Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-16


ltax. There were complaints of over
charges by the company and double
charging. Mr.. Cheadle saying that II
was simply case OF graft for the
company, the agents ana the whole
business"
Mr.. Fellows amendment was voted
down. eight 10 six: Ayes-Cheadle,
Fellows. w. A. Spruill, w. Il. Spruill,
Whitley and ID. s. Jones, six; Nays
Boiling, Cox, Ford, Harris, Hutcbens,
w. f. Jones, Via and Wallace, eight.
The original recommendation OF the
committee that the tax be made $500
was then unanimously adopted.
1 Insurance Tax Goes Through.
To the surprise of almost every
one present, the council adopted by
unanimous vote the recommends
ton OF the committee on the license
tax on insurance companies. The
amendment as recommended by the
committee and adopted by the coun-
J ell levies a license tax of $25 on
each tre insurance company and in
addition thereto "a tax OF ) per cen
J tum OF the gross amount of premiums
or collections and obligations taken
! therefor for the fiscal year ending
April 80 prior TO each license year.
/ whether written by or through its
agent in this city. or by solicitors. or
upon policies upon property in this
city otherwise issued
The tax on each plate glass insur-
ance company was increased from $40
to $25 and the tax on each guarantee
company was increased from $50 TO
hut hA nthnr
companies was not increased.
Big Increase In Revenues.
Chairman Caleb ID. West. of the
, finance committee. said last night
that the new tax on the five insur-
ance companies will mean an increase
/ of not less than $4,000 a year in the
rrScr, es of the city.
When the tax on insurance compan-
les was take up, Mr.. Ford made a
vigorous speech in support OF the
recommendation of the committee. de
claring that the Southeastern Tariff
Association had refused point blank
10 Lace Newport News on a rating
with the cities OF the first class.
| Mr.. Ford explained that ne had re-
quested the association to send an
agent here TO investigate conditions
with a view TO rating Newport News
as a city of the first-cIass; that the
agent came here and inspected the
city, remaining two days. Two days
ago MIR. Ford received letter from
the association saying that it could
not make Newport News a city of
the first class.
Ice Company Scored.
Thera waS lfvaly uiSrmcgiOn nm
the recommendation OF the committee
that the tax on ice plants be in
creased from $3.50 TO $3.50. The Dis
Tired Ice Company came in FOR a
scoring from Messrs. Harris and Hut
chens and both advocated high Ii
cense tax. Mr.. Harris said that the
company does not weigh the ice and
that it's employees are insolent to the
housewives. Mr. Hutchens also said
that the company does not weigh the
ice ana short weigh, is sometime Civ
en-.
Messrs. Cheadle and Ford opposed
a high tax on the ice plants. Mr..
Cheadle said that ice was a neces-
sity and that he did not think the
companies should be burdened with
heavy tax.
Tax Remains the Same.
After some further discussion, the
council voted on Mr.. Harris substi-
tute to make the tax on ice plants
$500 and the substitute was lost,
three members voting against it. The
vote was recorded as follows: Ayes
Cheadle, Cox, Ford, Harris, Hutchens,
W. Z. Jones. w. A. Spruili. via, Wal
lace, Whitley and ID. S. Jones. eleven;
Nays-Bolling, Fellows and W. E
SpruiIi. The tax remains the same.
The council unanimously adopted
the amendment increasing the license
tax on steam laundries from s25 to
$50.
There was no opposition to the re-
commended increase OF the license
tax on every person selling liquor at
wholesale from $3.50 to $3.50 and it
was unanimously ADOPTED.
No Increase on Merchants
Strenuous opposition was Offered to
the recommended increase on the tax
on general merchants. The commit
! tee recommended that the tax OF fif-
teen cents on every sl00 OF pur-
cbases in excess of 81 900 be increas-
I'd IL % cents. Mr.. Ford moved as
a substitute that the tax be made 20
cents. but the substitute was lost,
eigh; to six: Ayes-Cheadle. Ford.
Harris, W. r. Spruill. Via and ID. 5.
Jones. six; Nays-Bolling. Cox. Eel
lows. Hutchens. W. r. Jones. W. A.
Sprunl. Wallace and Whitley. eight.
A motion TO make the tax - cents
also was lost. thirteen TO one. Mr..
Cheadle alone voting for that tax,
and the tax remains unchanged.
| Increase On Meat Packers
There was a lively discussion on
the recommended increase NJ Si00 on
the cold storage packing houses. Mr..
Fellows moved to increase the tax
from s3a0 TO $500. but withdrew his
motion when a mofiou was made to