The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-26
LEVY IS RAISED.

d perfect success
LEVY IS RAISED.
Perceiving the urgent need of it the
people decided to levy the necessary
taxes In spite of the law, and therefore
the levy was raised The residents paid
it cheerfully, but the lumber barons
claiming that the levy was Illegal. be-
caused it surpassed the limit fixed by
law, refused to contribute their proper
ton of the taxes and have paid nothing
since 1897. In this they were upheld In a
decision rendered by Judge McClanna-
han, Feb. Ii, in a suit brought by the
county against T. B. Walker, Walker &c
Akeley, and the Red River Lumber COM
pany to enforce the collection of 1898 tax
es. The judge held that the taxes levied
in the county for the past three years
were Illegally assessed and were invalid
thus putting a stop to the collection of
revenue.
To give some adequate idea of the con-
ditions of Beltrami county it will be nee
essary to quote an array of figures.
The present size of the county in pop
ulation is 11,G30. Since the Great North
ern's Foston line has been constructed
Bemidii, the capital of this frontier sec
ton, has grown to a town Of 21SO in
habitants. The total valuation Of the
county is placed at So, 900, 600. Under the
valuation of 1899 the state taxes amount
ed to over $4,000 and the state school tax
to about $6,G00 which left less than S., 900
for the expenses of the county and local
school taxes. The total salaries of the
county amount to $500, and the district
court costs $1,000 a year. the Justices
courts $1,000, and the Office supplies $1,000
per year. To offset these amounts the
total revenues in collections of all kinds
for the county in four years have
amounted to but $4,000 Little calcula-
ton is necessary to find out just where
this places the county
AS has already been said, there is now
$4,000 outstanding in deliquent taxes
which will not be paid under the decis-
ion of Judge McC1ananhan. In giving
his decision the judge appended memo
randum, in which he held that he would
have liked to render a different decision,
but it was impossible. He held that the
restrictions imposed upon the county
were unjust, and that the matter should
be brought to the attention of the legis-
lature before adequate relief could be
gained or expected.
PRISONERS MUST GO HUNGRY.
To some extent the gravity of Bel
tramfs predicament may be realized
when it is known that there are eight
prisoners in the county jail for whom
sufficient provisions cannot be obtained
Sheriff Bailey says he will be forced to
release his wards unless relief comes
soon. He has firewood for only four
days more, and, as his salary has ceased,
he does not feel inclined to advance the
necessary money from his own pockets.
The law by which he could set these poor
creatures free does not seem any clearer
to the sheriff than do the means of pro-
viding them with food and warmth
There Is no money on hand to keep the
schools in operation, and this presents
another serious side. The county would
gladly issue warrants on the county
treasurer for expenses, but no one would
honor the warrants There are already
S2S,C00 in outstanding warrants which will
not pass anywhere. The county auditor
and treasurer have closed their Offices.
To add to the crisis the jurors drawn to
serve at the ensuing term of district
court have refused to act because of a
dearth of finances.
In order that the awful condition of
affairs may be remedied a delegation of
Beltrami citizens has come down to St.
Paul to present their case to the legisIa-
ture. 1t is a little unfortunate that the
county has no resident member in either
house. Senator Myran, of Norman coun-
ty, represents it in the senate, and Rep
resentative Rapp, of Red Lake county,
in the house. Among those who are here
are the following from Bemidji:
A. P. White, cashier Of the First Ma
tional bank; W. F. Street, county attor-
ney; Thomas Bailey. sheriff; DR.. u. B.
Newman, county physician; c.. w. Speel
man, clerk of courts; J. H Hammer.
county auditor; w. Wesley Wright, chair
man of the county board; F. E. Dudley,
president of the village council Thomas
Tweet. G. e. Carson. They will urge on
the legislature the passage of three bills.
The first bill has already been intro
duced by Senator Mccarthy. of Grand
Rapids It removes the restrictions i'm
posed by the act of 1899, and puts the
counties of Beltranli and Cass on the
same footing as other counties of the
state. A second bill will be introduced,
validating the tax assessments of the
past three years, which have been made
in excess of the limit allowed by law A
third bill will validate all county orders
issued in excess of the limit.
Cass county has not been greatly ham,
pered by the law. 1t has not SO large
a population or valuation and has not
greatly exceeded the limit of the law
The senate judiciary committee will
probably grant a hearing to Senator Nc
Carthys bill today and recommend 1t to
pass. The other measures needed will be
pushed as rapidly as possible.