The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-10-05

on the Arguments
Brought Forth
BY THE CONTENDING SECTIONS.
That the ranges and county divis-
ion are beginning to attract some
attention in Duluth is evidenced by
the following concise argument and
statement of fact written by prom
inent gentleman of the Zenith City
which came into the hands of The
Enterprise through the courtesy of
of Attorney Bonham, of Eveleth.
The arguments and points con-
tanned are the same as those which
formed the basis and much of the
body of circular issued from the
Eveleth Star office yesterday, which
was reluctantly read by Editor
Bowling at the county division
meeting at the Fay Opera House
last evening, Mr.. Dowling's innate
modesty prompting preliminary
remark that he did not really like
the idea of "reading his own stuff"
The article is filled with facts,
figures and logic and is worthy of
Perusal by every range voter, even
though it was not a range editor
who collected and put the matter
into the readable form in which it
is herewith presented:
Some Arguments Used in Duluth
against County Division.
1st. A new court house is needed.
The estimated cost will probab bly, be
$25O,OOOI but the actual cost will
reach half a million. Division should
not take place until the courthouse
is completed and paid for, so that
the ranges can be taxed for due
proportion of it, as they have had
the benefit of the use of the old one
for good many years.
End. The bonded indebtedness of
the county of St. Louis is at present
$641 900. The assessed valuation of
Duluth, as turned in by the county
board, was about $27,OOOOOO. That
was reduced by the state board
about $2,7oO,OO0. The county board
this year raised the assessed valua-
ton of the mines about ten per cent
and the state board has increased
that 2212 per cent, 50 that the valua-
ton of the mines and other prop
erty on the ranges has been increas-
ed about the same amount that the
valuation of the city of Duluth has
been decreased. If equally good
work should be done by the assess
ors for few years, the assessed val
uation of the ranges will equal that
of the city of Duluth; then if the
county is divided the ranges will
get the burden of one-half of the
bonded Indebtedness. To Duluth
man that looks to be about right.
AS the matter stands on the present
valuation, if division takes place,
Duluth would have to pay about $26
every time the ranges paid $12 of
the bonded indebtedness, but it is
hoped if county division can be
staved off few years the matter can
be evened up by adding to the range
valuations and looping off a few
millions from the Duluth valuation.
3rd. The Duluth man says, "Sup-
pose it does cost SEQ to bring a man
down from Ely to sit on jury. He
pays out one-half of it for board and
lodging and the other half for goods
before he goes home. Thus Duluth
is benefited and the county pays
the BILL"
4th. The fact that St. Louis coun-
ty is the largest one in the state, and
the wealthiest one, including the
valuation of the mines, adds import
ance to the city of Duluth.
5th. In the past taxes upon Du-
luth property have not been paid
with as much promptness as taxes
upon range property. After large
amount became delinquent the for.
feited tax law was passed, 80 that
an opportunity was furnished the
owner to buy in his property for the
amount of the state taxes, thus es.
Gaping the original city and county
taxes. In the meantime taxes col.
lected from the ranges kept up the
necessary. county expenses, and a
large number of Duluth residents
were benefited. There is no reason
why that cannot be repeated every
few years, so as to get the great
bn1k of the taxes for county purpos.
es out of the ranges.
9th. The large republican vote on
the ranges is very useful once in
two years. By means of it large
number of very worthy Duluth gen.
tlen1en are enabled to secure county