The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-29
REAL ESTATE AND
BUILDING NEWS
Continued From First r'uge.)

UUlLUIlv sVlvvO
Continued From First rage.)
record the deeds, Think OF a State
tax on one deed alone for 100000 as is
the case now with some mining prop
critics in this and adjoining states.
and for which they are contes ting
and also another case pending in
/ Carroll county Of almost equal magni-
,udc. which Will shortly be tested. /
. fear however. that the law is against
the people in both of these cases ana
the parties will have to continue to
pay this mercilcss, unnecessary ana
, unjustiiiable tan
How Test Case Was Made.
Alr. Brown is Il conservative man.
and not given to strong language, OK
copt when fired by enthusiasm or
earnestness, or chatting under an ap-
parent imposition. On being Informed
mat lie was suspected OF having in
spircd the Rountree Saville suit, he
replied that doubtless this conclus: on
was reached from the fact that Mr.
Rountrec purchased the property thai
was conveyed by tho deed in question,
from his firm. and his (Rountree's) at
tentlon had been called to the matter
by him, but that AIr. Rouutrec had
acted entirely OF his own volition in
me matter; and that both he and Clerk
SaVlllc, in testing the matter, had ron
dered the public a service far-reachinr
IN us results, and great in Importance
not only TO every court clerk in IN,
Commonwealth, but to every man and
woman who purchases property for
every infant to whom a legacy has
pceh Ieft by deed of GRIT and they
deserved all credit for pushing the
case to speedy finality.
NfrSinin's Greedy system.
~, VT nrown was asked If he had made
my ,1ly investigation on the subject or
ihis tax OH deeds, and if So would
he object to giving results
!, Not e.t,, at all" he replied. and said
greater service TO a long suffering pub
nc than to lend its aid to rectifyiny
wrong that has 50 grievously existed
III lniS iniruitous ad valorem lax on,
ueeds. Thousands Of dollars he said
are cXacted annually by the State from
unsuspectinG persons who record deeds
lor which they absolutely receive no
hhu a.. qua return. II am not referring
lars paid the clerk for transmitting
the deed to record: this is Il srvice for
which they should be paid but an,
icierrinT particularly TO the, ad VAL rcm
taN on the value OF the property which
Is charged in addition to the clerks
Zee, ana also the commissioners fec
FOR transferring the property from one
name to another.
This unjust tax" he continued ole
not eNacted by any other state from
winch | have as set heard: and the
state is not only bleeding its own
children. but this Unnecessary cxtor-
elon Is a deterrent 10 many people 10
huEing and settling here who vii,
suffer under this tax matter and i'm
some cases is exaggerated, to our dctri-
nent
AS instance of,ths last fall prom
inent and prosperous Western man
with whom VIC had been CORRESPONDING
Tor Twelve months or more to induce
MIN TO locate here finally visited Rich
mond and purchased a $4,000 farm
with the property that before passing
INC deed. began negotiation for n $500
600 property for himself: before con-
Guiding. which he obtained the deed
for the first purchase and went To tho
courthouse to record it The clerk
charged him thct ad advalorcm tax.
amounting to $40; clerks fee. slaO:
OF Sl3.6o
. while he was utterly as,ounded.
the Western man paid the taxes and
sought me for comfort, desiring TO
know If the clerk had made mis-
take or had robbed him. On Being
informed tina, neither had happened,
hut that tho clerk had conformed with
the law as then construed and was
correct he replied. that he never heard
of such thing In all his life, and The
same deed In his native state (Mich-
isanl, would cost about So lie ut
once got cold feet on the 1000 deal
and left for hotter climate tF'lorida,
Fees Charged In Other states.
The instance SO impressed itself
upon mo that il WAS indirectly re-
Sponsible, not only for the Rountrce-