The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-11
IN A BIG MIDDLE
THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE
ROANOKE is TODAY.
& SOUTHERN ALL RIGHT
The Recent Law Passed in Regard TO
the Re assessment OF Real Esinte-lt
Plays Havoc With the Streets and
Sewerage

An act to amend. and re-enact sec
tion 447, chapter %, of the Code of
1887, relating TO the manner in which
taxes for the year 1891, and every
fifth year thereafter, shall be eX-
tended.
l. Be it enacted by the General As
sembly of Virginia, That section four
hundred and forty-seven, of chapter
twentythree, OF the Code of eigh-
teen hundred and eighty seven, be
amended and re-enacted, so as to read
us follows Taxes for the year ciSh-
teen hundred and ninety-one, and
every fifth year thereafter, (belng the
next wear succeeding, the making
of assessments shall be extended upon
the basis of the assessments of real
estate made in accordance with the
provisions of this chapter.
2. This act chail be III force from its
passage. 49,.
AS the acts of assembly for 1So9-,9O
haze not yet been published, the
above law, approved February 4, 1890,
was only brought to the attention oil
the citizens of Roanoke yesterday by
a letter received by Commissioner
of the Revenue Turner, from Auditor
of Public Accounts Morton Marye,
giving him instructions in regard to
making up the annual report of his
office.
As will be seen ut Il glance, the pas
| 80 = H.; la
for the city of Roanoke, and it is
almost beyond comprehension why 1t
was allowed TO be done. As stated in
yesterdays TIMES, the taxable values
of the town have increased since 1850
almost 81 900, 900, and If the comnls-
soner's report is made oil from the
reassessment of 1855, the city will
lose a revenue of $4,000 or over,
clear money, and besides this,
| it knocks the street and sewerage
questions into q cooked hat, so TO
speak, for another year. The people
were to have been called upon TO vote
on the question ut an early day, and
they would doubtless have voted as Il
unit in favor of both, but under this
new order of things it will not be neces-
sary to hold an election as the city
can issue bonds, for if they are Issued
it will take all her revenues TO pay the
| interest, and. if this is done, then
where will the money come from 10
run the city government? This law
will not, probably, affect the bridge
or Roanoke and Southern questions,
to any degree whatever. y ZINES re-
porter called on j Allen Watts, esq,
city solicitor for Roanoke, last night
and bad Il conversation with hun III
regard to the matter.
Mr.. Watts said: Il have conferred
with Mr.. Trout. chairman Of the
finance committee Of the council iii
regard to the matter. All that the
city can DO is either 10 get Il special
session of the legislature called or
some one who will loan tie city
money on a promise that it Will pay
next year. 1t seems to me III IL matter
of such vital Importance so not only
this city but TO the people all over the
State who have invested here that
the governor might call a special SEES
sion of the legislature, but If he does
not it may be possible t. raise money
by the promise to pay at future
day. 1t is very difficult now to tell
what is bet to be done. The coun-
ell now knows the law and as it is
composed of business men who can
have the advice of the best men in
the city, they can form n better idea
of what course is best 10 be taken
than can. | have written to Mr..
Trout telling him that | would 20 to
Richmond, or do anything else in
my power, when they indicate what
| they wish done. This is only OF G
more example of the extreme inability
of our late legislature, which will 60
down in history as famous for its
blunders.
Il do not think this will have
any effect whatever upon the
Roanoke and Southern subscription
as there is no likelihood that any part
of that will be called for this year, a
considerable amount of their work
having to be done before the bonds
are delivered. AS to the bridges, per-
haps the Norfolk and Western Rail
road Company will put them up and
give the city year in which TO pay
| it's portion of the debt. The most
serious question is connected with
the streets and sewerage. We will
| nave IO ueJellui lOI tlltSc, tllC lHOoO III
portant matter perhaps of all. upon
either a special session or Il loan"
Colonel John +. Penn, attorney
for the Roanoke and Southern rail
road, was also seen by the reporter
and he says that if the city can't
issue bonds this year to make the
subscription to the road, it won't
affect the building of it in the slight
est degree. ''It is now the middle of
$780," said he, land be as expeditions
as we may the company won't be
entitled to the delivery of any OF the
bonds until the first part of 1891, and
upon these no interest will be due
until July of that year, which
time would be after the levy
of taxes for 1891 under that
reassessment, therefore it can't affect
the Roanoke and Southern in the
least. What do think of the passage
of such law? Well, think it an ILL
advised and iniudicious piece of legis-
lation as far as Roanoke is concerned.
We need all the taxable values we
have now in order to perfect our
streets and sewerage system, and the
effect of this bill will be loss to the
city of from between three to FIVE
million dollars in the taxable values
Of this year"
Hon. John w. Woods, member of