Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-01-17
TAXES AND REVENUE
BIZ to Assess All City Property That
Yields an Income.
HrG
Norfolk and Portsmouth pftted
Against Each Other-The bedford
Hish-schooI Controversy - The
Grange Camp Matter, SC.

last night TO consider the bill intro
duced in the Senate by Mr. Jones. and In
the House by Nh Cooke, to amend the
Code 80 as not TO exempt from taxation
real estate owned by city. but leased
out for profit by such corporation. The
enactment OF such law would have the
effect OF imposing O. tax OF nearly S,Vv
on the property of the Norfolk-county
ferry. and q delegation from that section
was. therefore. present, and vigorously
opposed it,.
There was not a quorum OF the Senate
committee, however, and after the argu-
nents In favor and in opposition 10 the
measure had been made. the joint COM
mittee adjourned without taking any ac-
tion.
Mr.. Cooke. as che patron OF the bill
in the House. iifst spoke in favor Of the
measure. He claimed that the .essees
of the ferry property in their lease cove
nanted TO pay all taxes accruing there
OF.
MIR. Cooke was followed By Mr. A.
=. Thorn. of Norfolk. who opposed the
measure in vigorous terms. He declared
that 20 allow Norfolk city 10 collect
taxes Upon this property would be VIZ
tualy TO break a contract made between
that city and Portsmouth and Norfolk
county.
AS WELL TAX STREETS.
Mr.. j. w. Happer. Commonwealth's At
torney of Portsmouth, made strong
argument in opposition to the Dill. tie
claimed that the ferry was public high-
way and. as such. the city OF Ports-
IL snr
uelled 10 maintain IL. He said that IL
the property was to be taxed. that tnen.
under the same law <very street In
Richmond. from which the city derived
revenue from granting street-car iran
chises or other rights, snould be taxed
bv the state OF Virginia. Ii would be
unfair for the Legislature. he said. 10
require them to maintain Terry, ana
then TAX them for maintaining II. Inc
county and city had leased the property
under an act of the Legislature. ana no.
thing had been said about taxation. 10
now pass an act requiring it to be taxed
would. he said, to say the least. be bad
faith on toe part of the Commonwealth
and would be a retrospective law. Mr..
T. Ii. Wilcox. of Norfo.N, and Com
monwealth s-Attorney X. G. Marshai, OF
Norfolk county. also opposed the mea-
sure.
Mr.. r. w. Shelton Commemorative
Attorney of Norfolk city. followed Cap
tain Marshall. and spoke In favor OF
the measure He claimed that the pro-
perty had never been exempt from taxa
ton. aud said that a reference 10 the
leases would prove the correctness OF
his statement. He said that he saw no
reason why Portsmouth and Norfolk
county should not pay taxes for pro-
pert located IN Norfolk city, just as
much as the man who owned S.CVo
house on some OF the back streets of
the city.
The committee rose without action.
The bedford Hish-schsol.
The Senate Committee on Public In
stitutions and Education held a meet
ing yesterday afternoon, at which
House bill to repeal the charter of the
Bedford City High School caused con-
siderable discussion among representa-
tves from that section who were pres
ent The discussion centred around a
substitute, prepared by Senator Lowry
and others. providing for submitting 10
the voters of Liberty and Bedford City
the question of building a high school.
to be located at the latter place. out Of
the 500 which they annually have left
in excess of their needs, and which
heretofore has been distributed among
the outlying districts. One OF the points
in dispute was whether the entire
district should be allowed to vote upon
the question. or only Bedford city and
Liberty. Mr. W. w. Berry. DR.. Bond,
Captain Hawkins, and Mr.. T. C. Jopling
were in favor of Mr.. Lowry's mea-
sure, while Captain Nnter and Dele
gates Turpin and Radford opposed 1t.
There was much feeling manifested In
the discussion, and more than once per-
sonalities were INDUCED in. Captain Min
ter asserted that the committee in
favor of the measure had been wired
down. and the committee opposed
had been wired away" and that II was
only by the merest accident that ne was
present Mr. Lowry stated that IL such
was the case he knew nothing OF II.
Mr.. Radford said that ne and Mr..
Turpin had wired The parties who favored
the repeal TO come, thinking that no
one st all was to appear before the COM
mittee.
The committee postponed the further
consideration OF the measure until next
Thursday.
Convicts for Seminary Work.
Ex-senator Hurt presented for the con-
sderation of the committee a bill to
allow the Superintendent OF the Peniten-
tiary, in his discretion, to furnish
number Of convicts not to exceed nifty.
to work upon the Union Theological
Seminary when their services were
not otherwise needed. the guards for
the prisoners to be furnished by the
State, at the expense OF those In charge
of the seminary. Major Lynn, who was
present. said he had no objection to al
lowing the convicts to perform such
work as they could, when they could be
put to no other use.
1t was decided to report the measure
favorably. which, of course. will be the
bill of the committee.
The question of eniarging the cell ac-
commodatlons Of the penitentiary was
not taken up at this session, as was ex-
pccted.
The Fish Commission Bill.
The Senate Committee OH Fish and
Game met yesterday morning. when
Mr.. LeCato presented for its considera-
tion- his substitute for the Norris bill.
the former measure creating a fish
commission of four members. instead of
a fish commissioner Colonel u. L. Fa-
rinholt Of Lancaster, addressed the
committee In regard to the oyster ques-
ton. He spoke OF the inefficiency Of the
present system. and the difficulty of col
lecting revenues under II. He said that
some special department was needed
for the management of the States in
terest In the oyster business.
Mr.. LeCato's bill was reported to the
Senate and ordered to be printed. and
will be considered at the meeting OF the
committee next Tuesday,
Two Alexandria Measures.
The Senate Committee on County.
City. and Town Organizations held
rather important session IN the afternoon
and decided to report favorahly a bill
to increase the tax on liquor-licenses in
Alexandria county from sloo to $50