The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1872-01-25
For the Valley Virginian.
TnHnshin Taxation.

Mr. EDITOR One of the Township officers has
called the writers attention to an evil which he
SAYS is a growing one in township admnistra-
ton, 'Tis the increasing application to Judge
Hendren for new roads and changes OF roads
In one of the Townships, North River perhaps
he said there were twelve or fourteen pend
ing, besides several lately acted on, in which or
dors were mazda to open the roads. Few even
amongst the most telligent, dream of the very
heavy amount of taxation involved in single
case of this sort, every cent OF which Is to be
borne by the several Townships. Besides the
regular tax each landowner pays to keep the
public roads in repair, he pays what is called a
special tax to defray all the expenses incident to
these applications for new ones and involved in
this aggregate is the cost of juries. sherfs fees
for summonpg them, damages allowed land hold
ers, and last but not least, 80 cents per day to
open them.
Depict two OF three of these cases that have
been brought to the attention of the writer. The
road from Nowry's Mill. thro' the lands of Fish
burne and others into the McAdam road near
Cllnes Mill, unimportant and unnecessary aosc
when we are so crushed with taxation only three
miles in length, and every one interested in it,
now well accommodated with road via D. Fultz
to Staunton. On this trihing road we are taxed
with FIVE or six juries, SIS to 800 damages be-
sides other expenses incident to surveying, Sc
Another in the same vicinity that we could have
done without for years, is the LandeS Mill road
of Il or miles, that will cost the Township, say
5000 per mile Another and more striking case
is one that originated, public opinion be.
ieves, in blood and luminosity between few
neighbors, some of them relations, and could
for years have been dispensed with. There have
been several juries it and if the writer is corr
rectly informed at a late term, Judge Hendren
made an order requiring all the roads in that vi
cinity to be surveyed and an elaborate report
mads to the next term, involving very heavy
and entirely useless expense. Why do say So?
Because there is a most carefully prepared map
made by J. Hotchkiss at the instance and expense
of F. D. Dellinger, filed among the papers in his
IDS application for the Dellinger bridge that
the Judge has seen several times. This map SO
prepared as to shew the bearing of all the roads
in the North west end Of the county should have
been used not only in this Orebaugh and Ira P.
Huffman road case, but in the application now
pending for bridge over Middle River, and saw
ed all this worse than useless expense in surveys
of roads But repeat Judge Hendren ought to
scan all applications of this sort most rigidy,
and set his face as flint against them The bar
could do much to discourage this heavy drain on
our pockets
viii you, Mr. Editor, take the pains to exam
inc the Clerks Office and get all the items of
cost in these cases and others in other parts of
the County Il loathe the word Township from
the very bottom of my hearty and instruct the
people up to frown1ng down all applications for
new roads, for any cause whatever, until we can
see some daylight ahead. GLEN AVIS.