Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-01-03
THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG.
The MarshfeId News Finally Produces Fla.
ures-Paper Mills Assessed too Low.


The News promised to give some as
sessment figures from various points
in the county so that comparisons
might be made. We submit the fol-
lowing:
The Hotel Blodgett appears
upon the tax roll of the city of
MarShfield at valuation of. .S26. 900
This everyone will admit is the
limit.
The Nekoosa paper mill, water
power and adjoining landed in
tereStS appear on the assessors
books of the village of Neko0sa
at. -. ........ -. s25, 900
This plant has been boasted in
the Grand Rapids papers as one
Of the largest and best paper
making plants in the world We
do not remember the exact fig
ures but it was about $50, 900.
so the papers said, that the
company paid for the undevel-
oped water power. And since
then Grand Rapids people have
many times volunteered the
Information that the plant cost
from 81. 200, ,00e to 81 100000.
This is only single illustration, and
we promise there will be more. In the
face of this the REPORTER offers the
insult that "Marshfield came out of
the equalization ordeal with flying
colorS and could hope for no better re-
suits at the hands of an unbia sed
commission. ."-Marshfield News.
This, to use homely old expression,
''lets the cat out of the bag" ani we
readily admit with the News that the
paper mills, or part of them at
least, are assessed too low, but in
saying that the News reaches the ne
plus ultra of it's contention. Further
than this it cannot go with any con-
fidence of maintaining its position for
moment. And admitting the News
last figures to be true, it does not
follow that Marshfield has been dis
criminated against any more than any
other town in the county outside of
the towns in which the paper mills
are located. Grand Rapids, which was
first used in comparison with Marsh
field has only one paper mill, that of
South Centralia, and it is the smallest
in the bunch and was assessed at
SSS,000 But the apportionment of
Grand Rapids was fixed at nearly
100000 more than one-half of It's
assessed valuation, while Marshfield' S
appOrtiOnment is about 100000 less
than One-half its assessed valuation.
no other town in the county in fact
being apportioned at less than half of
it's assessed value.
Isn't this ''coming out of the equal
ization ordeal with colors fying?"
Grand Rapids would so regard it if
the board Of equalization hsl | fixed it's
apportionment at 5000 less instead
of 100000 more than One-half Of it's
assessed value.
If the News means to attack the
assessors in certain towns for not
dong. their duty, well and good, we
have nothing more to say. But to
attack the committee on equalization
Of the board of supervisors and to try
and make the citizens of MarShfield
believe that they have been buncoed
by the board and citizens of the county
seat, is unjust, unfair and cannot be
proved by any records or figures that
the News can quote. Tho county
board cannot re-aSSeSS the
paper mills or any other pieces of
property All it can do is to appor-
tion the tax to be raised between the
towns, and in doing this Marshfield, if
anything, got the best end of the deal.