The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-28

Effort to Collect Faxes for Certain
Railway Rolling Ssoek-Treasurer's
Statement as 60 the state Debt-state
Crop Report
Messenger Bureau.

Raleigh, n. c., July %.
| Before the corporation commission
today there was long argument on the
question Of back taxes claimed as due
from the Mercantile Trust and Deposit
Company, of Baltimore. owner Of roll
ing stock on the Seaboard Air Line,
| which, it is claimed, is worth 81, 400. 900,
and which was not listed unit last year
and then only at, 1926, O00- John w.
Hinsdale appeared as counsel for Gov
ernor Russell. He contended that the
commission should not take the valu-
alton OF this rolling stock. As made by
the Seaboard Air Line. which has Civ
en- the Mercantile Trust and Deposit
Company a mortgage therefor; and fur
Their, that much of the property is new,
having been purchased in 1897. He fur
ther argued that it was the duty of the
commission to collect back taxes on the
rolling stock owned by the Seaboard
and Roanoke railway and operated on
it's Roanoke and Tar River branch.
saying that it had never returned ii for
\ taxation. The third cas argued was
against the Southern railway for back
taxes for a number of years on rolling
stock on the Piedmont and North Car
DINA railways, on which Hinsdale as
serted taxes Should be paid on the ba-
sis of a $50, 600 valuation on the Pied
non and $3.50, 900 on the North Carolina
railway from 1894 to 1899, both inclus-
sive.. John d. Shaw appeared for the
Seabnard Air Line and F. H. Bushes
for the Southern.
The state auditor says that 50 far
there is no increase in the number OF
pension applications as compared with
asst year.
As yet work has not begun on the hos
pital building and dormitory at the
soldiers home here.
Today'S state crop bulletin says the
rains were local and were again very
irregular1y distributed. In the eastern
district sufficient rain has: generally
fallen except over portions Of a few
northern counties; along the coast from
Hatteras to Wilmington a large mount
occurred. In the central district
drought continues over all or portions
of the following counties: Richmond,
Scotland, Randolph, Orange, Arson,
Davidson. Montgomery, Stanley, I'm
ion and Guilford. In the western dis
trict the drought is severe in portions
of Polk, Henderson, Cabarrus, Ca
tawba, Buncombe, Rutherford, Iredell
and especially Mecklenburg. The
drought in Mecklenburg has not been
equafed since 1915 or 1881 Over the
counties suffering from drought crops
continue to deteriorate;s gardens are
nearly ruined, upland corn fired and
practically ruined, and cotton is be-
ginning to droop; some shedding of
young bolls was reported in Arson
county. In the droughty districts cot
ton is blooming to the top before il
has formed sufficient weed. Lowland
crops, however, continue good. In the
remainder of the state the week wa.
favorable; crop conditions have i'm
proved and the outlook is promising.
Corn is maturing rapidly; late planted
is doing well.
j. L. Ramsey, late secretary to the
board OF agriculture, was on the wit
ness stand today before the legislative
committee, which began it's investiga-
ton of the agricultural department and
the penitentiary.
State Treasurer Worth saws the state
debts at this date is s6,441, TO. and the
states investments are worth S. 64, SO.
The debt is: OF 4 per cents. s 3.37O. $50:
6 per cents, 81. To 600; non-interest-
bearing old bonds, convertible into 4
per cents, $240, 920; penitentiary 4 per
cents, $110, 900. He says the real and
personal property in the state is assess
ed at 1865, S67 1913, which is not more
than two-thirds its real value. The
state collects Il per cent. on this valua-
trOn. Last years taxes were 81. 337 552
and disbursements 81, 254, 592. The entire
actual state debt is less than 81. POO. 900.