The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-03-23
STATE SQUIBS.

mo prospect OF their great expansion by
new construction during the next two
years. IL the NUN ber Of charter granted
by the Legislature be any indication,
tho closing years OF the Nipeteeuth
century will ses az enormous advance
N the business of collecting, carrying
distributing. merchandise in this State
and the entire South. The Laws Of
North Caroliua for 1899 will show
fourteen new roads chartered aud the
charters Of az many more amended. A
majority OF the new roads are, to be
sure, short lines constructed with a
view to developing some particular sec.
ton or industry, but at least three will
complete great through lines, aud even
the shortest and most insignificant of
the proposed roads are to be built with
the end In view of ultimately being
made feeders OF some great railway sys-
tenn.
The tax on corporate franchises in
North Carolina has been very much dis.
cussed recently, aud there seems TO be
some doubt generally. as to the pro-
visions under the new revenue act. 1t
may be well to quote the brief state.
ment made by the State Auditor:
The property of railroad companies is
assessed by the railroad ommission at
so much per mile. 1t is supposed that
the value OF the franchise is considered
IN connection with the assessment. In
addition to- an ad valouem tax on
private business corporations, a gradu
ated FRANCHISE tax IS imposed accord
ing to the amount of capital stock. The
tax ON q capital Of S25, 900 or less is 81,
and ascends by a graduating scale to
500. on n cahIfaI stock of xt 0Ou n11
Banks arc not subject to the franchise
tax. Insurance companies are taxed Oh
the gross receipts. Upon them there
Is no specific franchise tax. The fran
chlsc tax Is ascertained and collected
by the sheriff or tax collector CT each
county IN which corporatiOns are locat-
cd, and paid to tine State Treasurer.
The total number of bills on tho
House calendar during the last ses
sion Of the Legisture was 2,O71, includ-
ing resolutions. The Senate calendar
had /, 500, making u grand total of bills
aud resolutions announced by the two
reading clerks Of both houses of 3,G10.
Allowing for the number of bills intro
duced i'll tho Senate as a basis and add
Ing the number introduced In tho
Senate that were tabled or reportrd un-
favorably the total number of different
bills on all subjects put into the new
law mill must have amounted to III the
| neighborhood Of 1900 bills. This av-
! erages about seventeen bills to each
| Senator and Represen tative Of the 170
In the two houses.
Mrs. Robert r. Gotten, of Raleigh, is
| making an effort to form State FEEDER
| alton composed of women in North
Carolina This will bring tho women
| of this State in touch with each other
| and with the women of other States,
| thereby securing the increased benefits
which comes from enlarged acquaint-
ance, exchange of thought. and unity
| OF action with definite aim. Ali organ
| iZations OF women, and oil women s
| departments Of mixed organizations
| (such as Daughters of Rebekah, Rath-
| bone Sisters. etc. are invited to JOIN III
| this movement, which is non-sectarian,
political and only designed for
mutual helpfulness.
| The new revenue law provides that
on each room or hall used as a theatre
or opera house where public exhibitions
are given for profit in Is city or town
| having more than 10000 inhabitants
the tax would he $500 per annum; less
than $1,000 Inhabitants and over 5, 600,
500. On less than 5000 population
aud not less than 2, 500, $50, while the
tax for town with less than 1000 in
| habitants is 22J. The license is to be
| given by the sheriff, and the taxes are
to be equally divided between the State
and county. Zach travelling theatre
company exhibiting In theatre that Is
not licensed shall pay tax Of $40.
| Mr.. Dwight Asheley, of the grea
silk manufacturing firm of Asheley &
Bailey, operating three silk mills, one
at Columbus, Pa. and one at Marietta
Pa, with offices and counting room IL
New York city, is IN Fayetteville ar
ranging for the erection of q silk mill
| One factory will be erected for the pres
ent, aud If it proves successful, o
which Mr.. Asheley says he is assured
all three plants, which employ 2,OOi
people, will be moved there. 1he frs
building erected will be three-story
brick one, 100 feet long and 40 fee
wide.
Among other counties named in th'
acts prohibiting public drunkenness
there arc Neck klenburg, Rutherford
CASTOR, Haywood aud Cleveland. II
these counties it is provided tina
drunkenness shall be punished as
misdemeanor, and not as n violation o
town ordinance, US formerly.
The Governor offers q reward of SEQ
for the unknown murderer of Macol
= Bryan, who was killed ut Vapceboro
Craven county, recently.
The old board of directors of tho AT
lantic & North Carolina Railroad hav
refused to surrender their offices to III
now board appointed by the board 9
internal Improvements. The Old boar
contends that their term of office d
: | not ex pire until next September, an
| In accordance with ths charter of til
road, the board of internal improve
ments has no power to remove them.
The name Of Jim Young togethe
with the names of the other tuslO
trustees of the new auditorium build
ing for the white blind. appointed b
the Legislature of 1897, has been chis
. | elcd from the cornerstone OF that inst
: tuition. The stone now bears the sin
x pie inscription: "lS45-1S9S.
0 Auditor Aver is engaged in reorgar
r izius the pension boards. Pfacticali
al of the present county boards wi
1 remain in Office. They are appointe
for life, or during good behavior.
The queerest act of the legislature
| the one making it O misdemeanor t
kill fox in Allegheny county for tw
| years. 1t is the first act of the kin
= ever passed in the State. Another az
for an eastern county forbids huntin
> save by permission of landowners, fo
hunters with not less than thre
hounds being excepted.
a An effort is being made to organize
"a company ut Hendersonville to exten
=. the street car line to Flat Rock. If tb
plan goes through the cars will no I'll
by dummy engines.
=" A good many papers in this Sta
and elsewhere haye stated that the la
Legislature enacted law abolishin
, the three days of grace allowed Q
- drafts. This is q mistake, such
v i nrauision was in tha law of naontiah