The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-25
STATE JOINS CITY N
RAILROAD Gases
COMPANIES
INVOLVED
Valuation Of Property Bv
Corporation Commission Held To
Axxricvc State-Some Talk of Conn
promise In the Air.

simultaneously with similar action
by the city Of Richmond, the Com
monwealth OF Virginia, through the
Attorney General, John Garland Pol
lard. will today file In the City Circuit
Court of Richmond, suits against six
railroads operating In the city. APP
pealing from the assessments OK the
State Corporation Commission. and
declaring them and the ascertainment
OF taxes insufficient. The suits are In
all respects identical to the RELIEF
sought by the city.
The railroads against which the
State will bring action are the South
EN- Railway. Richmond. Fredericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad. Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railway. Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad. Seaboard Air
Line and the Virginia Railway and
Power Company. Notices Will be
served on the railroads this morning.
In the petition to BE- nled bsfore
Judge r. Carter Scott OF the Circuit
Court the State represents that It 10
agsrieved by the Assessments and as
certainments made by the State Cor
poration Commission Of the value OF
the property Of the railroads located
within the territorial limits Of the city
OF Richmond and upon which the
Commonwealth Of Virginia IL entitled
to assess taxes for the year 1915.
Had Received No Notice.
The attorney-ge further states
in the petition that he has just been
notified Of the fact that the real es-
tate and tangible property of the
roads have been greatly undervalued
and underassessed for the taxes paid
for this year. and further represents
that no certified copy OF the assess
ments and entertainments OF taxes
against the railroads have ever been
received by him. the first knowledge
Of this being gained through the &C
ton Of the officials OF the city OF
Richmond. who are fling with the
court a petition asking for relief from
the underaSsessments OF the State Cor
poraTion Come1fssion-
Mr. Pollard states that II IL the
desire OF the State 20 unite with the
city OF Richmond in appealing from
the said assessments and ascertain
ments Of taxes upon the valuation
fixed by the State Corporation Com
mission. and says that the assessments
and ascertsinment of taxes due by
the corporations TO the Commonwealth
OF Virginia upon the valuation hxed
by the commission are insufficient and
should be increased.
-
complaint fully set forth in the petit
ton filed by the city of Richmond
before the court, and while these
grounds are not carried IN the State 3
petition TO the court. Mr.. Pollard de-
clares that they are adopted as spe-
officially and emphatically as II the
same were therein Incorporated.
The petition asks that each road
be made q party defendant In the
action. and in addition TO the present
assessments being declared insufficient
and accordingly increased. 1t also re-
quests -other. further and general re-
lief in the premises as the nature OF
the case requires or TO the court may
seem meet" The petition Is signed
by John Garland Pollard, as attorney
general and Leslie c. Garnett. as
sistant attorney-general, both for the
Commonwealth OF Virginia.
May Seek Cnznpronisc.
This double action of the city and
state In expected to draw greater OPP
position from the SIX railroads at
fected by the petition, and an ex-
tended legal fight will be waged. II
Is believed. however. that the rail-
roads will seek to arrange with both
the city and state for an increase In
the assessments
When the assessments OF the rail.
road property all over the State was
made by the State Corporation Com
mission during October. notice was
served to all OF the roads OF the con-
templated action by the commission.
and the corporations were requested
to appear before that body and pre-.
sent any complaints or reasons why
any changes should or should not DO
made IN the assessments
None OF the larger roads In tho
State answered the call Of the Cor.
poration Commission. % that body
placed a valuation on the properties
of the roads which brought about
$500, 600 additional taxes to the state.