The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-06
II. 80. RAILROAD TAXATION.

We believe that the action OF the
Board OF Supervisors Of THE county in
releasing the property Of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad company from taxa
lion in consideration Of the rebuilding
and enlargement Of the companys shops
in Wheeling, will meet with very gen.
sral approval. The assessed valuation
Of the Baltimore and Ohio property in
this county, including the former
Hempfield road, is 1921 400. Upon
a portion or this, taxes are due to both
city and county since 1864, the total
amount of arrears being, we are in
formed, in the neighborhood Of $40, OOO,
about $4,000 OF which is due to the
county and the balance to the city OF
Wheeling. The taxes upon this prop
erty for the current year amount to
about $500 and will probably average
$1,000 annually. As our readers are
already ALVAREZ various attempts have
been made from time to time to
collect the taxes claimed to be
due from the company, but without very
satisfactory success. The railroad
company has, until within the past
year, claimed legal exemption, and
some OF the counties through which
the road passes (tor the company has
paid taxes in money have carried their
claims to the Supreme Court OF the
United States and finally terminated the
litigation by compromise. 1t is proba'
bic that the claim oftbis city and county
might be pressed to similar conclusion,
and one-half or !wothirds Of the sum
claimed to be due might be received,
but the sum thus to be obtained and
which is by the Board Of Supervisors
released to the company is probably not
more than a fair bonus for the work the
Baltimore and Ohio corporation agrees
20 perform in our city.
We understand that, in consideration
Of release from past aud future city and
county taxation. the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company will contract
70 erect machine shops in this city to
cost not less than One Hundred Thous-
and dollars. The company now EN-.
ploys here al ont two hundred men,
who, it may be remarked BY the way,
sre steady, industrious and valuable
part OF our population, because the
company will employ none but men Of
thi, class. The enlargement proposed
will furnish employment for about five
hundred more, aud add about three
hundred families to the population
Of the city. 1t is quite probable,
nav almost certain, that the taxa
ton to be derived from the real
aud personal property held by these
three hundred families will amount tc
a. much as the sum levied annually
upon the present property Of the read in
this county and that the county trea
.ary will lose nothing by the exemp
lion OF the railroad. But there is
beside this, another advantage to bt
taken into the account. The wages o
seven hundred OF the employees Of thu
company will be mainly put in circula
ton in this community. These viii
average about six hundred dollars eacf
u.r annum and thus the trade OF tn
city will be directly benefited to TIT
extent Of nearly half a million dollar
per year.
Il is believed to have been the inten
ton of the officers OF the Baltimor'
and Ohio railroad company, in TIT
event of their not obtaining the con
csssiou they have asked, to remove t
B.nwood or Bellaire the greater portion
of their workshops already located il