The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-05

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There has been a feeling Of dis
trust throughout the State, akin almoss
to. fear, that the corporations and tu1n.
lNnes in this state under the new law
would be favored by the Board Of Pub
lie Works, or the county officials Of
the state, WHO would simply accept
the returns OF the oil and gas com,
pantes. and that hence no relief wouls,
be brought to the small properly own
.er.
Heretofore, Throughout the State,
when the oil and gas companies made
their returns, until the agitation was
started from Monongalta county In the
last three years. no difference what
returns were made by the oil and gas
companies, being sworn to under the
statute, no question was ever raised as
to whether or not It was tatr and
equitable in comparison to The other
assessed property
The result OF IL was that While the
grant oil and gas companies were rak.
ing from West Virginia the cream Of
Its wealth and practically paying no
taxes-in fact none of its product. ex.
ccnt that owned by the farmer and
land owner, and none upon lis lease
holds the small property o:rrer, in
Guiding the farmer and the home OWN
en-, were paying the. taxes of them.
selves, us we'll as for the great cor.
poratlons and companies, which were
practically escaping. Our %p7rlence
in Monongalfa county has been that
the returns Of these great cor GAMES
are made by irresponsible persons,
and hence the assessments In this
county have been raised in SOME In
stances many times in ordes to.get
the true and actual value OF the oil
and gas in this part Of the State, SO
that the relative value between oil
and gas and farm lands s2ali be
equitable.
In this connection herewith sub
nit a statement of the assessment Of
several of the many oil and gas com
panies doing business in Monongalia
county, for 1906. going to shcw that
the masses Of the people can be as
sured that no favors are to be shown
to these corporations and companies.
and that we. have not taken tag returns
made, for If we did, the same Old bur
den will be on the backs OF The farm,
.er and the small property owner, as
II has been in the past.
The Marion on Company is Il branch
of the STANDARD OIL Company, and has
been drilling for oil aud gas In this
county for twelve OF fifteen years.
During that time il, has taken from
west Virginia millions Of Wealth a1sd.
until last year practically paid no
taxes whatever. For 1905. this clm-
pany returned for taxation in Mon
ongalia county. $GS,75O.St. Realizing
the fact that this was enth ely too low.
from our general knowledge OF Its
business, although 1t and the other
oil companies absolutely refused to
make the return of their production,
/ advised the assessors OF the county
to materially increase the asse ssn1ent
for last year, and accordingly /. was
assessed $122.445.oo, For the year
1906 the assessment has b.eE :ncreas<
Ell for this county to s19s,s7t,Oo.
The South penn Oil Company, anoth,
or branch Of the Standard, has Geen.
producing oil In this county for IF
teen or sixteen years. The develop.
ment this past year has been small.
in comparison to the grea. amount OF
wealth in oil that Has taken out Of
this state each year in the past, md
a.Ihough it was the owne, OF a'most
1--WE hundred oil wells in the county,
I"der its sworn return, 1t oply made a
return for 1906 OF 1892, 3ht so and alb.
solute1y refused to give any knowl-
edge to me as counsel for the coun-
ty. or to the assessors, Sacwins that
they were not making a fair return,
after having been compelled to send
out two. men into the county, to find
out as near as possible the production
of a part of their wel1s, we rafst;d the
assessment for 1905 to $755, 1857 90
For 1906, after having given netice Of
the intention to make this company,
as wen as the other Standard inter.
ests, liable to pains and penalties I'M.
der the statute, we finally secured a
statement showing that this company
was producing, from this .tounty
alone, each day 1s4t3 barrels. Accord.
lngly we raised the assessment fol-
1905 to $1,55S S09.75:
The rate Of assess nant on the West;