The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-03-01

Lie icy isIdIlNc ColihilbCcc oii iloii
ore tax reached Ely Friday afternoon
The special train was two hours late
bat the school children were marshal
led and taken to the train, and pre-
scented an imposing appearance to the
members of the junketing committee.
The lines reached several blocks, aud
the pupils kept their ranks in good
shape Each pupil was supplied with
a flag. The members OF the committee
gave expression to their surprise thai
such large number OF children were
to be found in a town of such SO un-
pretentious as Ely.
M. E. Gleason. Prof G. L. New
berry, and other members Of the COM
mittee of citizens met the visitors al
The depot and escorted tlem 20 the
High School, where they were shown
the amount of our high school equip
ment and the magnitude of the Ely
school system aud what it requires in
the way of rooms, buildings. appar-
atus, and teaching force to take care
of our schools on the present basis.
The visitors were very loud in their
praise of the Ely schools, as evidenced
by the appearance of tile different de-
partments ana the enthusiasm of the
students, and teachers,
The committee listened to the Ely
committee for some little time while
they expressed their aissatis faction
with the proposed s2@anges IN the
method of taxing the iron mines.
NJ. e. Gleason EXTENDED the visitors
a hearty welcome, and, among other
things said the proposed ore tonnage
tax would mean the death of the
range towns. He explained that
where his annual taxes are now $3.50,
they would be 81 $50 with the tonnage
tax reality.
Supt c. L. Newberry spoke at some
what greater length.
You can see that the real estate
valuation of Ely is practically moth
ing" he said.
I'VE have 1000 school children here,
and most of them are from the homes
of foreigners. Whenthey come to us
many Of them cannot even speak the
English language. We have to teach
them that before we can teach them
any thing else.
I'VE have in. Ely three large school
building. with thirty teachers on the
pay roll. The teachers salaries alone
amount in the aggregate TO $4,000 a
year. Unless we are allowed the priv.
ilege of obtaining revenues from tax.
ing the iron mines under the present
system, or one of equal benefit to the
individual towns of the range, the
school tax for salaries of teach ers
alone would be so mills. The total
valuation of Ely property that is tax
able, outside the mines runs between
s4OO. 900 and 100000 dollars.
The total expense of operating our
schools one year is $4,000, everything
included. This would mean 100 mills
per capita tax to run the schools, and
the city expenses would be about as
much additional. There is practical
ly no valuation in or about Ely except
for the ore. Range towns could not
exist Without the revenues derived
from taxing it,"
Prof. Newberry closed his remarks
with an appeal to the sense of justice
of his hearers, and asked that they
let well enough alone.
At the school the party was taken
in charge by Capt. Prezona and taker
to tue Pioneer mine. The legislator
were first shown the workings above
ground, and then were logged out il
miners costume and taken below
The party was lowered to the l,056
foot level, ahd then shown about un