The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-01-26
BOAT MEN
PROTEST
They Go to Frankfort to Con-
fer With State Board.
Want Double Taxation Eliminated
and the Tax on Cargoes
s.s,5' 49, Removed.
PADUCAHANS ARE INTERESTED

sass osterday's Courier Journal. The
ruliu- affects only the boats which
are property of nonresident corpora
lions doing business at Kentucky land
ings. The traffic officials of such lines
will confer with the board of equali-
zation in Frankfort, and will seek to
have the ruling yescinded, rs they
claim that the tax which is paid at
the home ports is as great as they
should be called on to bear, in addi-
tion to the wharfage Of So so, which
is paid into the municipal treasury Of
every port where the city maintains q
wharf for every cargo which is taken
or ischarged at such places.
T. NJ. Gallagher. general freight
and passenger agent Of the Ryman
line of steam boats, which operates be-
tween Nashville and Evansville and
Paducah, with boats which make the
Kentucky landings on the upper Cum
berlAnd ss we'll Saunders Fowler, SEQ
Rotary and treasurer Of the Evansville,
Paducah and Cairo Packet company,
and Captain James Roger, superinten-
dent Of the st. Louis and Tennessee
River Packet company passed through
Louisville yesterday on the way to
Frankfort, where they will meet with
the board Of equalization. The st.
Louis and Tennessee river line has a
number of boats in the Ohio, IS well
as the Tennessee and Mississippi riv-
ers, and it is vitality interested with
the rest in having the ruling rescinded.
The Memphis and Cincinnati packet
companies will be represented at the
meeting in addition to the Nashville,
Evansville and ST. Louis companies,
and the delegation of steam boat own
ers will be accompanied by their legal
counsel.
The effort will be made to show
why the action OF the Kentucky Off
cials will impose a double taxation on
the steamboat companies, and make it
even more difficult than at present for
them to compete with the rapid trans
portation which is offered by the rail
roads. Claims are made that the in
justice will be manifest as soon as
called 10 the attention of the board,
and it is believed that il will be re-
voked.
Captain Gallagher was in Louisville
yesterday, and said in speaking of the
mission which carried him to Frank
fort:
1--WE are going to confer with the
board of equalization for the purpose
Of securing the removal Of the tax
which has been levied on the boats
making Kentucky landings. Boats
which are owned by companies moor
poarted in Kentucky do not have to
pay the tax, and we find ourselves
working against unequal competition
not only with the railroads, but with
the Kentucky steamboat companies
We believe that this is msnifestly I'M
Just, and exemption from the tax will
be asked. The Ryman line, which |
represent, pays state and county taxes
in Davidson county, Tenn., having its
home port at Nashville. The other
lines also pay their taxes at their home
port. To the city Of Nashville we do
not pay a regular tax, but we pay the
sum of %. 30 for wharfage on every
cargo that comes in or goes out. We
make a similar payment at Paducsh
and every other place where the wharf
is maintained by the city government,
and that charge is sll that we feel
called upon by justice to pay at ports
where we do business.
"The river business this year has
been at a low ebb on account of the
cold, dry weather, which kept all the
streams down, and permitted only
broken navigation. The rise which il
now on il the fret that has been expe-
rienced Of sufficient volume to enable
the lumber interests TO begin unimped-
cd operations, and 10 the face Of the
adverse conditions we are more strong
ly against submitting to she tax than
we would be in more prosperous
times"