The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-06-21

OF $3.50, being the amount OF Said
pole tax for the years 1903-1904 The
same to be In full satisfaction of said
city's claim for franchise tsxes, for Ii
cense taxes, and for taxes on the
telegraph poles, during all past years,
and also for the current year Of 1904
-. The city Of Psducah hereby
agrees that it will hereafter, during
the existence OF this contract, accept
said annual tax upon the tangible
property Of the Western Union Tele-
graph 20. and the payment Of 81 up
on each of its telegraph poles as
aforesaid, IN full satisfaction of all
taxes to be paid by said company, and
that it will not, during the existence
OF this contract, either assess or
levy against said telegraph company
any additional tax by way of license
or franchise.
Il developed last night that the
amount the city claims the Western
Union owes it for back pole license is
s745, as shown by figures furnished
by former Clerk Patterson. Yet this
attorney suggests that the city Of Pa
ducah accept $3.50 the city to give
him half, for this s745, for the 800
license due the city this year and for
franchise taxes due-or more explio-
lily, "in full satisfaction of said
oity's claim for franchise taxes, for
license taxes and for taxes on the
telegraph poles during all past years.
and also for the current year of
1904"
Is is not only for past years, it
will be seen, but for the money due
the city this year for franchise tax,
pole tax, aud license tax, the latter
alone being 800. When the attorney
got his half the city would have ths
large and beautiful sum Of $3.50 left
to represent the $745 due for back pole
tax, the franchise tax for this year
and past years, which amounts TO
only few dollars, however, and the
500 annual license.
But this is not all The oompro-
mise the city was asked to ratify
makes the same basis of settlement
effective for three years more-until
1907. During those three years the
city would have found had it accept
ed the compromise, that ID could
get only OIL on each Of the COM
pany's 1870 poles, and that this $3.50
would have to represent the 500
license, the franchise tax, ana the
pole tax. 1t is not known whether
the attorney would have wanted half
of this $3.50 collected in the next
three years, or not, under his contract
to get half of what he got. He was
authorized to settle for only the pole
tax and, has attempted to settle for
also the franchise and the license tax.
No wonder the Western Union
wanted to compromised The other
companies are fighting this license Of
81 pole, but the Western Union
comes forward and wants to compro-
mise Compromise how? Why, by get
ting three year contract with the
city to pay $3.50 year for franchise.
license and pole tax. Most any Of
them would like to do IL. And posi-
bly, the others would have been given
a chance il this neat little skin game
had gone through as well as 1t at
first promised.
The council deserves credit for
getting next. The city should COL
leot all that Is coming to it. IL it is
entitled to 81 license on poles in the
city. 1t should collect the dollar and
keep it, not give half Of it away to
some one for doing what we already
xosA osf.- oalofala 80, 10