The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-02-10

while others are really intended by
their authors TO eventually have a
place on the statute books, SAYS the
Duluth Herald
One Of the bills that is just now at
| tracing the attention Of mine owners
and which is TO form leading topic
of discussion at the next meeting of
the Duluth chamber of commerce, is
| the one that provides that the state
board OF equalization and state audit
or shall fix the valuation for taxation
on mining property, taking ii out of
the hands of the local assessors. The
theory OF the author of the bill is that
in st. Louis county, where practically
ali OF the mining property in the state
is located, local assessors are absolute
ly controlled by the mining companies
and that they frequently assess min
ing property at ridiculously low rate
when compared with its actual value,
thus making mining companies to es-
cape large proportion of the public
burden which they ought with Justice
to other taxpayers to carry.
The authorof the bill proposes that
the assessing authority shall be vested
in board removed from the influ-
ences of the great corporations, the
members Of which shall act ifidepend-
emily OF any mercenary motives ia
their official action. and fix a valua-
tion on mines that will be fair to the
mine owners as well as TO the general
public. To accomplish this the bill
provides that the local assessors shall
furnish the state board of equalization
with all requisite information relative
TO the property 10 be assessed aud
that mine owners shall make correct
statements as TO the cost Of producing
ore, freight charges both lake and
rail, and such other information as
the board deems necessary in arriving
at proper estimate OF the value of
property. Failure TO do this on the
part Of the mine owners Is punishable
by commensurate penalty.
The large mine owners on the Mes
aba and Vermilion ranges are opposed
to the bill on general principle, for
they believe that they see in IL an
attempt to impose unjust taxation On
them, and to discriminate against
individuals and corporations as the
within may strike the members of the
board. As the state board OF equal
iZation is the final arbiter on the
question Of assessments, there would
be no appeal from the assessment
which it would originally make, ex-
cept the courts.
William j. Olcott, manager of the
Consolidated companies on the Mes
aba range, said today in an interview
With a reporter for the Evening
Herald. that the bill practically de-
clared that the people Of st. Louis
county were incopetent TO take care
Of their own business and that they
should have outsiders TO attend to il
for them. He believes that the state
board OF equalization is not composed
OF men who by education and e.
perience are fitted to judge OF the
value of mining property as well 40
those who live in mining commnn-
| ity. They would be apt to make the
assessment OF one mine unjustly high
and another unjustly low and the
assessment Of all would be out Of all
proportion when compared with each
other and with other kinds OF taxable
property. Last year, Mr.. Olcott said,
when the state auditor decided that
mining property should be spread on
| the, assessment rolls of st. Louis
county the same as other property,
and that the statute providing for a
specific tax of cent ton was invalid.
The mine owners got together and
decided upon relative basis for the
assessment. The statement 10 the
board of county commissioners. which
was agreed upon at this meeting and
which was afterward signed by all
mine owners, fixed valuation upon
each mine. This valuation was
actually based upon the prospective
output of the respective mines, some
consideration, Of course, being given
to the relative cost of mining in
different properties This statement
was presented 10 the county board
together with such other information