The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-04
THAT MAY BE THE BASIS OF TAX
ING THE VERMILLION AND
MISCABE MINES.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY OFFICIALS
HAVE PAID A VISIT TO THE
NORTHERN PENINSULA TO
STUDY 1T.
TAXATION OF LAKE ORE FLEETS
VIII Add $2,O0O,OO0 or More to Du-
Iuth's Personal Property Vulu-
alton This Year.

Within a few weeks, the officials OF
the counties in which there are iron
mines will be called upon to return
to the state board of equalization their
valuations of the mines. st. Louis
county has the bulk of the property
and information received by the state
auditor is to the effect that the Duluth
officials are now preparing their valu-
ations, although they have not as yet
absolutely determined upon the course
which they will pursue.
Auditor Halden, of St. Louis county,
ard H. T. Dinham, one of the county
commissioners. have returned from a
visit to Negaunee which is in the heart
of the mining district in the Northern
peninsula of Michigan, where they have
been making INJURY into the plan in
vogue there for determining the assess
able valuation of mining properly.
Under the old law, which was re-
pealed at the legislative session last
winter. the mines paid to the state a
tax of l cent ton on ore actually
mined, and the county's share of this
revenue was almost infinitesimal. The
repeal of this tax, which had been as
sumed to take the place of all other
taxes, is interpreted by the attorneys
of the state to throw upon the officials
of the state the burden of valuing an
nualIy, this property, and then assess
ing it on the basis of all other property
This course will add materially to the
taxable valuation of the state, and es-
pecially so to the valuation of st. Louis
county, and the Duluth people are much
interested in the securing of a plan of
arriving at the value of mine which
shall not violate the constitutional pro-
vision that all the burdens Of taxation
shall be equitably divided. The mine
owners claim that the mine can not
be assessed for what has been taken
cut of it, and also contend that what
is left in it can not be definitely de-
termined except by the actual operation
of the mine. They will therefore argue
that the valuations made by the local
assessors and boards Of equalization are
purely arbitrary. The Duluth officials
report, however, that the Michigan Off
Gals have solved the problem, and have
succeeded in so regulating the assess
ments that not only the people at large,
but the owners of the mines profess to
find it no more irksome than the old
tonnage tax, which was formerly in
vogue in Michigan also.
Another advantage which st. Louis
county looks for from the new system
is that the mining companies owning
lake fleets must list their boats in the
counties in which their mines are stu
ated. The fleets of the Minnesota Iron
company and the Bessemer feet of John
d. Rockefeller, are expected alone to
add 100000 to the assessable valua
ton of personal property in st. Louis
county.
One of the arguments that was used
against the passage of the repeal was
that it would leave the taxpayers help
less, as the mining companies would
corrupt the officers upon whomdevolved
the labor of the assessments. In or
der to prevent this, however, the legis-
lature clinched the matter by giving
the state board of equalization full
power to raise the assessment of any
corporation which it deemed too small.
1t must grant the concern thus to be
raised hearing, but it's power there
after is absolute, if it desires to in
crease the assessment. The board,
however, is not allowed to make any
reduction.