The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-08-24
GIVE THEIR SIDE
Arguments Made for the Railroads for
Lower Taxes Before
BOARD OF ASSESSORS

OSk&AdS Va SASSAOS~~~~
The Officials Say the Corporations
Are Hard Pushed and Must Go
Relief or Go Into the Hands Of I
Receiver a> Means Of SaSins
tho Property.
According 10 the officials who ap-
.eared before he State Board o;
Assessors 10 Columbia On Tuesday
TIE railroads are fearing crisis.
Especially was this condition in the
South emphasized BY Henry Miller.
sssis,an, 70 the frst vice-p.esideni
G! the Southern. That wages are Ia
oreas;Hg and rates are being COLI
Iunually lowered is the reason given
~ the railway men 10. the condition
OF the railways.
Basing his argument upon th.
state OF affairs and upon the
recent action OF the State board OF
Equalization in lowerinf the assess
!uen,s on cotton mills and eottonseed
Gil mills and like property. Mr.. Mil
| le. asked that the railroads be as
sessed on the same basis as the tex
lies, namely. so per cent OF the &C
tual valuation as arrived AZ oy the
| board.
AS to the Southern railway. Mr.
Miller pointed ou: that in 1907 the
assessments were placed at SO per
cent NO property outside Of cot
tor mills and banks are assessed as
highly as railroads.. said AE. Nil
ier.
Mr.. Miller explained how valua-
ton makes the taxable value SlS.-
$4,000. He thought the $31.Oo0.-
coo excessive and explained that the
method OF arriving at the Taius was
wrong.
M-. Miller explained in detail the
eond;ng Of property and answered
questions put 10 him By Attorney
General Lyon. who IS 2 member OF
the board The total eacunorance
OF the Southern is about $4,000
per mile. Mr.. Miller said. The Sou
;hern. as explained by Mr. Miller.
was formed out OF The receirersh!p
CT several lines. hence il carries
20 ads that ar. aot TO be placed On
any vf the s-pe!ate property OF the
Southern railway proper. The Sou
lhe-a owns hal; !uteres: in tae Non
cu system. and whole or part OF 9TH
{. lines. i; owns sss.o00.o00 in Sc
ea!;ties Of other lines. Figured with
the reduction Of this amount on It's
fund the Southern per mile is vai-
ued At $4,000.
The Southern. Mr.. Miller. said. has
seen increased SO per cent. in taxes
~. this state in the last seven years.
Ye, its earning have Increased Only
30 per cent; in shat period.
Mt. Lyoa-Does not the Southern
earn more in proportion to its mile
age 10 South Carolina than in any
ether State?
Mr.. Miller-No.
Nr. Lyon--Does not more money
earned IN this State on the road so
,owards improvements in other
States than such money from other
States comes 70 this State.
,M-. Miller-No: improvements are
made on sepera:e bonds. no; on earn
!bgs.
We have greater profits In Viz
sinia. North Carolira and Tenn"s-
see" added Mr. Miller. and less
eead mileage there.
Asked about improvements in otE-
cr States. Mr. Miller stated that ;!a-
&c and tonnage demanded the same.
On questioning as 70 whether the
southern IS worth moro now shan
II 1907. NJ. Miller said ;ha; there
was rumoy OF q rece!verSh:p IN 'ha;
YEAR bu. said he would not like 'c
..nswe. tha, question AS ac official
Ct the road Not materially better
now Mr.. M!ller.s final reply 20 that
question. although the latter eH-
r.ained the condition o: the road
xith regard 70 high wages and cos;
Il operation.
We are me, on one side with iae
absolu;e demand for increased COM
rensa,!on. said MT Miller. lie eN-
;la:ced that 70 the pay roll OF the
load since January there has been
added sl.151.o0t as increase pay 70
| tra!nnea. ensinemen and clerks.
none OF whom receive above SO per
month. the others not being raised.
Nr. Miller told o: the conference
# Washington between the road and
,Ae employees resulting IN this raise
y wages. Then re operators ap
ceaiel and arbitration vas neces-
sarv
EVERYTHING We bu: has :ncreas-
ID in price. said Mr. Miller. any
where from - 10 700 per cent. Our
.n!y hope is increase n rates which
las been withheld. Al no time II
[ ,he history or raiiroadirS have We
laced such a crisis as today tx
lenses mus, 30 reduced or rates
aus, so up
MIR. Miller compared the cost o.
cr!dec timber OF few years asn
.:,,h the cost now Wha; sold i'r a
ll;;,lc over So per thousand IS no"
e.c3: cross ties have increased sro'n
s 20 8. cents: rails from 81. 70
SO: coal from IS cents 10 SIS.
,aoo. from sl.60h per mile 10 !s"'
0 sS.ISa last year.
Mr. Miller stated that IN 1854 ief
-,a.ase rate per mile per 'oH va:
!; "a cents. ;ha; in 1900 an en!oen'
,ho. "a IL