The state chronicle., 1893-02-09

~ bRAatiou AuC SAtlc nbA ~ 20 ,
behind that date in the collection Of
back taxes, but should begin a. this
point. The governor, the state treas-
urer and the railroad commissioners all
favor the proposition as contained in the
bill of Mr.. Spruill. and il is therefore un-
necessary for me TO argue the matter be-
fore this committee. nave no conceal
ments in this matter from the people of
North Carolina At this point Col.
Hinsdsle asked Governor Jarvis If he had
not visited Wilmington last week at the
instance of Mr.. Elliott, the president,
and had a consultation with Mr.. Elliott
about this very matter. Governor jar
vis answer that he did 60 To Wilmington
last week al the instance of Mr.. Elliott
and spent the night with that
gentleman. He also admitted that he had
other meetings with the lint committee
ot the legislature, Governor Carr, Treas
urer Tate, and with the railroad COM
nissioners when no other party to this
controversy was present, and he had so
stated at the outset of his remarks. Whist
We desire ana need is peace between the
state and the corporations and col tlierce
between the people. In the interest of
The development of our resources. the /
.t.te cannot aft >rd to deal with this cor
poration in such manner as will destroy 4
confidence and drive money out of the /
state. The governor stated 81. 800 600 /
had been expended by this company IN
building branch roads in the eastern !
portion of the state. which WAS more /
Than twice the amount that the stock
holders had received in dividends. The
speaker was fully posted aud made one
IF his clear AMI lucid arguments which
are SO well known to the people.
Col Hinsdale asked Governor Jarvis
what amount of back taxes is due the
state.
The governor replied that the amount
was $50, ,4S3. &c, and that he had obtained
his figures from the railroad commission
Mr. Thomas w. Strange, representing
the city of Wilmiu gton, next spoke.
| He said that if there was only 500
4S3 76, why does not this company pay
| hat amount and settle this matterl With
The banks of Wilmington, Hon. George
Davis and ex Governor Jarvis as their
counsel, their cause indeed must be
ak. He said to day was the first time
that he and his associates had seen the
bill of Mr. Spruill, while there had been
secret conclaves IN which other geltle
men had been admitted, but not any of
the representatives, of the city of Will
mington There is 81, $50 600 now due
tie state, the counties and tie towns In
back taxes by this company. The de
cision of Ried against this company as
decided by the Supreme court of the
United Statas decides that all property
acquired by this company not necessary
for its legitimate wants is taxable. This
was affirmed by our State Supreme court
in 1887 and in 1891 this company listed
for the first time certain property for
tax ition. This )mpany knew from the
date of the decision of Reed against
the Wilmington and Weldon com
pany that they ought To lis,
aud pay upon certain property. and Their
failure to pay these taxes for all these
back years is fraud upon the state, and
this committee will not recommend tina,
fraud he perpetrated upon the state,
counties and towns by reporting this bil
favorsbly. Two million five hundred
thousand dollar in stock, owned toy this
: | company, has been taken from this stat,
> ana put in construction company or
ganized under the laws Of the state O
Connecticut and not one dollar Of TIN
property is now in North Carolina or wa
: listed for taxation last year, although
: was listed in 1891. 1t would be total
: unjust to the county Of New Hanov,
and the city Of Wilmington for the propo
:, -ition to be accepted In its present shape
= Col. Hinsdale representing the city {
- Wilmington spoke. He said that Gov
= ernor jarvis did not appear here AS dis
~ Il "a as .
the state, and that the facts as stated b
:. - him shows that he is representing III
,o Wilmington and Weldon railroa
- - company. Here Messrs. Little an
Spruill, chairman of the senate al
~ house committees. resented ii
=. imputation that the committee h
- had secret meetings at which Go
- Jarvis was present with the ralros
=. commission. G bvernor Carr and Sta
=, Treasurer Tate. and the representative
~ ~ of the civ of Wilmington were n
49, yrssent Il was admitted by Mess
=, SpruiIl and Little that Gov. JARVIS b.
~, appeared before the committee at 1
a. invitation Of the committee and ga
~ his views in favor of the pr
position of compromise as sustain
in the bill of Mr. Spruiil and that
u" these conferences had been held in I
governors office. Mr. Sprull said I
- designation of those meetings 10y n
Strange as ''secret conclaves" W
',s gratuitous and nnkind; that the Ct
40 committee had no authority to bind !
IS full committee.
a Messcs. Hinsdale and Strange p
-. tested that they intended no refiectl
on Messrs Little and Sprulll.
President Elliott closed the disc
:" sion He is forcible aud earn
IN, speaker He replied to Messrs Ilinsd
~ and Strange aud explained wher
many OF their statements were misle
"a ing He said 50 per cent. of the b.
o.; ness men Of the city Of VI
mington favored the acceptance
10. the proposition He said
5 stock spoken about had b
'r sold 10 the Connecticut company. L
- the threat that the Petersburg cha
- would not be renewed would have no
feet. That if the seven miles Of r
from Weldon TO the Virginia line
S;S torn up the passengers and freight wc
still q north and south. That he
~. sired 10 settle this matter now and
80 ever. He wanted peace with
g. people OF the state and
- had tried to act bonorably '
'aDn a,o The state Throughout this whole ma
- TIE character Of Mr.. Eliott's sp'
a. can be judged by the remark mad
-; him after he had concluded that II
~ not at all necessary that he should
had Governor Jarvis present.
~ Here the discussion closed. The
-. committee will h)ld an executive ses
- tomorrow and make up their deci:
There is wide ference of opinion
right "ha' '''' -'-
for
hun N'"
n aid SALISBURY, Feb. = Special -
they Carolina Watchman, the organ of
III sc alliance Of Rowan and other cour
the was sod yesterday. John II. McKi