The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-11

'''A AZ oooH couuCy OF corporation,
then in the nearest newspaper, for four
successive weeks
Said act then provides that IF, after
the service of such copy or the compile
tion OF the printed notice, the person in
whose name the real estate was listed
when sold to the commonwealth, or the
person who had the right to redeem it
before it was sold, does not appear with
in thirty days and redeem such real es-
tate then the act proceeds to set forth
how the person making the application
may obtain from the clerk deed for such
real estate, and after such deed i. made.
the purchaser becomes vesced with the
title TO such real estate in accordance
with section 661 of the code of Virginia.
1887.
Your honor will see that the act afore-
said gives, both to the State and to the
city of Roanoke II summary remedy for
the collection of the delinquent taxes for
which the real estate in said city has
been sold and bought in behalf of tn.
commonwealth. And while said act may
and no doubt is very salutary IN aiding
the collection of revenue, the great mass
OF the people Of the city of Roanoke,
being una ware of the enactment of this
law, we're not appraised thereof until ap-
plicaticps to very considerable number
las your orator is informed, more than
one thousand) had been filed with the
clerk of the hastings court for the city
of Roanoke to buy the real estate, OF a
large quantity of the real estate, in the
CITY OF Roanoke, which had been re-
turned delinquent and sold for taxes.
AS your orator has above stated. the
people OF the city OF Roanoke being un.
aware of the enactment of said law de-
llvered the last few weeks, are now
crowding the office of the clerk o. the
musings court in an effort to ascertain
whether the real estate owned by them
Is delinquent, either in their name or in
the name Of any person thre ugh whom
the title which they hold may have passed.
and the office of said clerk is so crowded
with parties examining tn see whether
the title to their real estate is affected bv
said act that IL is an impossibility for
persons to intelligently and accurately
ascertain whether or not their property
may not be taken for taxes assessed
against it when they stand at the very
door of the clerk S office ready to pay any
taxes standing against their property.
Your orator tnrther shows, as set forth
ahpvp thnt n mn nI,ar 81 l.
where lands have been returned delin-
quent and sold for taxes when the tsyes
have been paid, and that for such oror-
erty applications have been filed under
the Acts OF Assembly above mentioned
And If said real estate be sold 20 the an
plicants therefor, serious Inconvenience
might occur, both to the pl operty owners
and to the city of Roanoke, as the proper.
ty owner might have cloud upon his
title and the city of Roanoke might by
this procedure endeavor to collect the
taxes twice upon the real estate afore-
said, which 1t has no authority to do
Under the present conditions, and if
the clerk of the hustings court is allowed
- $3.50 ~ %iA'' 'So uPoi CHC apDilCuUlOnS
hied IN his alice, or to act upon the APP
plications already lied in his Office. and
If the sergeant OF the city of Roanoke is
allowed to proceed with the execution of
the notices under the Act of Assembly
aforesaid, the city OF Roanoke may be
put in position of proceeding to the col
lection of these taxes twice; and there
fore your orator is advised tina: a court
of equity should interfere and enjoin the
clerk of the hustings court from
receiving any further applications for
the purchase of lands which have
been sold for taxes, or from pro
ceeding upon the applications which have
already been hled in said office, and the
sergeant of the city Of Roanoke should
be restrained from serving any copies of
said notices from the date of the filing of
this bill. and so an opportunity may be-
offered to your orator and such persons
owning rial estate in the city of Roanoke
to examine the records in the office of
the clerk of the hastings court and MS.
certain whether their property is charged
as delinquent, and il so to show whether
or not the taxes fol which said property
has been sold bave been paid.
Your orator does not desire to attack
the statute enacted by the general as.
sembly as aforesaid, nor does it desire to
interfere personally with the operation
thereof; but your orator being very
largely interested In the collection of