The New York herald., 1866-03-29

The BROOKLYN UNION FERRY COMPANY AND
THE INTERNAL REvENUE.-It has been stated
that this rich monopoly owe the government
about $4,000, which they refuse to pay on
some quibble, and are not only endeavoring to
get rid of the payment of this debt, but to
avoid the payment in future Of the same sum
annually as the tax on their receipts. The
law applicable to this and other ferry compa-
MES reads thus -
ment Of any to road ferry bridge authorized BY law
ages teams and freight Of any description such
toll road ferry or bridge shall be subject 70 and pay
duty Of three per centum the gross amount OF all
their receipts Of every description.
The returns show that the gross receipts Of
this company for the year 1864 amount to the
sum of $772, All; for the months Of January,
February, March and April of the year 1865
the gross receipts are 1924, ,143; total for these
sixteen months, $1,O06,554. For the first six
months Of 1864 the tax paid, ct the rate Of one
and q half per cent on the gross receipts,
amounted to $5,748. For the last six
months of the same year, ct the rate Of three
per cent on the gross receipts, the law as to
rate being changed, the tax paid amounted to
$11,674 For the first four months Of 1865,
during which only the taxes have been paid,
they amounted to the sum of $7,024
Dating from May 20, 1864, to May 20, 1866,
a period of two years, the company have paid
a tonnage duty on their boats amounting to
1852. Since April, 1865, the company
have refused to make returns Of gross receipts
and to pay the three per cent duty on the
same, alleging that, by the act Of Congress Of
March 8, 1865, the payment of tonnage duty ON
their ferryboats exempts the ferry from the tax
Of three per cent on the gross receipts thereof
This act, however, relates only to steam
boats and other craft engaged in service other
than ferries, and where the duty is fixed at two
and half per cent on the gross receipts Of
the boat or other vessel, as such, and while en-
gagged in its own distinctive, Independent, sim
gular navigation pursuits. By section l03
of the Internal Revenue act of March 3,
1865, ferry must pay duty Of three per
cent on its gross receipts, irrespectively
of any tonnage duty paid on its boats,
&c. The false pretence Of exemption to pay
the three per cent, as ferry, by reason Of the
payment of tonnage duty, which only ex-
empts payment Of duty of two and half per
cent on something else, is quite transparent.
Our figures above show the fallacy as well as
the extract from the Revenue law given above.
This gentle corporation would have the gov
ernment believe that Congress intended to
release this ferry from yearly tax OF
$22,s16, and to accept in lieu thereof an
annual tonnage tax Of only S2,S7S, or
thereabonts, assuming the gross receipts OF
the ferry since April, 1865, to be equal to those
of the year previous. They are no doubi
much larger.
1t is plainly seen that the ferry is taxable
three per cent on its gross receipts, no mat
te- whether It's boats pay or do not pay ton.
mage duty. On the bass of the above figures
and the law of the land, this ferry company
owe the government some $4,000 for taxes
accruing since April, 1865.