Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-01-24
STATE AUDITORS REPORT.
The annual report Of the audit

all dealing with the financial affairs
of the Old Dominion. To begin with,
the real values Of the state are fixed
at S475, ,672, ,320, an increase OF some
SIS, 100000 over the proceeding hive
years. The whites own all but ST.
S69, ,525 of this total, that being the
amount of possessions OF the colored
Richmond city returns
SIS, 1926, ,S9S, which is nearly SS5 ,OOO,-
900 moro than that of Norfolk, while
the county OF Norfolk is the richest
of the counties, having an assessed
valuation Of 6,571 500.
The criminal charges make an in.
t :e.ting study. The city of Rich
m md, twice as large as the city OF
\ .riolk. expended $37 ,322.1S, and
Norfolk accounts for S40,359. 43 for
i aling with the criminal clements.
Isle .! wight. in the rich and popu-
lous section OF ,ilewater. Virginia,
cost $5O.13 for all criminal charges,
while Lee county, one OF the white
counties. demanded $3.Sl3.46 for the
s lme purpose.
Perhaps the most unusual. feature
OF the report. as regards the dealings
81 the counties and cities with the
state treasury, is the disclosure that
thirty-oue Of the one hundred counties
drew from the state treasury more
than S104,O 900 in excess Of the total
amounts paid by them to the general
tax fund OF the state. The counties
comprising the fifth congressional dis
trict got more than $4,000 OF this
amount, not one OF which paid III
as much as was paid out to them. 1t
is believed that the bulk of this was
paid out for criminal expenses.
Under the road fund there was ex-
pended in seventy-fve Of the counties
$19S, 54S.51 for the building Of ROADS,
This does not include the counties
which had the use OF conricts, the
law specifying that where such force
is employed the counties shall not have
the right Of access to the fund.
The variations in personal property
values arc StrlklDR.
For instance, sheep in Highland
county are assessed at an average OF
S3.3S each. while the owner Of the
mutton producers in Mathews county
pays at an average value of only S1.SO,
and those in Russell at S1.TO. These
counties are taken at random, and days
would be consumed in working up the
entire list OF personal property assess
ments. This will, it is understood, be
done by the State Tax Commission.
No music, it would appear, ever
floats on the peaceful air of the city OF
Portsmouth, for no musical instruments
are assessed there, But things are not
so bad in that settlement, for neither
are there any shotguns, pistols, rifles,
bowie knives, dirks, or similar imple-
ments of warfare, either for man or
beast. So music is evidently not need
ed to soothe the savage breast.
Portsmouth. however, is not the
only peaceful Virginia town. No such
weapons are given in for taxation in
Alexandria, nor in Grayson, nor War
wick counties. On the other hand,
Richmond pays on So, 500 worth, while
Danyille must be place Of horror,
with SIS, $50 worth. Halifax county is
at the top OF the list, with weapons
worth S15,094 OF course, these
figures in nowise show the real proper
ton nor the real value; they simply
show to what extent citizens give in
their property.
Nobody in Alexandria city or coun-
ty keeps any money on deposit at all
ia any bank or such like institution.
The people of Greene, King and
Queen, Louisa, Mathews and Warwick
counties also seem to keep their cash
10 their pockets.
Harking back to Portsmouth, the
auditors report shows that 10 watch
nor clock ticks away the hours IN that
delightful burg. Presumably the people
20 to Norfolk when they desire to know
the hour.
Roanoke believes in telling the time
to much greater extent than does
Richmond. In the Magic City" there
are 3,OS1 watches, worth S2S,367, or
an average OF $3.50 each, while there
are 2,67O clocks on the mantlepieces
there valued at s6,5S1, or s2.45 each.
The capital city can only produce
S6S clocks, but they are worth Sos
each on an average, being apparently
OF better grade than those oi
Roanoke. Also the waistcoat pockets
of Richmond contain S7S watches,
worth $T490 each. The most expen.
sive watches are owned in Lynchburg,
at a value of sl9.36 each, but only
1850 Of the citizens wear them.
As to horses, there is all the difference
in the world in values. Richmond has
1854 steeds, and they are worth
S25s, $50, or an average OF SlOl each
But out in the southwest, in the coun.
try of Tazewell, they have an average
valuation of ,SSS each. There art
Asst horses in Tazewell. Norfolk:
horses are worth 800 each, anc
Roanoke's S75 each.
Liquor licenses yielded $500, 799.1l
during the year ending July l, 1910.
This, of course, applies to state take:
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