The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-02-05
WILD LANDS.

SR:-Thc absorbing subject that now
claims the attention of the people and the
legislature is taxes. This is not strange.
The great mass OF tax payers feel. their
taxes burden. This ought not to DO the
case in West Virginia. But 1t will be so
as long as the State fails to do its duty in
regard to the just valuation OF that class Of
land known as "wild land" embraced in
Charge surveys"
l had occasion last year to examine tho
Auditors report for the year 1882. By
Analysing it, it makes this extraordinary
exhibit: Above 100000 acres are
returned valued for taxation. There
arc eleven counties containing o.
$4,000 acres valued at 81 l0;I
nine counties with out 5000, 900 acres val
ueA at about 50 50 per acre; seventeen
counties with 100000 assessed about
s. so per acre. The residue, seventeen
counties, with less than 9, 100000 acres, val
ued ut near SIT per acre. 1t is further
shown that these last named seventeen
counties, which occupy less than one-sixth
OF the territory OF the State, pay four-sey.
enth. OF all the taxes.
Doubtless there arc many more acres OF
land on the land books OF many counties,
than there Is land in these counties; this
is owing TO the defective land system OF
Virginia. In many cases two or more
parlies are on the same land. Many tracts
are nut on the books by the commissioner
who knows nothing about the boundaries
or quality Of the land further than the
general description given in the patent.
Experience has proven that 1t is impos-
sible to get commissioners TO place q
proper valuation on this class Of land.
They are valued ut nominal value, since
it has been the custom to so value them;
because they are "wild' and unproduc-
tive; vet the owners may be realizing
Iarge1incomes from the timber; or they
may be so valued because the title is de-
fcciiye. So 1t Is the valuation Is so low
that when the value OF the seated" land
in these counties is added to the "wild"
lands they average 81 10 or 50 so per acre,
in others at 81 90. These wild" lands
are as valuable as the "seatedh lands in
The counties and districts in which they
are located and should be taxed ut the
same price.
This may look like rash proposition.
Let us consider it. One man has horse
valued at $l00 which does not earn him
Sl0a wear, another man has o horse oil
like value which earns him $3.50 year.
One man has $4,000 at law full interest,"
another has like sum locked up in his
safe from which no does not realize any
interest. All these items Of property are
entered on the assessors book and arc
taxed equally according to amount, with
out reference to their use. Nobody claims
that this is wrong.
We will take another case: Two
young men, one poor, the other
rich, 20 10 the wild lands OF West Virgin
il. Each purchases tract OF 500 acres OF
equal value, adjacent in location. The
necessities OF the poor man compel him
to improve his land by clearing, fencing
and building to support his family. Ev-
cry year the assessor adds the value Of
his improvements to the value Of his lands
for taxation, and in the course Of ten years
Il commissioner revalucs his land for tax
alton, so that in twenty years his land Is
increased from 81 per acre for taxation
10 $50.
During this time all his personal prop.
erty has been taxed from year to year to
swell the revenues OF the State. Tho rich
man has let his land remain with its
timber, as an Inheritance for his children.
No stick amiss, no houses or personal
property on 1t to tax, and still valued at a
nominal value OF one dollar or less per
acre. But the necessities OF the poor man
have compelled him TO improve, to make
roads, build school houses and churches,
all Of which increase the value OF the
wild lands. l submit to all impartial
minds, that tho rule OF ascertaining the
value Of thousands Is gross injustice to the
residents OF these counties, and the residue
OF the tax payersof the State. There Is
no such rule practiced in regard to taxing
anything else. 1t is simply taxing the
necessities and energy OF the workingmen
to enlarge the inheritence OF rich mons
children.
/ am informed that large amount Of
the most desirable wild lands, in the
southwestern part OF the State, is held by
non residents and citizens, none OF whom
will sell an acre at q fair value. Foreign
corporations have purchased some OF
these tracts as aninyestinentf for their sur
plus funds. All these lands arc held be-
cause OF the low taxes. These large tracts
lie there as bar TO civilization. They are
a bar togood roads, school houses, churches
and mills, all OF which are requisite for
any degree OF prosperity. 1t is nonsense
to be talking about the great timber and
mineral resources OF West Virginia, while
perhaps the richest portion Of is covered
by detective land titles, and in large sur
veys held by parties who will not sell be-
cause they are not taxed.
II Is replied that this Is all true, and
what are you going to do about it? My
reply Is II i could / would do this: would
at once pass u law providing for the APP
pointment Of commissioner in each
county where these wild lands are located,
whose duty 1t should be to ascertain the
value OF all seated" lands with their i'm
provemcnts in district or county where
wild" lands held in tracts over ], 900
acres are located. Where the wild lands
occupy more than one-half OF q district,
lie -shonld take the value OF the seated
latlds in two or three adjacent districts,
and II the wild or unscated lands are 4
majority OF tho land in the county, then
take the value Of all the seated" lands in
the county and ascertain their value per
acre, and charge all the wild lands, in the
county, the same amount per acre. To
prevent the owners Of these large surveys
irom returning their land as seated"
lands the law should provide that GER
tain percent Of each tract over
a thousand acres should be un-
IA. innroyamant The toraaant laup no.
ouires that the Auditor shall instruct the
in how he Is to ascertain
the value Of real estate. Isubmit that the
manner OF ascertaining the value Of these
lands is not fair and reasonable one.
The present mode is unfair and unreason-
able. The commissioner knows nothing
Of the boundaries. The owners do not
know them. The proposed mode Of taxa
ton would produce more revenue than
will be derived from all the exempted