The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-22

WnOno 0IaIo -Nearly olx-soVonLnS VI the
Property in Nevada Free From Taxa
ton and More Refusing to Pagan
Inside View Of q Mine-Immorality le-
galized-Drunkara-making Helped by Law.
VIRGINIA, New, March II.
THE THUGS OF THE BIG
have a clutch on the throat of the silver
state which they claim is able at any time
to shut off its wind and make of Nevada a
bowling wilderness. True it is that they
over estimate their power, for were they to
withdraw from the state with all the mil
lions they have received thorefrom, five
years hence Nevada would be more wealthy
and prosperous than if they remained, I'M
less another set of vampires should take
their places. When the constitution of
this state was formed its authors, recog-
nizing the fact that our prosperity rust de-
pend upon mining and that millions Il dol
lars were annually expended in sinking
shafts to prospect for the precious metals,
with no return whatever for their outlay,
inserted a clause to the effect that the real
estate of mines should not be taxed, but only
the proceeds, 30 that until ore had been
found and extracted no tax should be
levied on the mine. In 1871 the legisla-
ture passed a law taxing the proceeds Of
the mines according to the pit. provisions
Of the constitution, but, to be as liberal as
possible and shield all mines from taxation
until they were actually productive, the
tax was levied ely on the net proceeds of
the mines, deductipg the cost of extraction,
milling, assaying, marketing, commissions,
etc. The value of the real estate thus con-
st%itutionally exempted from taxation is es-
timated at $3.50. 900, 900, taking the market
price of stocks as a basis. ne gross yield
of these mine, in 1875 was 1886, 224, $50. 90,
only SIT, 409, 400 81 of which was taxed as
net proceeds. As the yield last oar was
over $l4, 600, 900 more than the III before
1t 10 safe to assume that
Sl75 ,OO0, 900 OF MINING PROPERTY
WAS EXEMPTED
from taxation last year, while taxes were
assessed against the small remaining frac-
ton. And yet the two borauza mines, the
California and Consolidated Virginia, have
protested against and refused TO pay the
tax on their gross receipts, claiming that it
is unconstitutional and the matter is in
the courts. The total property paying
taxes outside of the mines is less than
thirty millions. There is a deficit of two
or three hundred thousand dollars In the
state exchequer for the past year and a
prospect OF another this year. And here
are these mines, whose taxes amorl to
only between thirty and forty cents per
share, while the stock sells for from $50 to
500 and pays 1924 per year in dividends
per share, Withholding their taxes, which
are sufficient to rid the state Of its annual
deficit, and hoping to buy up the courts
and get the tax declared unconstitutioal.
A legislature elected On pledges against a
repeal or modification of the law has just
passed a bill assessing the product of these
mines at one-hslf their value, the governor
has vetoed the bill, and the discussion Is
spirited and, On the side of the mines,
wrathy.
DOWN IN A SILVER MINE.
Perhaps the reader of THE GLOBE would
like to take a trip with me down into one
of these mines which are the wonder of the
world. As we approach the hosting.
works we see a good sized brook running
away { wi the hillside from the greaI
building. Where does this water com,
from in this parched up country? Inside
the building the mystery is quickly ex
planned. There is a mammoth pump, max.
ing five, eight or ten strokes per minute
and at each stroke raising a column Of
water ten or twelve inches In diameter two
or three feet. II reminds one of the pumps
used by the Dutch in pumping out thu
HARLEM lake, which raised a column sixty
three inches in diameter ten feet at {
stroke. And frequently these mines are
compelled to stop boisting ore and put or
water-tanks To Lelp out the pumps ant
keep the mine from being flooded. Their,
are enormous bodies of waite stored up be
meath these grand old mountains. / hsv,
known of a body being tapped by Il FORK
men which rushed out into the mine will
such force that the men
BARELY HAD TIME TO ESCAPE WITH THRII
LIVES
before hundreds Of feet in depth wer,
flooded, including miles Of drifts, wines
crosscuts, etc. The Savage mine strucl
water about a year ago and has been pump
ing at 1t ever since. 1t was half a year be
fore any work could be done II any part O.
the NINE. Before we 60 down we mus
change our clothes, for we shall be as wei
as dripping water can make us ere we hav,
been long in the depths. There Is a dress
ing room where We are supplied with shoes
overalls, blouses and hats and we are ready
We step on the cage, touch a spring which
rings q bell, the engineer moves q lever ant
down, down we go, at railroad speed, hug,
cling each other on the cage with an in.
stinciive. fear that some rro,ectlon will
knock the breath out OF us, and send US u
O region lower than the one we wish to In.
spect. Away up above us sits The engineer,
his hand on the lever and bis eye q large
clock like dial, the revolving land or
which tells him just how far down we are,
while the great reel overhead Is unwindine
the wire cable by which We sre susper led,
with lightning speed. 1t is nearly # .
mile to the bottom. What n that cable
should break You say W 90 to the
bottom and be crushed. Wrong This l,
a safety cage. Were the cable TO break the
cage would stop In an instant. wherever II
might chance to be. You feel relieved a,
the thought, do you? Let me tell you, my
friend, you would be but little better of,
tor II the break were far above the cage the
lower part OF the cable would come crash
ing down upon Us and we should be