The state chronicle., 1892-12-18
THERAILROAD COMMISSION.

The law providing Tor railroad
Commission for this state was passed
by the General Assembly of 1922.
The commission is composed of three
commissioners, and the gentlemen
elected by said General Assembly to
this office are, J. w. Wilson, I. W.
Mason and E. C. Beddingfeld. These
gentlemen have not yet been in office
two years, and brief review of some
Of their work may be of interest.
When the commission was establish
ed the corporations of the state were
assessed for taxation at $l2,32l,7 200,
but a revision of the assessment war
wanted the commission in increasing
the amount by S7,820,000, making the
sum now assessed for taxation, $780,
14l. 100, which increased the revenue
as follows:
State taxes, 9,550.l4; pension
taxes, $2,346.01; school taxes, SILL
73O.O8; counties and towns, $44,-
574.32, showing an increase in the
total tax of 78,2O).56.
Before the commission was estab
lished Pullman cars had never been
assessed for taxation, but they are now
taxed on a valuation of $4,000, and
steamboats,, heretofore not taxed, are
now taxed on valuation of $290,000.
While the work Of the commission in
the direction indicated shows an in
crease in the assessed value of certain
property, and, consequently, a cor
responding increase in revenue, it
should be noted in this connection that
the reduction in passenger rates alone
will amount to 100000 per annum,
in freight rates to $250,000 per an
mum, while telegraphic rates have
been reduced nearly 80 per cent. 1t
is understood that nearly $50 COM
plants have been made to the COM
mission for overcharges and various
grievances, but that these have gen
orally been amicably and satisfactorily
adjusted, and in addition many orders
have been made pertaining to the con.
venience of the public, such as causing
depots to be erected, trains to make
connection, ears 10 be kept comfort.
able, &c.
An effort has been made at diffe -ent
and many times for the past ten or
fifteen years to compel the Whining.
ton and Weldon railroad company tc
pay taxes, but it has never been reached
and for number of years the compa-
ny has enjoyed immunity from taxation
claiming exemption under its charter
The commission, after a thorough in
vestigation and examination, came tt
the conclusion that the exemption
clause in the charter did not extend tt
the branch lines, a different view
from any ever taken before, an,
placed the main line from.veley Insti-
" oefore ma. az NV ackpr halifax tt
for M "a, ..nf the whir branch lines OF
We tax list.
Our Supreme court sustains tn
! view of the commission. The decisio
Of the Supreme court Of the Unite
q States has been rendered affirming th
J, decision of our Supreme court, in tt
e case against the Wilmington and We
! don abroad, in which the action of Il
Railroad Commission in assessing tt
! branch roads of the Wilmington al
!. Weldon railroad company has been g
g frmed.
4 This decision carries with it abo
u 800 miles Of branch roads, and if Il
: main line should come in it will ma
= 465 miles of road, at least 100000
he Of taxable property, or taxes to
m. amount of $40,000.O0 annually.
il In all these matters, the corporate
Sc, which have been represented beft
ch the commission have only manifest
Fl the desire to stand upon their le
rights only, and the investigate
LIE have been conducted on both 81
ca with the sole aim of finding the ri
ks and then doing it.