The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-11-23
q It n a n
Reduction in Prices,
.wS 50 REDUqH STOCK. AT
NJ. G UT MA N g cos.
TAXATION or THE nALTInORE a
OHIO Raj, ROAD.
Mr.. h @. Davis ana hts Relation ID
the Company.

HaViug rs 1 think, pretty thoroughly
canYhssed the matter Of the taxation OF
the Baltimore q Ohio Railroad Com.
pany during the late campaign with III
representative from this senatorial dis
trlct, and believing 1t to be q matter Of
very great Importance to the interest 81
our state I beg leave to lay befort
your readers a fsW facts relative thereto,
In the hrst place will give a few
land only few Of what / could givel Of
the reasons that cause me to believe
that the Senator elect from this district
(Hon. IA. g. Davis) Representa- more
nearly than any other gentleman OF
the State, the views, wishes and designs
of said Company.
1t Is well known hereRbouts that the
Company lent the gentleman Its aid In
the way OF free tickets distributed by
himself to prominent voters during the
canvass to secure his election:
And when during our canvass ]
charged him with being In favor of the
exemption Of the company from taxa
ton, he replied that such was not the
facts In the case, but that he was in IA
vor of a compromise. The amount at
which he would be willing to compro-
mise failed after repeated efforts to
get him to state, but he frequently al
Iuded to the bill which passed the Sem
ate at the session. of 1857, and which he
did all in his power, IbeIleve, to lobby
through the House, from which infer
that that represented the amount at
which he and the company are willing
70 compromise, viz. $50. 900 per annum
for I'VE yearat ON property worth, ac-
cording 20 the sworn statement of the
officers of the road, largely over twenty
(S20, 900, 000) millions of dollars, the
tax. on which would be at the rate
we paid here last year, over $3.50, 600,
thus throwing away of the peoples
dues over 81 900, 600, or quite enough to
build the capital, now SO much needed.
How such bill could pass the Sen.
ate of w. Vlrginias is matter of aston
ishment to US down here. We are told,
however, that IL was on the ground
that 1t was doubtful II We could compel
them to pay anything, and that "half a
loafwas better than no bread;" yet, In
this instance. 1 think we fell far short
of getting half the loaf. X i
Senator's ground taken in the canvass
that 1t will be n very difficult matter to
compel 30 powerful a corporation ito
Rccede to the demands of the State, and
that It would be much better to, eonlpr0
mise than TO go through long and
tedious liigGtion Of. The matter. And
when publicly charged with the pur-
pose, II elected, OF violating the Demo-
cratic Platform of equal taxation, &c."
and his oath rs . Senator to support
and defend the Constitution of the State
which provides that taxation shall be
equal and uniform. on all species of
property, &c he answered not a word.
He also, in the canvass, laid much
streSs on the provislo n in the charter
OF said company, which provides that
it's property shall be taxed like "OIheT
similar property" BY reference to the
laws of the State of Virginia, where
the charter was lgranted, 1t will be
found that railroad property was
taxed just like other property. II there
fore follows that the property of this
company is taxable just as other prop
srty. And even IL this were not 80,
Wsst Virginia claims the right to tax
1t like other similar property, taxing
that and all other property in accord
ance with the constitutional provision
therefor.
Again the Senator claimed we would
have to compromise as In his view
there Is no way of getting at any
thing like a detailed assessment of
the property of the company. While 1
admit that It would required careful
to accomplish this, do
not think Il beyond the power or Rbil-
ity ofthe Legislature to approximate
II, and at any rate get very much near
er it than the gentleman's $50, 600 bill.
Again IL Is urged that the develop
ment of the interests OF the State de-
mand liberGG policy towards rail
roads, especially the Baltimore q ohioj
that others may know what to expect.
This point you have already In your
editorials on the subject SO fully met
and refpted, that I will only. add that
L wonld expect from your members of
the LegiGlature-if any there be-Who
hold theSSiVieWs, first an effort to amend
the constitution before advocating
measures directly In violation of plain
NhRFanI IN q
claim OF the Company thatthey should
be lightly taxed on account of their
great benefit 10 the State, It might not
be amiss to inform your readers that
the Company charge us here, 205 miles
west of Baltimore. about ttgtee as much
freight per hundred on goods DC.
from Baltimore here as they do
for transporting them from Balti-
more to. Cincinnati, three or four
hundred mileG further west. And am
told by reliable merchant Of Cumber-
land, Maryland, that IL costs Them 10
cents per hundred more by this compa-
ny to get goods to that place than 1t
would cost Them to ship the same goods
to 81. Louis, 40. ditia q ellknoWn
fact that these exhofbifant rates are
extOrted from our people all along the
line of the road in our State, thus In
point of facilities for getting our pro-
ducts TO eastern markets., plaOinR uH
To auy one wishing more thorough
exposition OF the value, nett earnings
and liability of said company to taxa
ton, 1 would suggest a careful perusal
or the facts set forth In the very able
argument of Messrs, Stanton q Allison
and Lamb q PAnlin behulf OF Marshall
county In her suit against said compa-
ny in the Supfeme Court Of Appeals OF
WeAt Virginia, ,.s5.s
IhRve written what i have relative to,
and partly in answer 10, the views held
by the Senator-elect from this district,
as 1 have before intimRted,, because u
believe he more than any other gentle
man in the State, represents the views
of those who are in favor OF this gerry
liberal policy towards said Company.
lieVs that during the sitting of'the next
Legislature greater efforts than have
ever heretofore been made, viii be
made 10 have this matter settled In the
interests of the Company, unleas by the
wisdom and prompt action OF the body
now in session, the matter In on q con-
stitutiona1 basis incorporated into tine
new Code. - can assure you that the
people of this end of the State arelook-
ing with no little anxiety for the early
settlement OF ttiis m sitter, and your
earnest and continued efforts In their
behalf, relative thereto, are most CRATE
fully received.
,Fespeetldily yours. b.. t. R c;
Boston boasts Office and anticipates
- .