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BAINBRIDGE, DECATUR CO., GEORGIA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, jaoi. ONE UAl.l..' I. A UAi, IN AllVANI K OFFICIAL ORGAN OF DECATUR COUNTY AND OF THE CITY OF BAINBRID6E. secuteliome Industries. duct of the l’o rd Of Couuty uers of Decatur County in on matter of the Georgia, Alabama Railway Co., former- r .,ia Pine, is inexplicable, un- W rd was absolutely dominated te and prejudice of some of ers. lu justification of this u , let the critical public con- e facts. .ptroller General of the state Bonds of the G. F. & A. were for taxation purposes, the val- latters property, with every f a satisfactory adjustment County Board of Decatur it side of its prescribed duties, jbstance a written demand on iroller General, that the main (j. F. & A. be assessed at ,usaud ($7000.00) dollars per is demand of the com mission- the arbitration. Otherwise, is, the probability is there je been none. a ptroller General alone under charged with the duty or re tax returns of railro ids. The oimUsioners ha\ e nothing to iis matter whatever. To have as they did was unwarranted luce, to say the least, jre many private parties in the ctably certain members of tne unmissioners themselves, wuo their property at less than its hy did they not go before the isor and object to such returns? ty Commissioner reoeutly pur- iract of land for which he paid e hundred dollars, and this id fur taxes as the Tax Digest $5110.01), and when confronted ivideuce, said that he intended the land ot $2.25 per acre, but Injure was less than one third What an admission! That ity Commissioner*had made a That he had returned his it less than one third of its yet he demanded that rail- ild be assessed at a fictitious twice as much as he a few ifore had put on its stock, by iself a large block of stock at er titty cents on the dollar; 'ards, no longer owning any swore in substance that it was hundred cents on the dollar thou art a jewel. It is au- of 'whose ox is gored’. County Commissioner returns let at $3.00 per acre, for which shows he recently gave icre. admit that the County Com- and others officiala, who jo of the revenues of the lould above all others return irty at its true value, so as to mple to the tax payers. If Is are derelict in this particu- ■ n you expect a strict com- ith the law on the part of oth- inty Commissioners have not ith the assessments of private r taxes, nor have they inter- the assessment of other rail- irporations. ire other railroads in the Coun- the Georgia Florida Sc Alabum ^hy did they not file their ob- ith the Comptroller General as tens? W ere they too big for ickle? Or did they favor them ley are owned bv non-resident ' 0; wer e they predjudiced eGl it A because it was a itutiou and owned by native • W h. did they discriminate? er wouid be interesting, mcial statistics of the railroads »ty clearly prove that thecon- that county commissioner i6 d in the arbitration case, 11 re turn3 of railroads should eh their capitalization, dis- ’ justification of the attack lutle home road. If , here - r uitty on this point, examine •om, e t a . nualre P° rt8 of the tehusston, and that of the mission at Washington D. of iv,? ui % Go., which is he Plant System from Georgia Southern Military College, Bainbridge, Georgia. The Leading Co-Educatioal Military School of South Georgia. I 1 h 0 r f^? ,n,8e8: -^ n « h8h - ClaB8 “ !al » Sug^bSoientific and English-Commercial, f 1^5 will cover all expenses for nine months session. Full and competent Faculty of Eleven Teachers. Literary, Military, Musio, Physical Culture, Commercial, Stenography and Typewriting, Expression and Art Departments SUPERIOR METHODS OF DISCIPLINE AND STUDY AND THE FINE BEARING OF ITS STUDENTS ARE SPECIAL FEATURES OF THIS VIGOROUS YOUNG INSTITUTION. Handsomely illustrated catalogne and full information upon request. Lieut.-Col. JAMES E. DUNN, C. E., President, Bainbridge. Georgia. Bainbridge to Cairo, is assessed for taxa tion on its main line ten thousand dollar per mile, and the main line from Climax to River Junction seven thousand, eight hundred dollars per mile, and the main line of the Alabama Midland Railwav Co., from Bainbridge to near Jakiu at eight thousand dollars per mile. These are objected to by the Plant System, and we see in the papers will again be arbitrated. The writer believes that these assessments are too high, more than the market values of the proper ties, but if the assessment of the G. F. Sc A. is correct, theo they should be as sessed double that much. Why? Mark you, the testifying County Commission er and his assistant witness, basedw their estimate of the value cf G. F. & A. on its capitalization. Apply this rule to the statistics of the other railroads in the County and what is the result? The 8. F. Sc W. is capitalized at $38,- 763.00 per mile, and the G. F. Sc A. at $8750.00 per mile. Now the equation. If $38763.00 per mile, demands $10,000. 00, per mile assessment, what will $8750.- 00 demand?—Answer.—$2,257.00- per mile. ‘ The Alabama Midland Railway Co., is capitalized at $86277.00 per mile, and its assessment is $8000.00 per mile. Now make the same equation with the G. F. Sc A. and its assessment should be $1932.- 00 per mile. If the assessments of the 8. F. Sc. W. and the Alabama Midland are correct, then the assessment of the G F Sc, A. compared with the former should be $2257.00 per mile, and with the latter $1932.00 per mile, Apply another test. The gross earnings per mile of the S. F. A W, are $4,285.54, which is about 11 per cent of its capitalization and the gross earnings of the Alabama Midland are $4,377.87 per mile which is 12 per cent of its capitalization and that of the G. F. A. is $1,517.85 per mile which is 17 percent of its capitali zation. Now form the equations. If II per cent earning* of the 8. F. & W. require an assessment of $1U,UUU per mile what will 17 per cent earn ings of the G. F. A A. require? Answer.-$1,546.00 pe*; mile. If 12 per cent earnings of the Alabama Midland Hy. Co., require an assess- ment of $8,000 per mile, what will 17 per cent earing* of the G.F. & A require? Answer—$2,133.00 per mile. As compared with one road our assessment should have been $1,546.00 per mile and as compared with the $2,133.00 per mile. Our road, the G. F. & A., however, has been assessed at $4,250.00 per mile. In view of these facts, why is it that the County Commissioners pro truded themselves in this case and made objections to the assessments of the G. F. A A.’s property and made no objections to the assess ments ot the other railroads in the county? They run the county to the expense of hiring lawyers to take the evidence ot the enemies of the G. A A. at Bainbridge and even send a lawyer to Atlanta to appear before the Board of Arbitrators. All this is done without warrant of law, and about a matter that did not concern them and that pertained solely to the duties of the Comptroller Gen eral, No objections made to the assessments of the property of pri vate citizens and no other railroad* in the county. Why this discrimi nation? Even-handed justice de mands that all properties and all tax payers be treated alike. The animosities of individuals are expected and not surprising, but when they crystalize into official con duct they are not to be tolerated, Is it jealousy, envy, disappointed averice, or spite, that is poisoning the official mind to the detriment of our countv and city. Surely, it is no secret that t'lese things are very much resented by the stockholders of the G. F. & A. There was an order given to erect at Bainbridge very large and expen sive shop*; this order is now coun termanded, only temporary shops will be built, so that they can be easily moved to Tallahassee or Cutb- bert or some other friendly commun ity. The general offices of the rail road are now located here, for the same reason they will go elsewhere, i this bitter antagonism on the part of our official* does not cease. These things are not said as threats. They are cold facts thit the good people, of our community should consider. While it is true that the friends of the G. F. & A. in this community greatly outnumber its enemies, it is also ttue that they in the past have been passive while its enemies have been very active. We are glad to see that the Bain bridge Board of Trade has taken friendly action in our behalf. We trust the infiueuue of its members will be inch as to assure for us in this community that justice that we have a right to expect. G. F. A A. Stockholder. Georgia Seed Rye and genuine Red Rust Proof Oats, specially adapted to Decatur county soil. Guaranteed the best. For sale by H. G. Draper A Co. Bainbridge, Ga. The Bainbridge Navigation Com pany makes application for charter in this week’s Search Light and while the petition is short, it does not follow that the petitioners them selves arc. On the contrary they are among our enterprising citizens and the success of this undertaking is assured. Genuine Red Rust Proof Seed Toole Bros, haye an ad. in this issue. Bead it. DROVE INTO RIVER, WM. SWORDS DRIVES INTO RIVER--MAt AND HORSE BOTH DROWN. On Friday night of last week Wm. Swords while under the influ ence ot intoxicants drove into the Flint River just below the public bridge uni was drowned together with his horse. When last seen Swords was driving at a reckless rate in the direction ot the river on the above named night, and the follow ing morning his horse and buggy were found lodged against one of the piers of the new bridge of the G. F. & A. liy. Diligent search wvs made tor ’the man, but bis body was not recovered till Tuesday of the present week, when it was discovered by the crew of the Steamer Three States on its up trip. The coroner immediately sum moned a jury and a full investiga tion developed the fact that the man had oome to his death by accidental drowning. At first it was suspected by some that he had been robbed, as it was known that at the time of his disap pearance, he had a considerable sum of money. However when his body was searched $80. was found on his person, a convincing argument that he had not met with foul play. The remaius were interred in the city cemetery Wednesday and it is not probable that they will be mov ed, although bin brother has been m the city investigating his doath. Swords was in the employ of the E reka Medicine Co., and was mak ing headquarters at DonalsonvlUe. He was returning to that place from the eastern portion of the county at time of his death. He is a native of Randolph uounty and his home was in the vicinity of Shellman in that county. STRIKES A RICH Flap. •‘I was troubled for several years with cbionic indigestion and nervous debili- tr.” writes F. J. Green, of Lancaster, N. H., "no remedy helped me until I began using electric bitters, which did me more good than all the me .deities I ever used. They have also kept my in excellent health for years. 8he say electric bit ers are just splendid for le- male troubles; that they are a grai.d tonic and invigorator for weak, run down women. No other medicine can take its place in our family.” Try them Only 6oc. Satisfaction guaranteed by R. L. Hicks. For Rent. Rooms furnished or unfurnished- Apply Mrs. Jane Wilson, Shot well st. IMPORTANT MEETING. QF CITIZENS HELD LAST THURSDAY AT COURT HOUSE. At an important meeting of the citizens of the town called to meet in the Court House on Thursday night last, Hon. John D. Harrell was made Chairman and Mr. F. 'It. Graham, Secretary. The object of the meeting was tersely stated by Mr. J. S. MuRee and oil era, and waa held tor the purpose of entering a vigorous protest against a reported understanding between the Plant System and the Central of Georgia Railways whereby the freight rates and the shipping facilities of the town were greatly to be hindered if not permanently impaired. Addresses were made by a dozen or more of our citizens both pro and con, after wluoh the subtended reso lutions were unanimously passed and ordered turned over to a committee from the Board of Trade to be used in convincing these rail roads of the damage they would bring upon 'he town in onse alleged discriminations were true. A committee from the Board of Trade has been appointed and 1. is hoped that they will be successful in their efforts to reach a satisfactory agreement between the roads and citizens of the town. Under the al leged agreement all shipments to Bainbridge via the G. F. <fc A Ry. would be advanced, in that the Cen tral would charge regular rates to Arlington, which alone is higher than the present Bainbridge rate, plus local freight charges over the G. F. A A. as that road would have to receive some pay for haul., Just hpw far the new departure would effeut Bainbridge and Bain bridge rates of freight cannot bo *een, bin it is not anticipated that the Plant people care to advance their schedule of rates any lime soon. However it seemed to be the the sentiment of the meeting that Bainbridge meruhauts should not be forced thus into exclusive shipment over the Plant System. The committee appointed from the citizens meeting were: Max Nuss- baum, L. F. Patterson, R. B. Rus sell, E. J. Perry and R. G. Haris- fleld. Our readers will be given in due season the outcome of the efforts of these gentlemen. Resolved, That a committee of five representative business men of Bainbridge be appointed to investi gate the alleged proposed discrimi nation of the Central of Georgia Ry and the Plant Sytem and if the facts are as they appear to be, that said committee are hereby authorized to draw up suitable resolutions pio- testing in behalf of/our citizens against disorim nation, and forward them to the proper officers of said Company* through the Board of trade. That said committees be empow ered to takesuch action as they deem proper in the premises in connection with said Board of Trade and also to o ill another meeting of the citizens of Bainbridge to consider said mat ter, if in their judgement they see proper. W ANTE 0—board at good pri vate boarding i oise. “h”, sai# this office. I wish to buy all of your eggs an will give you 20 oents for same. H. B. Brocket.