Knoxville Whig and chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1875-1882, 1875-10-06
The Tennessee Railroad Tax.

The railroad tax commissioners of
the State of Tennessee have completed
their labors and submitted the results
to the Controller
The railroads were allowed to choose
between being taxed j. per cent. on
their gross earnings or 40 cents on the
500 assessed value OF their property
lying in the State.
The following roads preferred the
former: Nashville, Chattanooga and
st. Louis, Western and Atlantic, East
Tennessee and Virginia, embracing
the roads under its contract, East Ten
nessee and Georgia, Memphis and
Charleston, Winchester and Alabama,
McMinnville and Manchester, Ten
nessee Coal and Railroad Company,
and Tennessee and Pacific
The following refused the l. per
cent. alternative some denying that
the State had any right TO tax certain
portions or all of their lines, in any
manner, and were accordingly assessed
for taxation at the rate of 40 cents per
500.
Mobile and Ohio, ST. Louis and
Southeastern. Cincinnati, Cumberland
Gap and Charleston, New Orleans, St.
Louis and Chicago, Mississippi and
Tennessee, Paducah and Memphis,
Louisville and Nashville, main stem
and roads under their control, namely,
the Tennessee and Alabama, Memphis
and Clarksvillc, Memphis and Ohio,
Knoxville and Charleston, Knoxville
and Ohio, and the R0gersvllle and
Jefferson road.
The county authorities are allowed ia
tax the latter group OF roads at as high
rate as the State, but it is supposed
that not more than 100 % cents will be
| levied. AS to the first group, there will
! probably arise conflicts of authority
which the courts will have TO settle
but the act of the Legislature, as il
stands, prevents the counties from tax
ing in any way. The result of this
will be to cause inequality between the
taxes levied, aS one set of railroads are
protected from any taxation save thai
of the State, while another set will be
taxed additional 10y counties anC
towns.
1t will be noticed in the following
list of State assessments that the au
thOrities lave paid the l.. and \. rail
road the undesirable compliment o
assessing it higher than any othe
road in the State. The table shows thu
number of miles in the State and thu
rate of assessed value:
Mobile and Ohio, III miles at
$4,000 .................. ........... $l,872. OOl
St. Louis and Southeastern, 4S
miles at So 900 .................... 500
Cincinnati, Cumberland Gap and
Charleston, 80 $40 miles at
SlO,OOO......................"..... 800, OO
New Orleans, Chicago and St.
Louis, 1l6 miles at $l2, 300. ,45l 90
Mississippi and Tennessee 1910
miles at $4,000. ................ $3.50,
Paducah and Memphis, GG miles
at So, OOO..................... ........ 52SOO
Louisville and Nashville (main
stem, As 42-l00 miles at
Sl8,0OO...-........................ SO
Nashville and Decatur division,
80 97-l0O miles, at $ll ,0O0.... l,022, 81
Memphis and Carksville and
Memphis and Ohio divisions,
2l2 Clio miles, at $1,000. 3,l69, 60
E Knoxville and Charleston, lG
miles, at $4,000. 10000
Knoxville and Ohio, 80 miles, at
sI2,OOO......,.......... ........... $500
Rogersville and Jefferson, IL
miles, at S5,O OO..~.,..,...."... 5000
SIG $1,000, totals."...,-....."SlO,85I Is
Assessments by counties and
towns, ............................ lO,6OL6
Total assessments. .........,.... $40, 964, 81
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