The Ely miner., 1900-10-26

and goes to show in a large measure
how county division is looked upon in
this city:
Ely. Mimi. Oct. "A, 1900.
EDITOR MINER
The citizens of Ely had an oppor-
tunity Monday evening of this week,
10 listen TO the arguments OF our
neighbors from the Mesaba range in
favor OF county division. While their
main arguments were more generally
statements as TO the advantages of
having an opportunity to hold Office
and receive d salary from the new
| proposed county treasury. they saw
fit to deal some in figures, which We're
not all as justified by the facts 1t
was stated that the valuation for 1899,
! for the city of Duluth was $4,000. 600
and that that amount had been re-
duced 1900, 900, however. the facts are
the valuation for 1899 is S26, Is. OBS
with the reduction would leave as
much as they represented it TO be in
1899
Again by inference at least they
would have US to think that the
balance of valuation is ehargaeble to
the proposed new county, as though
the vast territory of seTenty-fVe miles
we heard about had no assessed Eaiu-
alton, and none attached after we
left Duluth until we reached the
southern boundary OF the proposed new
County. Now the facts are as certified
by the County Auditor of the county
under date of Jan. lst 1900. in the tax
notice printed by him, that the total
taxes of the county for all purposes
fo1 the year 1899 were 1858, ,0S6.0I of
which amount the city Of Duluth
pays 1851 ,359. 81, leaving the difference
of S3O1, ,729 05 for the balance of the
county to pay, something less than
one-third.
After making a careful estimate
which may be had by reference to the
tax notice referred to, we find that
the .otal taxes paid including taxes
on taxable property in unorganiZed
towns in the proposed new county are
aboH. 500, 900 for the year 1899. or
ahouU two thirds of the total outside
of Duluth, which has 1913, 900 in
round numbers. If the voters will
look further into the tax notice state
ment they will find of the total taxes
paid fer the whole county that only
the sum of S125, ,405 7s are for county
purposes which are apportioned equal
ly throughout tie county according to
the valuation. Our portion or that of
the proposed new county on that
basis. would be in round numbers
about S35. 900 as against $4,000 for
the remainder of the county. Any
division made would not affect any
OF taxes except as to county levy, and
rate of levy on the taxable valuation
so that the amount of county taxes
are really the only taxes in issue in
this division question.
They tell us our valuation is going
up and Duluth has gone down. That
is no reason that it viii continue so,
as to Duluth in fact the valuation
has gone about as far down as it can
and hold their valuation sufficient TO
keep their bonds good, and with all
the adran tages that Duluth will re-
ceiTe in the future, il the ranges do
not wrench it away from them and
which if sufficient to make US great
| if we divide seems as though with
| the other advantages that are daily
| increasing. assist Duluth in holding
her own and possibly increase little
after we continue TO relieve ourselves
of our great wealth for her benefit for
a few years
We are further Informed that there
are about two hundred persons pulling
at the public pap. in the way OF salar-
les in this county, and argue that be-
cause as IS. 5.000 of the people are pay
ing as their share OF the whole county
tax to support them, the great sum oi
S35. 900 while the city of Duluth ac-
lcording to their own argument having
population Of $4,000, and possibly
$4,000, is paying the other 10000 we
are bearing the burdens and they arr
getting all the pap. That we should
have another set of officers because
: one dollar each for Inhabitants OF TIT
proposed new county to pay as against
Duluth Inhabitants at s1-50 each j.
. an outrage on the range people.
! One proposition urged is that tht
: only thing we are after now is divis
: ion, permanent settlement of tn
county seat can be looked after in twi
years from now- The law does NO
make the place that may be named il
case of division the temporary count.
seat in the sense that it will come u.
for settlement at the next election
two years from BOW as i matter Q
: fact unless the people bring il Qp by