The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1914-03-12
Virginia Refuses Offer of West
Virginia to Pay $z,237,l95

West Virginia ednesday made
formal offer on behalf oe West
Virginia to pay the state of Vir-
ginia the sum of 50, 337. 1915, 2S. in
full settlement OF all claims Of
Virginia against West Virginia,
including interest.
The debt commission Of Vir-
ginia respectfully declined TO
consider the proposition at al.
or to engage in any discussion Of
it.
Both commissions adjourned
their meetings last night and
there is no probability that any
further effort will be made to
reach an agreement.
The final hearing of the debt
case has been set for April 13,
and the settlement of the famous
controversy probably will be tax
en- up then.
The offer of the West Virgin
la commission was based on the
finding of the Supreme Court Of
the United States that the part
of the old state debt for which
West Virginia is liable amounts
to $7.1S2, 597, 46 Assets found
to have been in the possession Of
Virginia on January l, 1861, the
date fixed by the court for the
division of the debt, where de
Quoted by the West Virginia COM
mission to ascertain the amount
of the debt, and the offer made
yesterday was based on this cal
culation.
West Virginia's commission
claims to have discovered assets
in the possession of Virginia On
January /, purchased before the
separation of the states, and
which it claims West Virginia has
an interest, amounting to $40, =
80, 357, 90. The Supreme Court
fixed West Virginia's part Of
the old state debt at % 1-2 per
cent, and using the same percent
age the West Virginians claim
their state should have credit
of that proportion of these as
sets, or 81, 800, 434, 12.
The West Virgitia commission
also claims that Virginia collect
ed taxes amounting to 1925, 078. =
06 from counties in West Virgin
la after the separation Of the
states, and that this also should
be credited on West Virginia.
debt to Virginia. But Virginia
turned over the West Virginia
bank stock valued at $3.50, 200,
with which West Virginia should
be charged.
In addition thereto. it is CON
tended by the West Virginia au-
thorities that various public
buildings, including the virginia
state capitol at Richmond, the
state penitentiary, the state a5y-
lum at Staunton, and the univer-
sity at Charlottesville, were COLI
structed and equipped from the
joint funds of the two states, and
in consideration of these expen-
ditures that West virginia was
absolyed from the payment of
any interest On the war time
debt, aquestiCn that was left b.
the court to adjudication, if pos
sibie, by the states.
The refusal of the Virginia
commission to consider the prop
osition was based on the opinion
Of the Sepreme Court, rendered
on November 10, 1913, on the
motion Of Virginia to proceed t.
final nearing. 1t alleges that in
this opinion the matters left OPP
en- for consideration and adjust
ment by the two states are, first,
the question Of interest, and sec
ond that Of the correction of cler
ical errors in the calculation oil
the amount of the debt. Il
charges that the proposition Of
West Virginia does not embrace
either OF the subjects; brings il
entirely different matters, and
therefore, declines to consider
the proposition, and expresse.
w