The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-03-01
MORE FACTS FOR THE BOARD
OF EQUALIZATION.

We believe it will prove of gen.
rraI interest to the people Of our
county aud may be of some ust
and information to our Board o.
Equalization, to submit the follow.
ing facts, taken from the record,
Of our county:
There is tract of land located
in and near Bonnie Terre Of Gas
acres, of which the st. Joseph
Lead Company owns the under
ground or mineral rights, and the
Bonnie Tefre Farming and Cattle
Co, which by the way is practical
| Is identical with the st. Joseph
Lead Company, owns the surface
rights. This tract is assessed to
! the Bonnie Terre Farming & Cattle
/ Company mt $50 600 the st. Joseph
Lead Company escaping any taxa
ton whatever on the underground
mineral right. If this land were
assessed on the same basis as the
value that general farming land
aud town lots are assessed, it would
not fall below $1,000, 900, for its
value is fabulous.
Besides this, there are buildings
on leased lots on this tract to the
value of probably a half million
dollars or more on which no taxes
are paid. Four or five of these
buildings cost at least $40, 600
each Are these not facts for the
careful consideration of the Board
of Equalization.
The st. Joseph Lead Company
owns 80 acres in Bonnie Terre on
which most of its works are con
structed, such as mills, railroad
shops, etc, and this tract is assess.
ed at $4,000 when 81, OO0, 600
would he more like an equitable
assessment if the rule of assessing
farming lands and town lots were
applied to it; aud just adjoining it
are ID acres with similar proper
ties, assessed at only $3.50, 600,
which the general rule of assessing
would raise to about 81 100000.
The st. Joseph Lead Company
owns $50 acres of land out at
Hoffman, on which is located its
great mill and exceedingly product
i've lead mines, assessed at $780,
600. If this were assessed by the
same rule that individual property
is, it would pay taxes on at least
S. 900, 900. Why should it not
be so assessed
The Federal Lead Company owns
tract of land of $50 acrcs out
here near Flat River on which are
situated two mills and which the
late manager stated under oath
would cost when completed So, 500
600. Besides there is a valuable
lead mine underneath the surface.
All this is assessed AZ 1856, 900.
Sc, 900, 900 under the rule of assess
ing individual property, would be
moderate. Why should not the
Board of Equalization place it at
that amount2
The Doe Run Lead Company
owns tract of 302 acres at Flat
River and Elvins. on which are
numerous leases for building pur-
poses, and shafts and valuable lead
mines. 1t is assessed at $ll0, 600
Would $4,000, 900 buy that tract3
Then what would be an equitable
assessment
All of these immensely valuable
holdings, worth at a moderate es.
innate $50, 10000 some of which
in 1905 paid the companies operat-
ing them a dividend of 100 percent.
on their capital stock, are assessed
in the aggregate at only 81, isl, O..
900. Why,E$2O, oOO,0 900 would be
a moderate assessment if the same
rule were applied to them that is
applied to the assessing of the
average farm and town lot.
Most of this land has numerous
leased lots on it. These lots and
the improvements on them go I'M