The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-04-30
Odr Bridges.
Does the Town Help to Build
Them 2

The agitation of the question
Of buildinga bridge in the city
of Clarksburg has caused a great
many questions to be asked, some
of whicn lead us to believe that
many are not informed on the
true status of taxation as applied
to the town and county. The
TELEGRAM has no desire to In.
1ure anybody or advocate any.
measurethe tendency Of which
is to iniure one section of the
county to build up another. or to
tax some OF our citizens unneces.
sarily for the advancement Of
private interests. There has
been great deal of misrepre-
sentation of the facts. For ex-
ample, it is held by some that
the town of Clarksburg does not
pay county and bridge tax-in
other words, that the county
alone pays for the building of
the various bridges not In the
corporation OF Clarksburg. This
is not the case. Nor will it be
true under the new charter we.
have heard SO much talk about.
The citizens of Clarksburg are
taxed for county purposes just
the same as the farmers in Elk
or Eagle district. There is some
thing like AZ bridges in Harrison
county many OF them splendid
structures. Seventeen of them
are built of iron and steel. and
upon the most improved modern
plans. A large number Of the 9th
ers are,covered wuodenb ridB as
In the construction Of each and.
every one of them citizens living
in the city of Claiksburg have
paid their full share. Many Of
these bridges have never been
seen by q very considerable num-
Der of the people of Clarksbarg.
yet we have heard no grumbling
or agonizing walls because they
were taxed to keep up the inter-
nal improvements Of their coun-
ty. Ofthe 40 bridges mentioned
there about seven are iu or near
Clarksburg, four Of which would
naturally be located here for the
convenience of the citizens of the
county, even though there were
no city where Clarksburg now
stands. 1.-THE new charter goes
into effect. the taxpayers in the
city will continue to be taxed for
county purposes just as has al
ways been the case.
In and around Clarksburg,
namely, in Coal and Clark dis-
tricts, the taxable property is as
sessed at $2,756,l12. All the
rest of the county is put down
at S., $40, O65. The assessed value
Of property in Clarksburg and
its immediate vicinity is easily
$10O, 600 more than the assessed
value Of our neighboring county
of Doddridge. Will our friends
in the country say that this is
not a great help toward paying
the taxes OF the county ?
If it were possible for Clarks-
burg to get q city charter that
would exempt the property with
in the corporation from taxation
for county purposes. it would
work great hardship upon the
people OF the county. The TELE-
GRAM would oppose any such
movement and takes thus occas.
ion to assure its readers that
there is no movement that has
any such purpose in view, and as
we have already said. the pro-
posed city charter in no way
affects the old condition, under
which Clarksburg pays her pro-
portionate share Of the tax Of the
county, and q very good share
we must admit it is.
The TELEGRAM has received
numerous inquiries as to just how
much tax is collected from the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
| f.cmnanv IN Harrison county.