The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-02-15
BANKRUP OF
ALL RANGE SCHOOLS
THREATENED!

Any attempt to withdraw iron
properties from taxation by the or
binary methods, or any attempt to
divert money raised by taxation on
iron properties for the support of
schools and local government, can not
be regarded as other than the
sounding of the death-knell of our
public schools and public improve
ments in the great mining region of
Northern Minnesota.
The vital point to be considered in
order that the effect of any change In
the present method of taxing these
properties will be most easily under
stood, is the relation of the assessed
valuation to the taxes necessary to
carry on the public schools and public
service. Very few people of Mime
sofa outside of the Range population
are aware of the almost worthless
character of the land in this part Of
the state so far as concerns every
thing except the deposits of iron ore.
In this section of the Vermillion
Range, there is only one known and
developed body Of ore, and that is a
pocket about one mile long, and few
hundred yards wide within the city
of Ely. Timber once formed large
part of the natural wealth Of this
section, but as far as Ely and its i'm
mediate vicinity. is concerned, that
has been exhausted long ago.
The land Is so thickly covered with
powders, aud swamps are so general
that the cost of clearing and draining
the land would no doubt be far In ex-
exc ess of the value of the improved
land. Immediately surrounding Ely,
there are few isolated homesteads,
most of which contain from one-half
to ten acres of half-cleared and bowl
der covered land upon which the
owner exists, largely by cutting off
and selling fire-wood during the win
ter months. Very few of these home
steaders expect to remain on their
claims after the wood is exhausted.
Most of them are living in anticipat-
ion of some day finding deposit Of
iron ore on their land. Most of these
families are miserably destitute of
even the ordinary comforts Of life,
and many lack necessary food and
clothing. These lands have almost
no value.
In the city of Ely, there is little of
value in the way of real estate or per-
sonal property. All buildings in Ely,
with the exception of two two-stOry
brick stores. a brick dwelling, and a
one story brick OH twenty-five foot
lot, are frame buildings, as rule
poorly constructed, and temporary,
the great majority, being miners
huts. or used by the floating populat-
ion. There are no factories, or farms;
no means of subsistence except on the
trade arising from the wants of the
employees Of the mines.
In withdrawing the iron mines
from locacal taxation, or the taxes on
iron properties from local use, eight
ninths of Ely's taxable property is
withdrawn. The assessed valuation
at present in the city of Ely is SO, 252,-
129, The assessed valuation of real
and personal property is, exclusive of
iron mines and properties, 1920, TAT, or
about one eighth of the total valu-
alton. On this $420,747 valuation
must be assessed the tax for the edu-
cation of 1000 children. This task Of
educating children of foreign parents,
one of the most serious and important
to the people Of Minnesota and of the
United States, requires, or should re-
quire, the best that America can af-
ford. The education of the children
in Ely, most of whom are unable to
speak a word of English when they
are brought into the schools. requires
the service of 20 teachers. and the
school bulldogs valued at 100000. In
addition to this it has been found