Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-11-16
Important Blu mess Transacted by
City Fathers.
NEW COUNCILMAN APPOINTED.
Good Result Of the Enforcement Of Collection
Of Back Tax Bills Sergeant Ready
10 take Up Part Of Floating
Debt Various Matters
Discussed.


apdstransacted considerable business.
Mayor Henshaw was in the chair
and counciImen Porter. Staubly,
Cline. Westenhaver, EversoIe, Brown.
Heck, Kline and Lloyd were present
Councilman Porter nominated Mr..
G. g. Cutler. as junior member OF the
Council, to fill the vacancy IN the
Council caused by the death of the
late John W. Martin.
On the motion of Councilman Kline
Mr.. Cutler was elected by acelama-
tion.
y On motion of Councilman Kline II
was ordered that an order be drawn
for the payment of the bill of DIR.
New for S4O0 for analyzing the city
water.
Resolutions relating to the death
Of Councilman Martin were submit
ted by the committee appointed for
that purpose and. were adopted.
The Finance Committee submitted
u the following report, which wa
adopted:
To the Mayor and Council of the
Corporation of Martinsburg
The undersigned members of the
finance Committee beg leave to report
on the several matters referred to
them as follows
In regard to the application of Thos.
r. Bvers to have refunded TO him
81. 90 dog taxes for the years 1900 d
1901 we are satisfied from the sworn
statement of Mr.. Byers and other ev-
idence and investigation, that this
tax was enormously charged; and we
accordingly recommend that he be re-
ieved from it.
The several applicat ions ON the
part of the real estate in the CITY to
be elived from corporation taxes
thereon. IN arrears, have greatly per-
picked your Committee, as some OF
the applicants are worthy objects OF
charity. and personally the members
of the Committee would be pleased
to grant their requests. The question
is not, however, one of personal pref
erence, but of power and sound public
policy. The general law of the State
requires all property, real and per-
sonal, to be taxed in proportion to Its
value. and allows no exemptions ex-
cept of property held for educational.
literary, scientific and religious pur-
poses. The Charter of the Corpora
ton OF Martinsburg requires the taxes
levied to be on the same basis with
the same exemptions and an additional
exemption for encouragement of man.
ufactories in the town 1t is appar-
ent therefore that the Council will
exceed its legal powers to exempt any
other owners of real estate from the
payment of corporation taxes.
To make an exemption such as is
asked bv the applicants, it is appar-
emf is In effect to appropriate money
from the Treasury for the relief of the
poor. No auth GRITTY is conferred by
the Charter to raise money to be used
for such purposes. The provision for
this purpose is made by the County
from County funds, and it has Great
ed by law a set of officers to investi-
gate all applicants for relief, and to
see that the money thus appropriate
ed is distributed 20 worthy persons.
Your Committee has already call
ed attention to the hardshlps which
follow from the policy OF allowing
corporation taxes to accumulate.
One year can be paid. when the tax
C, debtor cannot pay several years in
Hump.
M Your Committee, however, does not
lfeel willing to recommend the relief
hsked, to exonerate persons from the
obligation to pay taxes. because they
keel themselves unable to pay. is not
only illegal, but imposes on the
council the duty of deciding who is
hnd who is not able--a duty both I'M
pleasant and impossible for satisfactory
performance.
The Sergeant reports that he has
collected of the levies charged to him
for years prior to 1901. up TO the lst
LAY of Novem Der, the sum of s., 251 53,
which is substantially one-half of the
balance charged to him and which the
council ordered that he pay IN by the
9Th day of October.
He further reports that he has.taken
hp all current orders to date and is
prepared to take NJ not less than 81,
20 of the interest bearing floating
BIT. We accordingly recommend
It he be directed to take up said
.ting debt as rapidly as practicable.
The Nuisance Committee reported
the carrying out of the work referred
to it by Council. Report adopted
Mr.. G. w. Buxton was given per-
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