Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-23
THE HYGEIA'ST TAXES.
PRIVATE PROPERTY AT OLD POINT
ASSESSED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
The State onoers Think There is No
Doubt that They Can Collect the Rsvs-
nues~The Matter New In Court.

The order Of the Secretary OF Wa d.
recting citizens who have erected houses
on the government reservation at Fort
Monroe to tear down and emo the same
unless they comply with certain condi-
tions has directed attention to another i'm
portaut question which is pending in con-
nection with private property on the res
eryation.
The Commonwealth has never collected
from property-owners at Old Point q cent
of tax, State or county. The question ~
asked, II not. why not2 Echo answers.
Why not ? although there seems no doubt
tnat tue property is clearly liable 10 TAXA
ton.
The subject has been before the Legis-
lature on several occasions but as lar IS
could be learned no practical steps were
taken looking to the enforcement OF the
state rights in the premises. and 1t was
gradually allowed to lapse into O condl-
ton or Innocuous desuetude.
WHAT TIE GOVERNORS PURCHASE LED TO.
Some time ago, however, Governor Nc
Kinney was at Old Point and happening
to drop into q store just outside OF the
reservation to make a trifing purchase, the
proprietor complained that he could not
compete with the shop-keepers on the
reservation as he paid taxes and they did
not. This was the first intimation the
Governor bad Of the conditions existing
and it struck him as rather singular that
such an inequality should obtain.
On his return to Richmond be referred
the matter to Acknowledgement Scott.
who Immediately went to work to get TO
the bottom Of the law on the subject. and
Mr.. X. Carter Scott made a report to the
Executive covering the case.
LANGUAGE OF TIE LAW.
The Joint resolution of Congress. passed
in 1868. permitting the enlargement of the
Hygeia Hotel by Henry Clark, contains
tho following language: And provided
further. that the building soto be enlarged
shall be subject TO taxation under State
and national authority the same as other
property"
The Joint resolution Of the same body.
approved March 3, 1881, permitting John
r. Chamberlain to erect q hotel on the re-
seryation. comedies similar privileges OF
State and national taxation, and IN the act
of the Virginia General Assembly, approved
March 30, 1887. giving the States consent
TO the erection of the chamberlain Hotel,
occur these provisos But the said build
ing. property. and business connected
herewith or transacted therein shall be
liable TO the same taxes as any other
property or licensed business IN the
Commonwealth of Virginia. And this con-
sent is granted upon the further condition
that oil taxes and assessments upon said
property in favor of the Commonwealth of
Virginia are to be paid IN currency and not
in coupons"
Acting upon this and other satisfactory
evidence, the State officers proceeded to
press the matter of collecting a revenue
from the private property on the reserys-
ton. Ono of the first steps taken was the
assessment by Mr.. V. p. Holt. commission
er OF tho revenue for Elizabeth City
county. Of the Hygeia-Hotel property.
The assessment was made for taxation for
State. county, and school purposes from
the year 1876 to the present year inclusive,
and amounted to S25,5 70.
INJUNCTION APPLIED FOR.
After this was done the understanding
at the Auditors Office was that no oblec-
ton would be made TO the assessment for
1892, and that the right of the State to tax
was admitted. Some question arose, how
ever, regarding the amount of back taxes
and the Acknowledgement and counsel for
the Hygeia-H Hotel Company failing to settle
it, the ompany fled o bill IN the Circuit
Court of this city praying that Auditor
Marye, Segar Whiting treasurer OF Ellza-
beth City county, and Jesse 8. Jones,
deputy treasurer of the same county. be
restrained and enjoined from levying upon
the property OF the company TO satisfy the
claim for the taxes. Judge Gunther award
ed an injunction, and the case m NJ
before Judge Wexford at the next term OF
the ~latter's court, which commences on the
18th of October.
WHAT THE ORATORS REPRESENT.
In their bill the orators represent that
their property has never been subjected tC
taxation, either by state or national au
thority, and that they were 80 advised al
tho time they purchased it; also. thai
neither Henry Clark, Samuel Shoemaker
or Harrison Phebus, previous respective
owners of the property, were citizens ol
the State of Virginia. .
Neither the Attorney-General nor Audi
tor Marye entertalns the slightest doubt
that all private property on the reserva
ton Is subject 70 taxation. nor does eithel
doubt that the taxes can be collected. Ii
the nature of things, however, the amount
of annual revenue the State Will derive
from this property will not be very great
az she cannot tax the land.