The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-01-08
RoHREn ASA cOUNTYA 11'ORNEY
IAe-1fill aIas--Why IS 1t not CollectedY'
-Why the Farmers must pay such

The 1fill 4Iax--.Why IS It. not Collected
i. --Why the Farmers must pay such
High 1a1es.
:, When Dan Rol,rer was up as can
didate for County Attorney lie remark
ed that if elected lie would collect the
tax against the Okabena Mill in twen-
ty-four hours. He has been County
Attorney now for one year and has
made no effort that any one knows of
to collect the tax. Let lis look at the
history of the matter little so that the
farmers may see why they pay such
high taxes and how u man whom they
elected to office does his duty:
In the fall of 1875, the Okabena Mill
in Worthinyton, was soll for the taxes
of 1874. and bid in by the State for
$7S4.77, the amount due for taxes and
costs. Proceedings in court were i'll
stituted by g. z. Sutton through
Rohrer, his attorney, to set aside this
tax Oh the ground of irregularities of
the taxing officers, and Judge Dickin-
son, by al order dated Feb. II, 1876,
denied the motion and affirmed the tax.
From this decision of Judge dickinson,
kolrer appealed, as usual, to the STU
preme Court and in Feb, 1877, that APP
peal was dismissed, and Rohrer was
beaten as is usual when lie appeals to
the Supreme Court. The tax therefore
remained III full force, and bore inter-
est at the rate of two per cent. per
month, which ut the present time
would amount in all, for that year to
over 81, 500.
The tax of 1875 on the mill property
was $So7 So, and on account of Il de-
feet in the description was set aside by
judgment Of Court dated Sept. a, 1877.
On account OF this defect, under the
tax law, the taxing officers are en-
powered to enforce such lax in SUBJ
sequent year, so that the property shall
not escape taxation from such defective
description. This was done and there
fore TIE $S07. Sc, with ten per cent ill
terest, also became tax lien on the
property, and would now amount to
about $1,000.
The tax on this property for the years
1876, 1877, 1873 and 1879 could not he
much less than that of 1874, and would
now amount to not less than $4,000.
From this it will he. seen THAT the to-
tai tax unpaid Oh the mill is ut least
$1,000.
We understand on inquiry that there
has been no redemption from these
taxes and no assignment by the State
of the rights acquired under tax judy
ments and sales, and therefore the IT,
tie is apparently absolute and confirmed
in the State.
This valuable property is now leased
Ivy 4. L. Drake, who claims to he the
owner, to Lowe Il Anderson, and Mr..
Drake is receiving the rents and no e.
fort is being made to collect from such
rents the taxes due nor to take control
of the mill. Practically it is held and
run as free from all taxes us though it
were railroad land.
County Attorney Rollrer was attor-
ney for q. Z. Sutton in Ills proceedings
to get rid Of these taxes and We undcr-
stand that he is now riding oyer the st.
Paul & Sioux City road Oh Il pass, illdi-
eating that he is an attorney for the
road. Whether he will appear for the
road, OF her for it's President, in CT.
the collection of the tax is further re-
sisted, we cannot SAY, but it appears
that he has decided not to DO his duty
as County Attorney and enforce tie
collection Of the tax.
The statute plainly provides tor c; l.
Letting taxes in such il case from t
rents. No wonder the tax"s Of the
farmers are so high when the tax #
nearly $4,000 against heavy concern
like the mill goes uncollrctrd through
tie ne: lcct OF i. County officer to do lis
duty.
The salary of the C"un' y Attorney WIS
raised 500 w|,rn tnhrcr came in, and
the office has been for the past year
practicallya sinecure. for Rohrer has
done nothing beyond drawing his SAL
ary and giving advice occasionally to
the detrimert Of tho county.
Il CHICAGO PAPER FOK MOTH
ING.