The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-03
BACK TAX LAW HAS BEEN MONEY MAKER Increase in the Valuation is
 S15,845,499.5O STA1E GETS $133,753.86 Owens Appoints Commander for Ten nessee-Auditor Carmichael Talks
 on the Matter of Pension
 Complaints.
STATE GETS $133,753.86

Montgomery, November 2.-(Special.)- The back tax law. of which there was so much unfavorable comment at the time of its passage in October, 1897, seems to be a money getter for the state In his report for the year ended September 30. last, State Tax Commissioner Harvey 10. Jones shows a grand total of revenue from the work of his office of s245, 160 .67, of which the state gets $133, ,753.S6. The increase in valuations last year over that of the year before is $1, ,769, ,SS9. .59.
 The beauty of the returns of the office Of Colonel Jones lies in the fact that they are over and above what was ex- pected, something like man finding a dol- lar in his pocket that he did not know was there. They consist of escaped taxes of various kinds, licenses that should be paid and have not been, increased valua- tions which bring In more taxes, and other attempts to get out of paying up what should be paid to the support of the commonwealth.
 Increased Valuations.
 It Is shown by the report that the in crease in valuation of property including escapes. for the year 1904, resulting from the work of the county tax commission CTS, was $l4075, 609.91, for the year 1905. $15, ,S45, 499 50, an increase of $1, ,769 SS9. .59
 From, October 1, 1887, to October l. 1900, inclusive, under the administration of Judge w. J. Wood, the valuation in "es- capes" and raises" was increased in the aggregate. $3S, ,9S3, ,654 50. Embracing the years 1901 1902, 1903 and 1904, the az gregate increase in valuations brought about by the work of the tax commits sioners under Colonel Jones' was $42377,- S9S .9l and for the year 1905, s15, 499 .50, making in all sS7, ,052 .91 increase by the work of this department since the pas- sage of the law in 1897.
 From 1897 to 1900 Commissioner Wood reported delinquent licenses collected, $S6, ,046. 90. Licenses collected by the pres ent administration for the years 1901 to 1904 SIS, ,9344 A. for the year 1905. $37, ,429 92 making in all since the inauguration of the law s242, 40 63, collected by the tax officers.
 The Commissioners.
 During the year there were fifty-five county tax commissioners appointed forty-two of whom report work done Those of Coosa, Fillmore, Lee, Perry and Russell resigned during the summer too late to fill their places in time for work the past year No report was received from Limestone, Randolph or Lamar, Commissioners from the following coun- ties reported; Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chiffon, Coffee, Colbert, Covington, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Escambia, Etowah, Frank lin, Geneva, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lauderdale, Macon, Madison, Marengo. Marshall, Mobile. Montgomery, Morgan, Pckens. Pike, Shelby, St. Clair Sumter, Taladega. Tal- lapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Washing ton and Winston.
 Commissioners of DeKalk and Marion have been appointed since the close of the fiscal year. There are now no com missioners in the counties of Bullock, But ler Chambers. Cherokee, Choctaw Clarke, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Covington Cullman, Fillmore, Fayette, Greene. Hale, Lee, Lowndes. Russell and Wilcox.
 The following is the report of Commis- soner Jones, as made to the state audi tor. the Hon. J. M. Carmichael, this afternoon: