The copper era., 1906-05-17
new ASSESSED VALUES
OF MINING PROPERTIES.
Arizona Copper Co. Leads off NTH
Liberal Returns Others to Follow.

during that time had several inter
views with the officials of the Ari-
Kona Copper company, which resulted
in his receiving the returns of the
company Tuesday evening properly
made out and sworn to, the total of
which amounted to 81, 002, 1866. In
reaching this result there was no
compromise with the assessor, as it
was practically the amount of his as
sessment against the company. How
ever, the matter was arranged in a
pleasant and satisfactory manner,
and the company should be given
credit for the first of the big COM
panies to voluntarily return their
properties at what the assessor con-
siders a fair valuation. The return
of the same company for last year
was 1899, 1866, which at that time
was in harmony with the assessment
of other big mining companies of the
territory. In fact it was far more
than most of them returned on the
same class of property. This year
they returned one mine at S250,000,
four at 100000 each, six at S75, 900
each, two at $50, 200 each, one at $780,,
900 and others all the way down to
$1,000. This return was d little
higher than the amount the assessor
raised the company's return to last
year.
After the A. c. company had made
their return, Mr.. BirdnO called on
Manager Bonnie, of the Shannon
Copper company, who made return
of 1925, 500, which was exactly in
harmony with the return of the A.
G. company, though it is but little
higher than the amount upon which
the company paid last year. This is
for the reason that the assessor
raised the Shannon last year, along
with the Arizona Copper company
and the Detroit Copper company, but
the board of equalizers, who reduced
the raises of the last two companies,
failed to reduce the Shannon, and it
therefore had to stand for the raise.
Mr.. Birduo is now awaiting the re-
turn of Manager Mills of the De-
troit Copper company. and after
having these two returns in hand he
expects to have no trouble in seCur-
ing a return from that company in
proportion with the other two CON-
panieS. This, the assessor estimates,
will be about 81, ISL, 100, which will
swell the grand total returns for the
county to more than 81 100000, and
will reduce the tax rate of the
county from about four to two per
cent.
Mr.. Birdno lost no time in advising
other assessors of the territory of
the results he had achieved in this
county, and it is therefore to be eX
pected that the returns of all other
big companies will be returned to
correspond with these figures, which
will increase the taxable wealth of
the territory from mining COM
,asl Ill
lions. Now if the territorial board
of equalization will put a fair value
upon railroad property there will be
still further increase of a like
amount, making the total values for
the territory close to 800, 1000 900.
This, of course would greatly reduce
the territorial tax rate.
Mr.. Birdno has also been instru-
mental in having the county provide
maps of the various townships, from
which he has been able to discover
vast amount of property that was
not heretofore on the tax rolls,
which, with the additional values
which should be added to the rail
roads will doubtless bring the total
value of taxable property in this
county up to about $4,000, 900, which
is almost double what it was last
year.
Yes, dear Major, the ERA is printed
in basement, which has at least
one advantage. The editors ear is so
close to the ground that he can catch
the slightest sound wave of any news
item happening in any part of the
county. This is doubtless one of the
reasons why the ERA furnishes more
news than all of the other pa perS in
the county combined.
The editor of the Herald seems to
be worrying a good deal of late be-
cause republicans are not announC-
ing for the various offices. With the
republicans it is the office that seeks
the man, and not the man the office.
When the time comes the republic
cans will select their ticket, and it
will be composed of the strongest and
best men in the county, and then
they will make an interesting and
aggressive campaign.
1t seems that the representatives
of the First National Bank are at
tracing great deal of attention of
late. 1t will be remembered that
Riley recently made a reputa ton on
his ''eagle" eye, and now Mr.. Greer
has startled the camp by setting fire
to the forests in the Garfield coun-
try. G. A. Van Dorm, of the ella
Valley Bank, is alleged to be an &C
complete, either after or before the
fact, and when questioned he gave
an evasive answer, but finally ad-
mitted that they chad hot old time. -
Clifton is now being visited by sew
eral forest rangers, and it is possible
that there will be something doing
in financial circles in the near future.
Joe Billigsley, of the firm of Bill
Kingsley & Webster, was delivering
some goods in the neighborhood of
Whipple's dairy one day this week
when he met with an accident that
might have been quite serious. He
was coming down the steep grade at
the railroad track when. then deliv-
cry wagon became overbalanced and
fell over the horses heels. Joe tried
to jump, but his boot got caught.
The horse became frightened and
started to run. Things were inter
esting for Joe for a few minutes, but