Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-05-24
CORPORATION TAXES
REPORTED UPON BY TIE CITY SOLICITOR
LAST NIGHT.
The Natter Goes 10 the Committee on Ordinances
A Contract for Part Of the Wbarf-Wsighers
Elsc!ed-0thsr Business in Council.

The following communication upon
an important matter was submitted to
Council last night by the City Solicitor,
and was read In the Second Branch:
'At the last meeting Of the Council
the following resolution was passed:
"Resolued, That the City Solicitor be
and he is hereby instructed to report to
Council, at its next meeting, whether
there are any portions in the franchise
granted to the Telegraph or Telephone
COMPANIES, by the State, which will
prohibit the City of Wheeling from
making a proper and just levy on the
property of such companies for NUM-
cipal taxation?
1T has not been within my power to
find copy Of the charter OF either
of the Telegraph companies
doing business within the City Of
Wheeling. They are, so far as | am in
formed foreign and not domestic corpor-
ations.
II find city ordinance authorizing
the Postal Telegraph Company to main
tain wires, etc., within the city limits,
but l have been unable to find any or
dinance with reference to the Western
Union Company.
THE first legislation passed by the
Legislature OF this State. upon the SUBJ
iect OF taxing Telegraph Companies, is
the act of 1882, Chap. IS. That Act
provides for the manner of taxing for
eign Telegraph Companies for State
purposes, and for State purposes alone.
That Act is now In force in this State.
There is nothing contained In it, which
either forbids or provides for taxation
for municipal purposes.
81 therefore, in reply to the resolu-
ton quoted, have TO say that l have
been unable to find any provision OF
the legislation of this State which for
bids or prohibits the city from assess
ing and collecting from Telegraph Com
panies just and proper tax for munic-
ipal purposes, based, of course. upon
the principle Of equality and uniform
ity.
81 am informed by the manager OF
the Telephone Company that that Com
pany does not claim exemption from
taxation within the city, and | can find
no law or ordinance which forbids an
assessment OF q proper municipal tax
upon it "
The paper went to the Committee on
Ordinances with instructions to pre-
pare an ordinance.
LICENSE MATTERS.
The Committee on Petitions and Re-
monstrances transmitted the applica-
tions of G.. T.. Wharton, at No. 1047
Market street, and Of Louis Bachilli, at
No. 927 Market street, for liquor
licenses. The licenses were granted In
the Second Branch, where an attempt
to get up an opposition TO Bachillfs ap'
ulication failed to work, one or two mem-
bers saying they were in favor OF
any and every one who applied. -Four
new applications for licenses, to-wit,
Adam Smith, No. 1914 Fourteenth street;
Emil Schmidt, No. 1881 Market street;
Hughes g. 0'Mally, No. 2241 Market
street; D. c. Kettler, No. 1921 Jacob
street, went to Petitions and Remon-
strances. In the First Branch the Ba.
chilli application was referred back to
the Committee for investigation, but
later it was considered and the license
granted.
An effort was made to give MIR.
Kettler until June 1st, he having been
favorably reported upon at the first
session Of the Committee on Petitions
and "Reminiscences, but being pre-
vented by illness from applying for his
license within the prescribed time. II
was found this could not be done, under
the ordinance, and the application again
goes to the Committee.