The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-09-18
Tax all Settled.

hysterical excitement over the
assessment of the Edward Hines
Lumber Company, and the work OF
the Boardof Review. For years the
A. A. Bigelow concern were given
the benefit of concessions in mat
ter of taxes, and the same people
who are so loud now in condemning
the Board of Review for cutting
down the Hines taxes, upheld the
Boards that slashed the life out OF
the Bigelow's. THE TIMES does not
defend tax lodging, and we believe
that the Hines people are getting off
too easily, but when compared with
the Bigelow S there is not great
deal of difference in the two. The
Hines cut on taxes was made upon a
tpye- written statement of the COM
pany, giving schedules of lands,
which the Board should have known
before adopting the figures, were
right. If they did not know this it
was not the fault of the Hines, but
of the Board The assessment of the
Bigelow's last year was approximate
-ly $500, 900. The Bigelow's were
assessed $125, 900 this year for lum-
Der they had here. The Bigelow cut
over lands were also valued at about
$40, 0000 The Bigelows cut So, 900
coo feet Of timber last year, mostly
in the townsof Washburn reducing
taxable property something like 1925
600. Taking these items into consid-
Grafton, and it really does appear
that the Hines people are paying
very nearly in the same proportion
that Bigelow S paid. In addition to
the above figures it should be noted
that the Hines people had property
above what appears ia the compari- |
son of about $4,000, which would
add that much to the tax theyeshould
pay. On top of all this the Hines
people have given right of way and
harbor frontage for the Northern
Pacific railroad, fer which the town
will receive several thousand dollars
in actual money. The value of this
frontage is hard TO determine, but it
was so valuable that the Bigelow con-
Germ of whom Hines purchased on a
protested against deeds be-
inc issued to enable Washburn to
secure the Northern Pacific railroad,
and it is arthoritively said that be-
fore Mr.. Edward Hines could induce
the Bigelow's to sign a deed with him |
to the property that be was Obliged /
to make an additional advance pay
ment Of many thousands of dollars
on his contract. Bigelow s, who |
have always been upheld as such
great people actually tried to pre-
vent the turning over of the frontage
to the Northern Pacific, and without |
that frontage the Northern Pacific |
would perhaps never have come here
aud the Battle Axe track would like
ly have been on the scrap heap by |
this time. While The TINES believes
that the Edward Hines Company are
not paying enough taxes here this
year, still at the same time fair
shows that they are do
ing iustas well as their predecessors,
the Bigelow's. The company has
shown very friendly spirit towards
Washburn in many ways, and they
ought to be well treated. Unfortu-
nately for the Company the work of
Robert Shields, the West Superior
has been charged up
against them, and has prejudiced
people somewhat against the com
pany. However it will be interest,"
ing to the people of WashburL to
know that the Hines people disclaim
absolutely the authority OF Shield to
speak for them, and the appearance
Of this man in political affairs here
recently was on his own responsible
ity. and not at the instigat ion of
Mr.. Hines or any of his associates.
The litigation over the Hines mat
ter has all been dropped, and peace
eternal once more reigns supreme.
Meanwhile the Hines company is
running their own saw mill, and the
Akeley & Sprague mill as we'll, and
IS the means of giving employment
to larger number of men than any
other institution which has ever
operated here.