Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-04-24

in taxes amounts only TO about SoOe
a year. Witness went on to say that
there is county pride among the PEG
pie of Elizabeth City, and they do
not want TO lose any part of their
small county. CrosseXamined by Mr..
Massie, witness said that he supposed
the territory in question would re-
ceive the benefit OF fire protection,
health measures. etc. such as is furn-
ished by the city in other sections.
He did not think there were electric
lights in the section. Witness said
the total assessed valuation of Eliza
beth City county territory is about
81 500 ,0o0. including personal proper
". The new macadam road IN
Wythe district cost ab,ut $4,000. OF
which the county paid $4,000. the
state si.4S7. and private individuals.
$5,373. Persons in the city of New
port News subscribed $60e 20 the
fund. but had only paid about $50.
Mr.. Cumming questioned the wit
ness about Salter's creek and the pre-
vailing winds In that section. He
said the prevailing winds are wester-
ly. although the wind sometimes
blows from the southwest
Member of Schocf- Board.
V. Z. Jones, a member OF the board
OF school trustees OF the county. was
the. next witness. He described the
schools in Wythe magistrial district,
dwelling upon the George Wythe
school. The county at cost q
mere than $4,000 had provided This
modern school In order to censoii-
date the small schools. and the
school children all over the district
had been taken into consideration.
There is no colored vicinity of ihe
territory west of Saltcrs creek, and
witness said that this annexation
talk. which had been going On, for
several years, had had something to
do with the failure of the county 20
give the colored people better school
facilities.
Cross-questioBed by Mr.. Msssie,
witness said that he Understood that
proposed to be annexed attended
Wythe school.
Objects to Annexation.
Frank Lake testified that he is a
resident Of Elizabeth City county and
that his father owns property in the
territory proposed to be on. Witness
Indicated On map the locating of
his fathers property, showing that
there are IL acres each in Elizabeth
City county. Warwick. county and the
city Of Newport News. He could not
see how his property in Newport
News had any more advantage than
that in the counties, although he pays
1900 per cent more taxes on his New
pert News property than upon land
in the county of the same area. Wit
ness could not see that ii was either
advisable or expedient for the city to
annex this territory. He said there
is a great deal of unoccupied proper
ty within the present limits.
Witness said that his property in
the city OF Newport News has de
preciated in value since he has owned
il. and that he had noticed this morn
ing that in section Of East End
formerly occupied by white people is
now occupied ~ negroes. He thought
the city of N-TpOrt News now has
all the territory il can take care Of
Cross-examined by Mr.. Massie. the
witness said that his fathers proper
iy within the territory is farm land
1T unused swamp land, ard therefore
would not be benefited By fire and
police protection. etc. il the territory
should be taken into the city limits.
Witness did not know anything about
the condition of the finances OF the
city of Newport News. He said and
reiterated thai prcvaI .S rents in
Hampton are higher than in the city
OF Newport News.
After leaving the stand. the witness
was recalled to testify as TO the OK.
tent of swamp lards owned by his
father in the territory in question
Clerk Of Courts Holt.
Clerk OF Courts Harry n. Holt. of
Elizabeth City county, ex-ofEiciO clerk
of the board OF supervisors. testified
hat he did no; believe there was any
necessity or reason for extending the
limits OF the CITY O: Newport News to
take in the Elizabeth City territory.
The county objects. nc said. and from
what he knew Of Ncwport News con.
dition he thought there was plenty OF
property available for development
Questioned By Ir. Cumming. witness
related the history of the construction
OF the Wytbe road. He went on to
say that the people Of Wyth, d's;rici
had met a; Riveryicw some time ago
nexation. Just about the time the
supervisors were prcpaing 10 build
this road. he said. the Wythc people
served notice that unless the road
was built Immediately they would pro.
coed to seek annexation - Newport
News. The supervisors ncld up plans
Tor the road until this tab was over,
and then built IT, Witness said that