The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-09-12
COMMISSION AT WORK.
Arranging Tax Rate On Cotton Mills
and Stocks.


The State board OF equalization.
| which is one of the most important
bodies in the State, being charged with
the fixing of valuations for the pur-
pose of taxation upon the property "f
all cotton mills. oil mills fertilizer
factories and canals in the
State reassembled ir the Su-
preme Court room Tuesday morning
at 1870 o'clock. At that hour, how
ever. while many Of the members
were here a number had Hot reachei
the city and recess was sakea unui
o'clock.
At that hour there was a quorum
present and the board lost no time III
getting down to work. he comptr0l-
ler's clerks had carefully gone over
all the statements sent in by the VI
rious officials and mill owners AMI
had already figured out the assess
meats upon the basis Of - per cent.
Of the total value OF stocks ani
bonds. and the eXcellenly Sctten mp
tabular statements for each class "
property were ready for the members
Each man was furnished with copy.
the essential figures OF which 50 far
as the cotton mills were concerned
have been given.
Before starting the important work
ahead Of them the members agreed 70
give Mr.. Moses Of Sumter hearing IL
behalf of the Sumter mill. He entered
an earnest protest against a too hiSa
taxation of the company's property.
L; was then determined TO divide the
board up into committees. these COM
mittees being charged with the careful
consideration of the individual returns
of each class Of property concerned.
Chairman Bradley thereup0A named
the following committees:
On Cotton Mill Property-Messrs.
Willis of Spartanburg. Greer OF An
derson. Spreegle Of GIeenvi!le. Smith
OF York and Lane of Marlboro.
On Oil Mills-MeSSrs. y. J. Rich
bourg l.. B. Rogers. R. P. Addy. J. w.
Arton and H. c. Shirley.
On Fertilizer Factories-Messls. c.
A. Williams, d. NJ. Barrentine, y. ..
Wanamaker, Chas. Dusenbury and w.
W. Kennedy
Before entering upon the work the
comptroller read to the board IL"
earnest written protests OF Messr5.
Orr, Montgomery and Courtenay. cot
ton mill presidents, against The basis
of taxation adopted.
The comptroller said he would like
to hear the views OF the members Is
to the right Of the board TO proceed Oh
the basis adopted as some he undeE>
stood might wish to raise some cues.
ton. If this was so It was better 10
do it at this Stage. He read Col
orr's letter holding that the-4macksssEz
value Of the stock did not represent
the line value Of the property, and that
the basis adopted was in violation n
the constitution which required eQnaiN
Zation in the matter of taxation.
Mr.. Durham held that the marke:
value of the stock, that which It said
for in the open market was d Tery fax
index of its value.
Mr. c. A. Williams wished to know
II the acts of the board on the basis
adopted would be legal, and said if
this was not certain they would prob
ably run into big legal fight
Mr.. Lott suggested that after all
perhaps the county boards probably
knew more about the actual value q
these factories than the Sta:e board
did.
After very brief discussion thr
board determined to let the basis
adopted at the last meeting stand Mi
proceeded with the other business.
The board then took a recess till
o'clock and the committees began
their work. At o'clock the commit
tees were not one-third through WIFI
their work.