The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-04-09

| ing interests of the State is concerned, Is
possibly the most important measure
passed by that body, the following sum-
mary to it, will be of interest to the tax
payers of this county: All interests,
shares, or proportions of vessels owned
by residents of this State, in all vessels,
whether in or out of the State, shall be
assessed to the owners in the county or
| CITY where they reside. The real estate
| of all corporations shall be subject 10
| taxation. All money, the proceeds OF
the sale of stock, bonds or other property
disposed of for the purpose of evading
| taxation; all shares OF stock, other than
| steam railroads; all bonds issued by any
| State or District of Columbia, Or by any
! corporation, all investments in private
securities of every kind; real property :;
| the personal property Of corporations not
| having shares of capital stock, or having
shares OF capital stock wholly or in part
exempted from taxation; all certificates
| of Indebtedness or evidences of debt OF
any S5ate,. Territory, county or public
| corporation shall be assessed and taxed
| The real and personal property OF every
steam railroad shall be taxed for county
| and municipal purposes, as the property
OF individuals is taxed, provided that
| bridges of railroads ard turnp!kes shall
| be assessed at the same rate that an
equal portion of auV other part of the
road is taxed. Section $50 OF article 81
| of the code, relating to tunnels, is ex
pressly repealed, and tunnels are made
| taxable at their real value. National
bank stock and stock of other corpora
lions is to be valued by the assessors at
the valuation put upon them by the tax
com missoners il 1892 and copy of the
assessment of stocks is to be sent TO
assessors by the tax commissioners.
Mortgage bonds of corporations are
taxed, the corporations issuing them TO
pay the tax according to section 81,
article 81, OF the code.
PROPERTY EXEMPTED.
Property exempted from taxation is as
follows: United States bonds, property
belonging to the United States, the
State, or any county, or incorporated
city or town; buildings used exclusively
for public worship, parsonages, grave
yards, cemeteries, which are not used
for profit; church or family burying
grounds; crop or produce, in hands of
producer, or his agents; provisions and
fuel kept on hand by families; tools, OF
mechanics; wearing apparel, except
watches, diamonds or other costly
jewelIy, not habitually worn on the
person; fish, in the hands of the fisherman
or his agents; buildings, equipment and
furniture, of hospitals, asylums. cbarit
able or benevolent institutions, ard
ground appurtenant; incorporated schools,
property of corporations having shares,
which are alone subject to taxation;
shares of corporations exempted by ire
pealable contract; shares Of stock of
companies subject to gross receipts tax;
book accounts; bills receivable or other
evidence of debt owned by merchants
whose average stock IN trade is taxed,
such portion of shares of homestead or
building associations as may be represen-
ted by mortgage on property within the
State when the mortgaged is subject to
taxation; mortgages on property within
the State and mortgage debts secured
thereby, except mortgage bonds OF
corporation. The officers OF corporations
shall furnish county commissioners or
the Appeal Tax court a statement OF
real property owned for valuation, and
certificates of such valuation are fur
nshed aud used as at present i'll d
reduction VI luIS dulOuuJ iIUIu JIG
assessed value of the shares of the cor
poratiop.
GROSS RECEIPTS TAX.
Telegraph, cable, telephone, electric
light, electric construction, gas, parlOT
car oil pipe lines, express or trausporta
ton companies by land or water, title
insurance, safe deposit, trust, guarantee
and fidelity companies are subject to a
State tax upon gross receipts, as rail
roads are, the shares of stock to be sub
ject to county and municipal taxation.
The gross receipts tax, which is desig
mated franchise tax, is as follows:
Eight-tenths of per cent. on the first
81 900 per mile Of gross earnings or on
total earnings if less than 81 600 per
mile up to 50, 900, and 2 per cent. on ali
earnings above s., 900 per mile. The
franchise tax on the gross receipts OF
telegraph or cable, express or transpor-
tation, telephone, parlor car, sleeping
car, safe deposit, trust, guarantee and
fidelity companies is per cent. On oil
pipe lines and title insurance companies
/ per cent One half OF l par cent. on
electric light, electric construction and
gas companies. Where railroad, pipe
line, telegraph, telephone, sleeping car
or transportation lire is partly out of the
State the tax is to be upon such pro
portion of the entire earning as the
mileage in the State bears to that with
out the State.
ASSESSMENT MACHINERY.
The State is divided into assessment
districts and the machinery is similar to
that employed in 1876 The assessors
l. nd racilantc or
least one year in the assessment district
from which they are appointed. Tie
per diem of assessors in the counties is
So so and in the city So. Each board of
control and review can appoint a clerk "a
SO, so a day, and In Baltimore two clerks.
The tax commissioner is to prepare
printed instructions aud forms for the
assessors, and also complete form of
schedule of all kinds of personal property
subject to taxation, to which he may
add such interrogatories as he may deem
proper for the purpose of securing full
disclosure OF all such property, which
forms are to be delivered to the propsr
officials for distribution to all the citizens
OF the State. Tao assessors are to
assemble at the court houses of tae
counties aud City Hall in Baltimore on
the first Tuesday in May, 1892, except
in Baltimore county. where tue boginn-
ing of work shall take place on the third
Tuesday in June. Boards of control and
aud review are to begin on the second
Tuesday in September.
The proper officer of corporations shall
on or Before July l, 1892, return to the
county commissioners or Appeal Tax
Court, under oath and penalties, list
A. hai hpIIipnc
The assessors are to deliver or send
by mail to each person in their districts
who shall own property a. least two days
before the assessors shall call a blank
schedule. These schedules must be
filled out and signed when the assessor
comes. Failure to receive a blank is no
excuse for not returning one. To know
ingly make false return is declared a
misdemeanor, punishable by a fine
| amounting to double the taxes sought
to be evaded.
In 1896 the listing by county com
| missioners and the Appeal Tax Court
will begin. Blanks are to be returned
on or before January 10, 1896, and the
same date each fourth year thereafter.
Failure to return blanks is punished by
fine of from $50 to $500. Stringent pro
vision is made for maintaining the
secrecy of the lists. Property is to be
| assessed at it's cash value. and the rolling
stock OF all railroads worked By steam,
except those exempted BY contract, are
| considered personal property taxable for
county and municipal purposes. Mort
gage bonds of corporations are to be
assessed according to the rate of interest
paid, those bearing per cent. at par,
| those per cent, so, and SO on. Those
paying no interest are not to be taxed At
all A large portion of the bill, which
covers thirty eight pages, is devoted to
details as to the methods of the assessors,
and rules regulating appeals and til c