Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-10-08
Has The County Court Hisfepfessltad
the Financial Condition OF Jefferson
County /?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

advertisement
To the Tax Payers of jefferson County.
In reply TO the Financial Statement ofthe
County Court Of Oct. 3. 1912, with our
present levy for county purposes we have
heretofore been alb Q to meet all the expenses
Of county government and occasionally
pay off some of our bonded Indebtedness"
Below are some Of the items that the
County Court has paid out without in
creasing our levy since the 18th day Of
March, 1912:
This contract made this 18th day of
March, 1910, by and between Geo T. Light,
party Of the first part. and Geo. NJ. Belts
hoover, party of the second part, witnesseth,
that for and in consideration of the sum of
$3.50 90 cash in hand paid by the County
Court OF Jefferson to the said Geo. T. Light.
at or before the sealing and delivery of the
contract, the receipt Of which sum ofmoney
is hereby acknowledged. the said Geo. T.
Light doth grant, convey, release, relinquish
and set over to the said Geo. NJ Beltzhoover
Jr.. all of his right, title and interest in and
to the lease conveyed to him by s. w. Wash
ington, executor, of VIM. Burnett, dated
March l, 1885, recorded in said county IN
Deed Book U, page 376 to which reference
is made, the said offices situated in what is
known as Lawyers Row, on the east side OF
George Street, in Jefferson County. West
Virginia, possession to be given April 1st.,
1910"
Deed of lease from 8. w. Washington,
Executor of VIM. Burnett. to Geo. 7. Light,
March 1st.. 1889, conveying Burnett's unex-
pired lease on offices in Lawyers Row, the
same having been sold by Washington, Ex-
ecutor, at public auction, and Geo. T. Light
being the highest bidder therefor became
the purchaser for the sum of $2020 Re-
corded in Deed Book U, page 376
March IL, 1889, Geo. T. Light bought
Burnetts lease having to June 1su., 1914, to
run; 25 year lease at ublic cutlery at $2O2t Q
March IL, 1910, the county court at pri-
vate sale and although the original lease
gives them the light of condemnation buy
the same Burnett lease having but little
over four years of life at $3.50 90.
We cannot help but believe that the
County Court thinks that values are ma.
tcrially increasing. IF they will look on,
of their Court House windows, :hey can see
the new Post Office Building the new Opers
House, new Telephone Building and tn.
new Department Store-ove. one hundred
thousand dollars worth of buildings OF
property that few years ago was assessed
at less than six thousand dollars-o000 PEI
cent increase-and this is not an insulated
case There is more and more building go
ing on every year in Charles Town, Ransor
and throughout the county, substantially
increasing our assessments year after year
and so it will continue.
| Now to return to what our County Cour
has paid for extraordinary expenses, with
O 1t increasing our levy, since March IL. 1910
Order No. 100, Geo T. Light S 450 o.
Order No 1902. G NJ. Beltzhoover, Jr., 200 o.
Order No. so, Flank Beck with $50 u
james NJ. Mason, Jr., 1880
Total $lZ75 o.
Various orders in addition to these 70
Construction and heating County Cour
House, aggregating over $2i 500 GO.
| Light, Bel tzhoover, Mason, Beck with $1275 o.
Paid County bor DIS from Oct I.
l 1911, to Oct. l, 1912. 10000
Total, $3l 1850
Here is over $50, 10000 spent by our Coun
| ty Court in little over two years, and th
sheriff's statement shows "A good balance il
every fund From the fact that we have
very material increase in our assessmen
every succeeding year, our revenues ar
constantly increasing aud the very actor
of our County Court proves this fact con
clusively.
Successful business men as they are keel
| traders. alive to the County's Interest, ant
dealing as close for the public as they woul'
| for themselves, they pay $3.50 90 cash TO
| Burnetts lease. four years to run, when th
same lease sold at public auction, rs year
to run, at $202 90. THUS by their action
they prove conclusively the material in
crease of the essessable property of on
county.
Now the County Court did not make
fair statement of the financial condition O
the County of Jefferson, and We quote thei
own records TO prove the same. Now on
| of the best business men of our Count
Court, Mr., N. II. Roberts. told us that TIL
bridge could be built without increasing
our bonded indebtedness, or raising our as
sessment, and from the investigation ant
search of the records and orders and TO
what purposes drawn that we have had mad
and from the facts presented to you voters
| to. wit, that since March the 18th, 1910
orders for extraordinary expenses have beef
drawn as follows:
Court House addition over Il 5000
Paid on Bonded Indebtedness
from Oct 1911. to Oct 1912 10000
Total $3l, 775
This has been done and can be done il
two years without raising our assessment
| for they have proven beyond the shadov
of doubt the material increase in our as
sessment.
This bridge can be built just like the ed
dition to the Court House Was built withou
increasing cur bonded Indebtedness Ga
present County Court is composed of farm
ers, of countrymen; now over 5 of tn
truly countrymen of our county are on tn,
east side of the Shenandoah River, and j
looks like they are entitled to ore membe
of the CO lnty court or they suffeI taxation
without representation the same as oul
revolutionary forefathers, and their lord:
and masters are to weeks distant from
them at times by Nh impossible rive, dur
ing which time several trips conld be made
to orr mother country and return.
Another material increase the County
Court can count on from June the LIST, 1914
aud that is, the rent from six double offices