West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-04-05
THE COAL COMPANIES OWN
The Most Valuable Property In The
State and
THEY SHOULD PAY MORE TAXES
Hon George Q. Baker Of Morgantown,
Writes On the Subject.

The board of public works was to
decide the matter of taxation
equalization by Aprl I. but letter
from one of the members to a Nor
gantown man says that the question
will not be finally settled for a
few days yet. Meantime the fight
for equalization goes merrily on with
Hon. George c. Baker in the van
guard. To-day The Post publishes
the second and last installment of
his reply to the editor OF the FAIR
mont West Virginia.
Under the constitution and laws
of the state the great coal magnates S
must pay on the true and actual
value OF their coal, according to
their reports and returns. If it is
not done, then the very foundation
stones of our law, upon which we
built our state, are ignored, and
the assessments made in Marion
and other counties of the state are
In fact hollow mockeries, mere
shams and devices to cheat and
defraud the farmer and the home
owner, and to force these taxpayers,
who, for all time, have been com.
pelled to bear the great burden of
the taxes to pay on not only their
own assessments, but also to bear
the burdens which should be upon
the shoulders of the great corpora
tions and combines, which are
escaPing taxation.
Not only is the Fairmont Coal
company's property worth its mort.
gage debt of Ss,sa5 900 but it
paid upon the stock of that com
pan S2o6, 100 interest and still had
in the treasury to profit and loss, in
round num- bers, s. 900, 900 for this
past year; or in other words it is
paying a good interest on a sum
equal to ten millions of dollars of
stock, to its stockholders. In other
words, paying almost and 7 10 on
ten millions of stock, based on
coal which they bought from the
farmers at anywhere from $40 to
$40 an acre, on basis of 2s, 900
acres of coal owned or controlled
by the Fairmont Coal company.
Taking into consideration its bonded
indebtedness and stock, it places a
value upon the coal, according to
the company's report, Of many
hundreds of dollars per acre. Yet,
through its attorney, retained by
the year, it seeks to dodge taxes
when the county court of Marion
county would endeavor TO raise the
assessments from tIs to 500 an
acre, only 40 per cent thereon, in
order TO help the great masses of
the people.
When the farmers of Marion
county contemplate the future and
remember the inheritance they will
hand down to their great grandchil-
dTen, and remember the fact that
already The Falrmont Coal company
alone is delying IN under their
farms, in forty distinct mines in
Marion and Harrison counties, an d
that the coal is being mined out so
fast, and that this great wealth in
dividends and interest is being paid
largely to non residents of the
state, and that after the coal is
taken from the mines, their farms,
will, many OF them, fall in (for a
great deal Of the coal is drift coal) ;
and when tney reflect that their
springs and water courses will be
dried up and destroyed and after
their farms are scanned, like the
groundmole delves into the earth
and leaves nothing behind him but
an empty trail and then when they
reflect that all Of this coal was
obtained from them at mere
pittance, and the coal magnates
practically pay no taxes to help
keep up the roads, and to help pay
the Indebtedness Of three hundred