The Wilmingtonian., 1886-04-03
County Taxation.

the P. W. & B. r. r., brings the attention
of the over burdened taxpayers of Whining
ton to this most important subject.
III plain language and in simple justice
no one will claim that any corporation or
any person eau be mrlcted in double taxes.
The Chancellor's decision implied that a GER
tain arrangement had beeu made or contract
consummated between the State and rail
roads by which in paying certain bulk sum
to the State treasury they were relieved from
paying certain county taxes, for instance, in
the of case the P. W. & b. r. r., the taxes
on their road-bed in this city.
TheLevy Court in pushing this test case
had not in view the placing of duplicate
tax on that railway property. But in bring
ing the question before the public some vital
points upon the subject of railway fran
chisss granted in past years, whose terms
are notorously iniquitous, indica ing Grim
inal disposal by the municipal authorities (
/ bhuSS puOIlO lhOhlSo dhh pl'NlINSb', h'S - -
IDENTIFY brought to mind.
This is simply case whose parallel exists
at present in the city of New York The
Broadway franchise aud Jake Sharpes trb-
ulations are referred to, 1t will be remom
bered that the Legislature of the State of
New York has Instituted enactmonts, and
| il we mistake not legislation on this matter
has passed both Houses, that railroad fran
chises quitously Obtained are liable to alb
rogation.
In the case argued before the Chaucellor's
court lately the nature of the contract
in the phase of its being justly obtained, or
whether its clauses secured for the people a
Just equivalent in exchange for the conces-
sions gained by the Railroads was not the
point touched or decided what was decided
was merely the external point that the con-
tract in its general function precluded the
simultaneous levying of Il county and state
tax. The righteousness ofthe terms Of such
contracts as they exist now is another ques-
tion altogether.
1t is claimed that an investigation of the
terms of these contracts aud franchises grant
ed by the municipality of Wtming gton to the
p. W. &; B. Road are proper questions for
public inventory. and if on investigation it
H. eI, 1,,t tIat bnII nd bov
been gained through iniquitous methods, or
by means through which the puliG have been
defrauded, or valuable public property fraud
ulently alienated, there then exists proper
ground for the authorities invalidatng those
franchises now held by the p. W. & B. Rail
road.
Such action has been instituted at Albany
where the Legislature of the State of New
York has voided certain Railroad franchises
which had wrongfnlly been obtained. 1t is
matter of notorety that senatorial inves-
tigatng commission, aided, in its legal in
auistion, by Senator Roscoe Conklin is now
pushing the question in the added direction
of punishiug those of the aldermen of the
city of New York who took part in the dis
position of the Broadway franchise. One OF
the aldermen is already prisoner in Jail.
Now if the valuable public property, fran
chises &c, can be taken back again in the
State of New York from corporations who
hold them through any wrongful means, the
same should be possible in the State of Del.
aware. Restitution is possible New York,
restitution should be equally available for
!, the citizens of Wilmington.
Reference is made to the following cast
. whereby under a most shameful piece Of
bargaining, an extremely valuable franchise
n was made over to the p. w. & b. r, r., anC
? property alenated the advantages of which
II that Road now enjoys. This was accom-
1 plished by the municipality Of Wilmington
sixteen years or SO ago AT that time
in m lvement was made among the citizens 70
It the widening of Water street, along whicl
Or the track of the P.W. & B. r. r., ran, as
d does now. Il was claimed, and justl
enough that the narrowness of the road an,
es its almost complete absorption by the rail
III road for its uses 1ncumbered and discommo
t ed public traffic and passage The piovemen
resulted in the passing Of an enactment a
Dover for the relief of citizens of Whining
MS ton by which some sixty or eighty feet wer
an added to the width Of Water street inclu
he ding that portion occupied by the P. w.
no B.R. r. This was considered great relief b
r the citizens and there was general cOngatu
a. lation over the passage Of the enactment.
ed Extensive and valuable city and prva
Ia property amounting to $lG5 600 was col
20 demned for this purpose. Aud the road WI
~ opened What then was the GO oIstcrnatiu
lis of the public ON hearing almost simulta'
ew eously with the passage of this enactmel
ia' the announcement that City Council ha
:, handed over the new eight ty or sixty fe