Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-02-03
SATURDAY EVENING. FEB. 3. 1896.

AT THE last session of the Virginia
Legislature the delegate from this city
introduced bill which had for its OBJ
iect an equitable assessment OF The roll
ing stock OF railroads operating in
this State. Owing TO the late date OF Its
presentation, Mr.. Cation was unable to
procure any action on the bill. However,
on the first day of ths present Sea-
sion he presented bill on the same
lines. add we believe it has been re-
ported from the committee on roads and
internal navigation, and takes its place
ON the House calendar. 10 the pre-.
amble to the bill. attention is called to
The fact that:
The rolling stock of railroad corpora.
lions is not, in fact, located or kept at
any special or particular point or pl. &c
upon their respective lines, bat receives
The protection of all the local govern
mtnts within this State through which
The respective lines of railroad of such
corporations are located and operated,
and are made valuable by reason OF the
traffic supplied from all the localities
which such railroads serve with trans
porlation facilities; and further that ii
is manifestly unjust and une4uitable
ibat the entire tax on such rolling stock
for local purposes should be enjoyed by
one locality in the Stete, 20 the exclu-
sion of others, for as the Law now stands
such rolling stock is located for the pur-
poses of local taxation, at the principal
riIices OF such corporations. 1t is also
pointed out that in the case of the At
lantic and Danyille Railroad Company
versus Lyons, decided on the eleventh
day of December, nineteen hundred and
Two, the Supreme Court of Appeals OF
Virginia indicates that ii would be more
equitable, |. oking TO the interest Of the
various counties through which the road
passes, that the revenue deprived from
ne local taxes N the rolling stock
should be distributed AIM ng such coun.
lies, but that this is imr ossible in the
Pbsence of legislative enactment upon
the subject, and in order to correct this
injustice and inequity, Mr.. Cation pre-
sen,s his bill which provides that the
rolling stock taxable in this State Of the
various railroad corporations doing bust
ness in Virginia, shall not be assessed
for the purposes of local taxation by the
counties, cities, towns and school dis
Iricts at the principal Offices of the re-
spectiye corporations, but that for the
purpose of local taxation by the cOun-
iies, cities, towns and school districts ir
this State, the aggregate value Of the
rolling stock in this State of such rail-
road corporations whether such railroad
be operated by steam or motive power,
n ascertained and assessed for the pur-
pose of State taxtioD, shall be divided
aud distributed among the several coun-
ties, cities, towns and school districts in
this State 10 or through which any part
of any such railroad is located or passes,
to be taxed by them for local purposes,
10 The ratio and proportion that the
total value of the right Of way, road
way, aud track. switches, sidetracks,
terminals, tunnels, viaducts, depots,
depot buildings, stations. station houses,
round houses, machine and work shops
81 every description, real estate, i'm.
provements, fixtures, machinery, too.s
and tangible personal property Except
the rolling stock), located in any such
county; city, town or school district, as
ascertained and assessed for purposes of
State taxation, bears TO the aggregate
value Of the rolling stock in this State oil
railroad corporation, as sscer'
! assessed as aforesaid for the
{ State taxation.
corpt ratious or railroads are
I'd from the provisions OF the
years ago portion of the
of the Southern Railway
-Yosed in Alexandra at about
$3.50, 900. The Corporation Commits
sion placed it sill in Richmond--some
81, 500, coo or 81, 300, 900. Last year
the Commission designate Alexandria
az the principal Office of the Washing.
ton-SOuthern Rsilway and assessed its
rolling stock at $50, 600 in this city. II
is Presumed that the passage of the bill
WI benefit Alexandria. Certainly q
visit to the roundhouse, car shops, ma
chine shops and the dozen o. more tracks
upon which engines are shifting cars,
would convince the Corporation Com
mission that all of the rolling stock OF
the Southern Railway ought not to be
assessed in Richmond, but that Alexan-
dfia, which is now paying debt which
WAS created for the construction of the old
Orange and Alexandria, the Manassas and
the Virginia Midland railroads, all Of
which were long since absorbed by the
Southern, should have its share of the
ssessment.
AS HERETOFORE stated the House
committee on the District of Co.
lumbis has decided that in the matter OF
wife beating in the District the punish