The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-17
ST. LOUIS COUNTY MINE OWNERS
BEAR THEIR SHARE OF
TAXES.
WORK or THE STATE AUDITOR.
HIS INDUSTRY RAISED THE RE-
CEIPTs FROM $4,000 TO
100000.
THAT VESSEL TONNAGE LAW.
Mr.. Dunn says THAT 1t Did Not Meet
With His Approval, but 1t
Passed

OtdlS AQullOT Dunn, ike a great
many other people in the state, con-
dennis the act of the last Legislature
releasing all vessel property, except
that engaged in commerce within the
state, from all taxation except cents
ton of the vessels registered tom
mage. Mr.. Dunn says that when the
bill was introduced in the Legislature
1t was regarded with disfavor by those
who believed that the state would get
all the worst of it by the enactment Of
such law. Still it was passed, and
the result is that the state gets little
or no revenue from this source, which
ought to be productive of some assist
ance to the state at least.
Mr. Dunn was convinced some
months ago that owners of mines in
St Louis county were escaping from
their just share of the burden Of taxa
ton through the law Of 1881 which
provided for the release from all taxa
ton except one cent ton on the ore
mined and shipped. He set about
bringing about a change, and the re-
suit is that mine owners have had RI
toe the scratch this year In April of
this year Mr.. Dunn addressed a letter
OF inquiry to Attorney General Cnilds
mine owners were being taxed, and
concluded by asking the attorney gen
eral the following:
VIII you kindly inform me if. in YOUR onin
lon, chapter 54, General Laws, extra session
1881, is IN accord with section l. article 8. of
the constitution.
Gen. Childs replied that it was not
in accord with the constitution and
then Mr.. Dunn began business. He
wrote to .. Holden, auditor of St Louis
county, under date of May 20, as fol-
lows:
| inclose herewith a. copy of the opinion Of
attorney General Childs, in which he takes
the view that the law providing for the pay
ment OF mining companies of Tie tax of l
cent ton in lieu of all other taxes is in con-
met with the constitution You are according
iy hereby directed to place all property both
real and personal belonging to mining com
panles upon the rolls of your county to
De assessed and taxed according to its fair
cash value, to be treated and regarded in
all respects the same property of other
corporations or individuals.
The result was that the companies
were placed on the assessment rolls Of
st. Louis county as valued at 1884. 575.
MI. Dunn, when advised of this yalu-
alton, wrote the following to Dudley
A. Freeman, who is the agent of the
auditor to look after the states min
ing interest.
l note with interest the marked comics of
the range papers, which 1 presume you for
WaFdeI TO me. | had hoped that the local
assessor would see to it that mines and min
efaI property were fairly assessed just the
same as other property is assessed but if the
papers state facts | am doomed to disap-
po1ntment. l sincerely trust that the county
BOARD OF equalization will rectify any mis-
takes made by the local assessors and local
boards OF review. If any property has been
omitted from the assessment lists T hone the
county board will see that it is entered IN
tue assessment lists, and if any property has
peen undervalued, hope the county board
VIII place fair valuation upon II IF tha
local board and county board fail to do their
uuty, 1 snail certainly use every endeayor to
have the state board Of equalization do its
duty. There Is no desire on my part to do an
ilnJustIce to the owners of mineral lands. 1
nave no feeilng whatever in the matter nv
sole desire is to see that every dollars
worth OF real and personal property in
t the MN mining regions and everywhere else in
the state bears its Just proportion of the bur
dens OF taxation care not what the papers
may may say, especially the Duluth papers for
d drgy nave treated me unfairly will do my
uuty as understand 1t, no matter who is
pleased or dlspleased l wish you would pre-
pare me list of the mining properties under
assessed, and be particular as to descrip-
The result of this communication
winch Mr. Freeman took good care was
read by those most Interested was that
the owners of mines and mining prom
ertles came in themselves and reported
the value Of their property to he
9l,oOo,ooo more than the amount the st.
Louis county assessor fixed it at or. to
pc accurate, reported that the proper-
" cash value was 50, 422, 638, and this
was raised 30 per cent by the county
board to the sum of Sc, lag. 348. The re-.
suit is that instead Of having "a nav
70 81. Louis county for taxes about
$4,000 as heretofore, the mine owners
this year will contribute $12O.OOO The
state, as matter of fact, profits little
by the change, but the owners of mines
are compelled to share the taxation in
the county where they are located the