The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-07
1E TIMES D1sPArc RICHMOND VA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1910

SEPTEMBER z, 10
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Kempsvillc Branch, from Berkicy to
Munden Point, also tho suffolk Caro-
lima Road, SO far as 1t runs III Vir-
Binla, ought to have reduction In
valuation. they were run at a loss,
and had been improperly given in for
assessment last year. Then the fig
ures on certain rolling stock were, he
thought. too high. Mr.. Baird pre-
sented his affairs in a forcible manner.
r.. Randolph Williams, OF Richmond,
and Walter L.. Stanley OF Portsmouth,
appeared for the Seaboard Air Line.
They wanted reduction and not an
increase. Mr.. Stanley showed that
the increasc in the labor cost had
more than wiped out the roads sur
plus of last year. The agricultural
products Of the State, according to the
report of the Commissioners of Agri-
culture. had amounted last year to
100000, 600 on an assessment of S140,-
100000 on farm property, and yet the
railroads had earned only si7oo0O0O
on a valuation Of $91 100000 He did
not think 1t Just that the farmers OF
the State should be allowed to earn
80 much more on their assessed valua
ton than are the railroads. a COM
parative table showed that the Sea-
board earns less money In proportion
to it's valuation than any other large
Virginia road
richmond Line.
The commission had been In error
in the past, he pursued. In regarding
the Portsmouth section or the road as
It's best revenue producer. AS a mat
ter of fact the line from Acca to
Norina earns as much as that from
Portsmouth to Norlna. The assessed
value of his road, he said, was higher
in Virginia than in any other state
which 1T enters.
Mr.. Williams also had few figures
The last ten transfers OF real property
in Henrico county showed that the
sale price was always from three to
four times the assessed value. In
! Brunswick the same result was shown.
Captain John w. Harper, City At
torney of Portsmouth, wanted the
commission to tax n line OF road run
ming to the freight terminal, eight
tenths of a mile long as main line.
Mr.. Stanley explained that the use of
the street was leased from the city
for $4,000 a year. The commission took
the matter under adv.sement.
For the Southern. Henry w. Miller.
assistant to First VicePrcsident A. Il.
| Andrews, and Robert 3. Tunstall O:
Norfolk. appeared Mr.. Miller has
charge of the tax matters for the sys-
| tenn. and showed that he had such af-
fairs at his fingers ends.
Presented Able Argument.
| That the property and franchise
| taxes of railroads are so amalgamatec
| that they cannot be separated was Mr.
| Miller's contention. In discussing
| physical properties he showed tina,
49, ovtA txc Por nst9,.
| lie services, and do not actually ado
| to values For instance, he estimated
| the actual value of railways at $1,000
| mile.
| This was the cost of rails, ties
spikes and construction. The cuts anG
fills and tunnels are to allow the use
of the road. and do not add to the
value of the piece of land. His treat
ment of this phase of the case proved
very interesting to the members of
the commission.
Continuing. Mr.. Miller said that the
tunnel in Lynchburg, for instance,
not have, yet its cost will be immense
IF a bridge across the James at
Richmond" he argued, cost $4,000,
there is no railroad man but had rath-
er pay 100000 to take the river away
! and do without a bridge" His COM
| pany had a road in Pittsylvania that
| 1t would be glad to give away to any
| one who would accept it, and had tried
to pay man $4,000 to take II. but
the Supreme Court had refused to al
low it.
| High Virginia Rate.
Virginia. he showed, had an assess
ment, all told, greater than the high
| est of the other States through which
the Southern runs. He pointed out
| that railways increase the values OF
| other properties and then the commu-
mites want to raise the railway valua-
| lions. Norton, which had been previ-
ously mentioned, was an illustration
| The railway made the town. and now
| the town wants to tax the railway to
! the value of other property which the
4 railway has created
There was some discussion of real
| estate owned by the Southern on Cary
Street.
For the virginian Railway, which
| was next called. there appeared II
T. Hall, general counsel, and F. z. Uni
man, the auditor. They had very III
tie to say, beyond showing that TINS
year they would pay per cent. OF the
| gross earnings of the road IN taxes
| Commissioner Prentis asked for
sacrament as to the cost of construc-
ton of his road per mile. has peer
the policy Of the commission to make
the assessments on this road, which
has not very fully developed its trafh'
as yet, rather low.
Road without ballast.
r. F.. Griffith appeared for the Vale,
+. Railroad of Virginia and it's brancl
lines. His description of conditions
was rather amusing The railway. n
said is without ballast of any kind
and has not enough money to pay tn
freight on cinders to make ballast
nhs grades are enormous. amountin;
70 100 feet in fifteen miles out Q
4 lexington. The rail Is mostly OH
i siytv-pound stuff. and he said II was
MYSTERY why anybody should bu,ld
system of that sort He described tn'
roaS as in miserable condition. !,
No one appeared for the LoulsViii
.na Nashville when Its name va
called Mr.. Roberts presented w
same claim regarding the Norton 81.
!: 'ation against this road as he mad u
Inference to the Norfolk and Weste ,ai,
The washington Southern was caile ca
~ No one replied. Several OF the on.
Gals had been present throush ,a IN, I'M
dav. but had gone out. lhe 10 n e,aionl
ua as then continued until 10 oci i
Ms morning. All the Princlpai n ,,n
- tbo washington Southern ne