The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-09-03

The rules recently issued by Hon. S.
Gwin, Auditor, for the guidance of Tax
collectors, has met with so much favor
by those interested, that the Auditor
intends at an early day to issue addi-
tional rules, especially for the Levee
districts. The following is the intro
duction thereto:
Accompanying these Rules we send to the
Chancery Clerk Of each county in the Levee
District a bound volume which contains in
separate lists the lands held at this date by
the State and by each of the Levee Boards.
The object OF this record is to point out to
the tax collectors in those counties, so
far as we are able from the data con-
tanned in records, the taxable and nom
taxable lands Hitherto it has been impossi-
bic for them to know what lands to collect
taxes upon, and what lands to sell as delin-
quent, owing to the confused state of the
county records growing out of the Levee legis-
lation and other causes. The Liquidating
Levee Board in all the counties, and the num-
Der one Levee Board in more than half of
them having under the laws equal power with
the State to sell lands for delinquent taxes ii
resulted that in thousands of instances tract
of land has been claimed by all three of these
public parties at the same time,
So when the abatement act of 1875 was pass
ed authorizing the sale of all lands held bv
the State or either of the two Levee Boards
that should not be redeemed within a given
period, the greater part OF all the lands in the
river counties was held for taxes by one or
other all of these parties.
The sales of MAY 10th 1878 under this law
were enormous and the collectors in selling
made no distinction but struck off to the State
Liquidating Levee lands, State lands. and
number one Levee Lands unfortunately.
In 1876 the Llquidating Board of District
number ane were abolished by the Iegisla-
ture, and the land records OF these defunct
bodief removed to the office of the Auditor of
Public Accounts, at Jackson.
Under the law constituting the Liquidating
Levee Board, which was enacted in the wear
1867, redemptiOns could be made either from
the Clerk OF the Court of the Court of the
county, where the lands lay, or from the
Treasurer of the l4evee Board. 1t was doubt
less designed that the records of these officers
should always show the same state of facts but
this design was not carried out and so it was
that at the time of the abolition of the Boards.
and the transfer of the records the Treasurer
record shows lands still held which the Clerks
record showed % have been redeemed and rice
Uern
Hence, and for many other causes to numer-
Gus to mention, Tor years past the Assessors
and Collectors have had no reliable record to
Sulue tHeHI, ana puDllc lands nave been /
assessed to individuals, and individual lands !
to the State or Levee Boards whilst the /
Collectors have collected ON the public lands
in some cases and refused to collect on private
lands IL others, thinking them public lands,
and have sold to the State over and over
again lands already held by the State on
levee Boards. This confusion has necessari-
y entailed heavy losses upon the State. But
The most unpleasant and vexatous feature Of !
i all has been the difficulty of making the
Sheriffs' settlements.
Collectors from year 10 year have found it
lext to impossible to get up their credits at
nome, and necessary at the expense of both
ime and money to compile them laboriously
rom the records in this office. The lands be
ng mixed above mentioned, It mas some
INES taken a whole week 10 make one settle
nent, while IL the meantime the current bust
ie57 OF the land department would be accumu-
ating from day ito dav.
We have sympathized with these collectors,
md have had it in our mind for some time
'ast to devise scheme by which these evils
ould be remedied. That design has culmi-
ated in the compiling of the records above
Mentioned, and in the preparation of this
,amphlet L
The records are designed as a Tax-collectors
n collecting taxes and selling lands
We have not attempted to regulate titles ,
fe have no power in that direction. At the
anne time the people at large in the I.evee I
district will find the record a valuable one for
eference- 1t is hoped the Sheriff and Clerks ]
Till call their attention to it.
In conclusion of this introduction we wish ]
. say that we have made an effort now to !
clip the Collectors out of their troubles and
-e feel justified in saying that if they and the
'hancery Clerks will follow strictly the rules !
aid down in this pamphlet settlements in (;
lture will be made without difficulty.