Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-17
cannot getat the truth, resort to the

cannot get at the truth, resort to the
| Courts will assuredly fail.
/ am likewise informed that there is gross
| fraud In disclosing the quantity Of liquors
distilled in the State. It is hoped that the
necessity of procuring license, would Sc
cure fair deaiing towards the State. It is
reported to me that such Is by no means
the case. | recommend that one On two
plans be adopted Either tax the capaci-
ty Of the still Il round sum, Oh make 1t the
duty of the Sherjtfs to entor on the prem
Uses where the still is located, and view the
same, and also inspect the books Of the dis
tiler, and examine witnesses to the number
of gallons made.
With q view to secure more fam disclo-
sure, and also proper accountability Of the
collecting officers. | have transferred among
the others the item of merchants to
Schedule A. to be listed to the list taker-
These We're originally placed in Schedule
b, on the idea that the license granted by
the Sheriff was Il great protection to the
Revenue. This, in the. case Of men in es-
tablished business, has generally become
obsolete, and there is no reason why they
should not list in the same way as land
owners and others. | have specially provi-
ded for the cases of transient dealers and
others, whose business is OF II temporary
character.
TAXABLE SUBJECTS.
In adjusting Tie rates Of taxation, have
endeavOfed to ascertain, as FAR as possible,
the number and value OF taxables now in
the State
The payment into the Treasury by tue
Sheriffa, was ny the Convention postponed
to the lst of January 1867, and therefore
no estimate can be made i'll regard to the
unlisted subjects mentioned i'll the Sched-
nlc 3 and & of the Revenue Act
The listed subjects mentioned in SEIZED
ule 4, and the amount OF taxes due there
on, have been returned to the COmptrolier's
office, and from comparison Of them with
the returns Of 1861, is derived information,
which will be OF naterial aid in fixing the
rates of taXatIOH.
In the following calculations the Coun-
ties OF Buncomhe, Haywood and Mitchell,
are omitted, because no returns have been
made from these Counties in 1866.
LAND OF Tn& STATE
1t will be remembered that the taxes OF
the present year were imposed on the ba-
sis of the valuation OF 1860. In case Of de
strnction of houses and other material parts
of real estate, and Ill eases Of material en-
hanccment OF value. 10y the erection of new
buildings or other extraordinary cause, pro
vision was made for rt-VAfuatiOn.
The land of the State iii 1861, in Ill the
counties except Bnncumbe. Haywood and
Mitchell, was returned at 2G. Gl3. ;}3l acres,
not Including town lots, Vlliled at 81 /,
CO.,, 7O2, or nearly - 20 per acre. In the
same counties in 1866, the land is returned
at q C67 064 acres, vai1ed at S97 3l9 lSJ,
about 81 21-lO0 per acre. 1t TINS appears
that from the carClcSSncSS OF tax payers and
list takers, over three and Onc-half million
acres, worth nearly fifteen millions of dol
lars, were omitted. The valuation OF land
in 1866 is returned SILL 2S3, ST less than in
1861, but thi> loss is apparent only, BY
adding the value Of the land not returned
at s. II 100 per acre, the aggregate of 1856
is S112, go, :346, or half a million dollars
increase during the past five years In
other words, the enhancement OF value by
the erection of buildings and similar eX-
traordiuary causes, has been greater than
the losses by the casualties of war.
The above calculation does not include
town property. lii the same counties, the
losses since 1861 have been, apparently,
ST. 73O, 795, the valuation in 1SG6 being only
ST., S2l $50, against Sl2.552, T45 in 1861 :;
bat it is fair to presume that, as III the case
Of lands out of the towns, great fraud has
been practiced the State by failure to
list town lots. The aggregate valuation OF
real estate, as shown by the Comptroller's
omitted counties according to tho quantity
returned in 1861, is SIP, 264, 1876 40.
respectfully recommend that there be
no general valuation of lands III 1867 Some
counties nave made good crops and the
lands have sustained their prices. In 9th
ers however, the crops having failed, eith-
er from unfavOrable seasons, or the disor
ders incident 10 the change Of the system
Of labor the people are depressed and the
new valuation would be exceedingly low.
No Inconvenience can result fro adheriug
to the valuation Of 1861, rs IL provision is
made for change in case OF gains or losses
from extraordinary causes.
POLLS.
The number OF white polls or males be-
tween The ages of twenty one and forty-tive
in all the counties, with the exceptions
stated, in 1861 was 81 ,O39 in 1866, Sc, 400,
only Il decrease of 4, G33, or one of thirteen.
Considering that our armies during the late
struggle were principally filled by white
men between the ages of twenty one and
forty five, the decrease is not as great as
might have been expected.
The number of black polls, or male ne
groes between twenty one and forty-tive
years of age is returned 33, 2S3, being in
about the same relative proportion to the
entire colored population, as the white
polls bear to the white population
MONEY AT INTEREST.
By simple calculations, it appears that
the money at interest listed in 1860 was in
round numbers, 1897, 500, 900 in 1866, in
Guiding money on hand, $lO,916,OOO, be
ing falling off of over two-thi1ds. [ feel
sure that much of this decrease is owing
to the uncertainty in the minds Of credi
tors as to the ultimate collection of their
debts, and that many credits, retained in
solvent, will be in whole i'll part ulti-
mately realized.
RIDING VEHICLES.
Tie value of riding vehicles in 1861 was
s., O27, 419 i'll 1876 $G79, 511, showing a
decrease of something less than two-thirds.
Common observation is convincing us that
this loss will be speedily repaired.
WATCHES, JEwELRY, &C.
The value of watches and jewelry has de-
creased from 1929, 325 to 1919, 636, or about
one third.
STUDS AND JACKS.
Tho tov ON Stn1s and .JackS being SDe-