing figures, if taxes were
collected from all the counties, would
yield at the existing rate of taxation,
(4O cents on the SlOO,l the sum of sI29,-
lbs. From this deduct, one-fiilh Ia very
liberal nllowancel for and
cost OF collection, leaving S3iS,357. OF
this sum one-fourth goes to the support
of free schools leaving S257,57s nett
revenue. The cost of carrying on the
State government in all its branches,
when in operation throughout all the
counties will not exceed SI25, 600 annual
ly. This would leave nm annual sur
plus of Sl32,57S.
Under such n re-valuation as indicat-
ed in the foregoing figures, the present
rate OF taxation would yield II gross
revenue of 1913 From this deduct
ouc-fifth.for cost ofcollectiou and for de
linquencies, and we have SG8s,O36. OF
this sum divert one-fourth to the sup
port of free schools, and there remains
SI7s, 52T, nett revenue. Deduct Sl25, 600
cost ofcarryiug on the government, and
we have still len an annual surplus OF
SS5s,52T.
Since the organization of the State,
but little over one-half the number of
counties i'll the State hive paid any
revenue; yet the revenues has been suf-
iicent not only to carry ON the govern
ment but to pay large sums for extra
ordinary expenses incident to the war.
The revenues to be paid by the same
counties alone, under the present ar
engagements, will, in time of peace,
greatly exceed what is required for the
current expenses of the State govern
mcnt.
When the State collects, as it will be-
gin to next year, from the other conn
ties even if the Legislature shall re-
lease them from payment of back
tHxesl, this excess will be greatly in
creased. Even for erecting the public
buildings, AN ample surplus will aecu-
mulate by the time and as fast as II
will be needed for that purpose.
The object to be accomplished, there
fore, by the re-valuation will be not the
enlargement of the revenues but the
equalization of taxes, as our system
contemplates. The increase of the
property taxed, therefore, brings with
it corresponding reduction of the
rate. If the State shall tax Sl99, $50, l0s,
which we estimate it is entitled 10 tax,
the amount of revenue now raised by
\ rate of 40 cents on the hundred dol
1lrs may be raised by rate of 2l11
cents-a reduction of almost half. The
effect OF this would be to adjust the