Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1880-09-18
COMMUNICATES.
LIE Il. 80. X. L, TIMES

=
IL ,ha issues between the road
e. I The neople, in such a shape that they
"' ,,Ist he conlprehcnded by every man OF
i,tfirient intelligence TO understand PLAIN
English. , a. ,;u,.
,barce more for long distance than
t,r short distance. In 1872, the legisla-
iUre passed law regulating the rates OF
,~c;cht. The company set this law 1T de-
NE and refused to obey it. \ COM
,nittee was appointed by the Legislature
,ninQuire into the matter and here is the
answer of the road. (See testimony be-
fore Joint Committee, journal OF Senate
for 1879, page of testimony
Ouestion-Does the company intehd W
comply with all the provisions OF chapter
927, Acts 1928, and the amendments
thereto? :,,+
answer, by Keyser, Nice-IreSideht-
THE COMPANY DOES NOT lntend " I'm
rlv with ALL the provisions OF tIiat %C' IL
does not admit the authority Vi 'N0 i0o
lature to control its charges. a.,
Uere i the issue fairly made up; the
roaT rct,,srs 10 obey the law; it refuses
nmI lives a reason,-thc legislature has
"a a51thorify to control its charges. Here
j. question as TO the power OF the State;
and The legislature proposed to have this
,re,tion considered and decided by the
courts. This is pure legal question and
willnevcr be settled until there Is Ju-
.'irial decision. If the road Is right, then
we are lust as far from market, rs the rate
of freight is high; butt the road Is wrong,
chen we will enjoy the full advantage ol
cur proximity 10 Baltimore. y decision
against the corporation, on this point VIII
add 10 the value of every acre OF lana III
Jefferson, while decision i'll favor oil the
road will leave matters precisely rs tley
are. Hence. the people have everything
TO gain and nothing to lose. Such being
The case, those who have the interests OF
the State ut heart, are trying to force Il
decision, while the company Is determined
% prevent it; the company has no cOhl-
,Ieuce in its pretentionS and therefore
wishes 10 keep out of court. The last
legislature passed 4 resolution directing
she Attorney General 10 bring QUO
WarrantO. which would test the question,
hut the road bulldozed those who repre-
scntcd the people and they backed down.
The present struggle is, TO elect to the
next legislature, Il man who VIII carr!
this matter 10 i successful termination
and the railroad j. trying to exclude every
man competent and willing TO represent
the people in this behalf.
2nd rs TO CAKES. ne rSat cstH'o y, -"
dNldual> l. valued Tor taxation d! az as
SCISSOR and the law provides, If any land
j. rated too high the owner may apply TO
the County Court and get it reduced. But
rs the corporation is too powerful for Il
local tribunal the law provides, that rail-
roads shall &c valued by Il Board OF Com
nisSioners, consisting of three freehold
crS, one for each Congressional district
neither OF whom resides III county
through which railroad runs. Inc az
seS>ment made by them Is sent ulFcct9
10 the Aud!tOrot the state, VINO ccftiliG'
to the County Court the value OF thc rail-
road in the county. Iac county clerk Is
directed 10 inform the Auditor OF INC
amount levied on each SIOO Oi pIopcI'y :.
The Auditor then informs the railroad OF
the amount due for each county through
which it passes. The company must pay
ALL its taxes TO the treasurer OF the state,
and each sheriff l. credited win the
anoUHtdue his county. III the corpor-
alton j. agGrieNcu by the assessment, II
shall petitioi the Board OF Public Works
for Il correction; the County Court shall
uot compromise or remit any portion Oh
the taxes assessed against the road
See Acts $50, 1871 and 1871
There l. no possible room 10 !iISIIhc
the meaning and purpose of this law.
The Board of Railroad commissioners
assessed the Il. x .. i'm Jefferson at over
100000. Instead of presenting its petit
ton 10 the Board of Public Works, il in
,luccd our County Court to violate the
law; it induced our Court to make Il pre-
tended and illegal compromise, whereby
il only paws tax on 4 valuation of 4 little
over $500, 600. La other words, in direct
and palpable violation OF the statute, this
,.ornoraiion. has for many wears lodged
IFS focal faxes on over $500 900.
Thi. i Il very serious matter and comes
home to the pocket Of every taxpayer. If
the levy is ONLY 81, on the hundred, then
upwards of $1,000 is due for every year
this compromise has been in force.
For the sake of brcyitv we give the
rouud tiourcs and if we are wrong, il is
very easy TO Doint out our mistake. But
II aI,v nrrsou undertake. TO answer this
.,rtirio yn do NOT want any DIST. let him
.,nswrr the foIIoviu,r questions:
! What WAS the valuation of the road
IN ,I,is rouutr lot thr main stem aud
Winchester br3rrhl by the Board of
commissioners.
j Wo. II reduced nv the Board of Pub
liz. Works:
., Did,o. Invsr, toll, IN certain mem
,c,. nftLa rourf i'm ner.ou. If ANYTHING
WAS said. hy Kevser. i'm OPEN court, who
,,.,s nresnui>
Give tI,e orders of the Comfy Court
MAKING tbr COMPROMISE.
W. a'Ior,t,,lJ thc rood srts mn the