The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-26
THREE RAILROADS
APPEAR IN COURT
While Three More in Tax Litigation
Had Not Received Notice Such as
Was Technically Binding.
ALBEMARLE COUNTY SUES
Declares Southern and Chesapeake
and Ohio Assessments Within the
q Limits of That County Are Far I'm
der Proper Valuation.

Three railroads operating in the city
accepted service OF notice OF the suits
against them In the City Circuit Court
and yesterday appeared before Judge
Beverly T. Crump. who sat for Judge
r. Carter Scott, to answer to the suits.
The three roads are the Chesa peake
and Ohio Railway Company, Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac,
and the Virginia Railway and Power
Company.
Because the notice OF suit had not
been served on officers Of the other
roads. against which suits had been
filed. the Atlantic Coast Line. South
ern Railway and Seaboard Air Line
did not answer to the proceedings.
w b. Mciiwa!ne, for the Atlantic
Coast Line, raised the technical point,
which was sustained by Judge Crump.
City Attorney r II Pollard ex-
planned TO the court that the sheriff.
In serving the notices. was forced TO
serve them on the local agents Of the
companies, since. the principal offices
of the roads were not located in the
city. Yesterday afternoon now no.
tees were prepared by the city and
State and they will be served on off,
GERS of the three roads
Large Array of Counsel
There was a large array OF counsel
present when the cases were called,
City Attorney H r. Pollard represent
ed the city and Attorney-General John
Garland Pollard and Assistant Attor-
ney- General Leslie c. Garnett repre-
sented the State.
Eppa Hunton, Jr. appeared for the
Richrn ond fredericksburg and Poto-
mac Railroad; Henry ". Anderson
and A. r Guieon, for the Virginia
Railway and Power Company; W. b
McIlwaine for the Atlantic Coast
Line: Henry r. Wickham. for tho
Chesapeake and Ohio. and W. u Gay
for the Southern Railway Company
r. Randolph Williams. representing
the Seaboard Air line. was present.
but did not enter an appearance for
that company. Comronwealth's At
torney George f. Wise was present
In the court.
Taxes on additional values Of the
real estate OF the six roads. amount
ing to ss.Ss317e. is asked for by the
CITY and State. IL being claimed that
the assessments placed by the State
Commission were made
auate TO that amount. An increase IN
assessments on the trackage of the
roads is also asked b. the petitioners.
Suits have also been instituted in
the City Circuit Court by the board
Of supervisors of Albemarle County
against the Southern Railway Com
pany and the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway. the supervisors claiming that
the railroads should be taxed on ST..
44o.4ass6 of their property, on which
no revenues are being paid into the
State treasury.
The declaration states that the
Chesapeake and Ohio operated $3.50
miles Of track In the county. that the
property value as returned by the
state Corporation Commission Is
sf1Sl64 instead of Sl,Ns4,6 5s.ss
which the supervisors claim is the
proper amount. This makes a DIFF
n ference OF $3l1s4a.66.
The Southern Railway, they assert
operates 81 % miles of track. The
value of the property as estimated by
the State Corporation Commission Is
s427.035 instead of 1856 600, a diff
ference Of sl.l2s.965.