The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-06-08
RAILROADS KICKING,
HEY CLAIM THAT THEY ARE A.
SeSEO TOO HIGH.

- i A>@iHoaus-A Protest Entered by
4 Judae Cothran.
y COLUMBIA, S. c., June 1.-The state
9 Board Of Equalization met this morn
q ing to hear the railroads in complaint
q against the assessment of their proper
ty by the ,ard.
I The Richmond & DanVille was repre-
sented by Judge j. S. Cothran, the
f South Carolina by Mr.. j. w. BarnwelI
and the Atlantic Coast Line by Mr.. j .
II. Barron.
Mr. Iiarron appealed to the reason of
the board, in its construction of the
constitution, by which it claims to be
GUIDED, when 1t says property shall be
assessed according to its actual value"
ana pointed out TO it that the clause
above referred to continues, sa, ing.
AS the same shall be assessed for tax
ation.' lie called attention to the
changed condition Of the Coast Line
oy virtue OF the Wilson Short cut, and
put IN new evidence in the case of the
CheraW ~ Salisbury road from that of
last year, showing that it had been
purchased by them at $4,000 per mile.
when 1t IS assessed at $1,000. He an
pealed in behalf Of his roads. but the
Richmond ~ Danville and South Caro-
INA roads evidenced that they were in
lighting hum0r, having despaired of
redress at the hands Of the Board.
| Arguments were also made by Judge
| Cothran and Mr.. Barnwell, and in ad-
dltlon, Judge Cothran presented the
following prutc% :
"COLUMBIA. $. e., Jrne |, 1898.
"Io the Ilonorauto Si,.u Board OF
Equalization:
"ln response to the Invitation OF 1ha
board the Richmond & Danville Rail
road Company appears before you
| touching the matter of the assessment
OF its property for taxation.
ut Is not my purpose to take up
your time with repetition of the ar
guments already thrice made, which
| nave apparently failed to produce the
SllghteSt elect upon your conclusions.
Il remember when called before you
Il year ago, that the Attorney General
stated that the board felt bound, in
view Oh the litigation then pending, to
stand 10y the assessment already made.
THAT state OF things continues and
Tue question at issue is pending now,
as then, and Is still undecided. Al,
though the trial apparently stands still.
events move on, and conspicuous
among these is the depressed condition
OF this important and valuable enter
prise. With discriminating and excess
SiVe assessments Of its property for
taxation, as the upper milestone, and
reduced rates Of freight, as the neither
milestone, it Is only question Of time.
ana short time, when the point will
be reached that will grind these valua-
ole interests to powder. The insolven-
cy or the company, as atteSted by the
| TACT OF the receivership on the 5th of
June last, shows to every one save.
perhaps, this board alone, that the
point indicated has been in fact al.
ready reached.
"Respecttul petitions, supported bv
the most convincing statements Of facts
ahd figures, If not received with indif-
lerencce, have certainly been unneeded,
Solemn and official admission has
been made by the highest official officer
IN the State of the fact that the ASSESS
ments for taxation of railroad property
IS excessive in valuation in com parison
win other property. See his report to
high functiOnary himself is a member
OF this board, and the Comptroller Gen
eral the chairman of 1t, gave assurance
tnat the Legislature would be request
ed TO bring up all property for taxation
TO the standard OF valuation fixed by
this board upon the property Of the
railroads. 1t Is just to say of him
That the effort was made but the bill
proposed met with no favor In either
v.
no eilort to secure its passage has been
renewed. 1t is indeed of rare occurr-
ence In the administration Of either
public or private affairs that an act Of
admitted injustice Is persisted In by
those who perpetrate it.
"A course Of expensive litigation has
been entered upon which the State
ought not in wisdom to desire, and
which the railroads of all others are
InI - n A
proposition for the arbitrament of
these differences has been made by the
latter, which was met on the part of
the former with scOrn and derision.
81 believe there Is principle running
like golden thread through the warn
and woof Of the equity Jurisprudence of
THIS country. as administered in both the
state and Federal courts, which forbids
TN" destruction of lawful and valuable
industries by tho imposition Of unjust
burdens and exactions. A principle
which will insure to all enterprises, and
especially to those which owe dutits to
the public. when skillfully and econom-
ically administered the right to earn g.
reasonable increment for their owners
rs well as the means of rendering to the
public the full, efficient and valuable
ser' ice required of them by their char.
ter5.
ana now deSpairing Of obtaining
anything In the shape Of relief by state.
'nents, by arguments, by petitions or
appeal shall certainly advise those
whom represent to invoke the aid of
that equitable principle already referred
10, and shall only ask leave of this
board to file this protest against what |
conceive TO be an unWarranted, uncon-
illegal and ruinous invasion
of the rights of property.
81. S. CoTTRAN,
Attorney for the r. & d. II. r. Co."
Dr. Bates, speaking for the Board, as
chairman, in the absence of the Comp
troller, says he thinks the protest Is un-
Just to the Comptroller and unfair in
its tone to the board
Desperate Killed.
ALLENDALE, S. c., May 30.-About