The Virginia enterprise., 1911-02-10
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
Touching Upon County Division and the
Range Tax Rate Under Separate
Government and As Now Existing.

Range Tax Rate Under Separate
Government and As Now Existing.
While there are some on the
ranges who, through some unex,
planned or inexplicable reason
have allied themselves with the
anti division movement through
word of mouth if not by other
means, the following figures are Of
nature which should lend weight
to }he movement for division to the
fair. minded man who is a free
moral agent:
The federal census Of 1910 gives
to St. Louis county total popula-
ton of 10000 people in round num-
bers. of which about $4,000 are in
cluded in the population of Duluth
leaving a balance of $1,000 for the
bal ance of the county-a balance of
1900 to that portion of the county
outside the city limits of Duluth. 1t
is conservative statement that the
population of the county on either
side of the proposed division line
between townships So and 56 is
about equal in numbers.
The total assessed valuation of St.
Louis county for the year 1910 was
$272,45O, 1853, while the assessed valu.
alton of that portion of the county
lying south Of the proposed division
line between townships 55 and 56 is
SAG, 6,152,174, leaving an assessed val.
uation for that portion included in
the proposed new county of Iron
af $226, ,29S,1S5
A comparison of these figures
will show that the territory includ
ed in the proposed new county pays
82.9 per cent of the total taxes of the
county, or $s8O,85925 out of total
county tax for 1911 of ST O62 ,55640.
1t is submitted as very fair and
reasonable proposition that one
half of any county should be able
to govern itself efficiently upon less
than 82.9 per cent of the amount
used for the government of the
whole county.
A search of the Indebtedness of
St. Louis county at this time reveals
a total bonded Indebtedness of
81, ,482,932, while outstanding inter-
est on bonds, unpaid county orders,
ETC., bring the grand total indebted
ness of the county to 81, ,531 ,203. To
show for. this Indebtedness as an
offset is found the new court house
building, verified at $l,000,O00, the
new court house site estimated at
$449, 400, the old court house and
buildings estimated at $4,000, and
the county poor farm and improve
ments estimated at value of $4,000.
or grand total of 1,554,4O9. 1t will
thus be seen that the assets of the
county, composed of realty and
buildings, exceeds the liabilities by
$23,2O6. Such being true, in case of
division of the county, according to
law, the new section will not be
burdened with any debts of the
senior county at the beginning.
The foregoing point is covered
fully and effectually by Section 393
of the Revised Laws of 1905, which
reads as follows:
"County Indebtedness-Co
Buildings.-All territory as trans
ferred shall continue liable for it's
proportion of the excess, if any, of
the Indebtedness OF the original
county ABOVE THE VALUE OF ITS
COUNTY BUILDINGS and of the bal
ance of funds in it's treasury"
A search of the county records
| shows the county expense for 1909
to have been $246,4S6.08, of which
S29 per cent is paid by the ranges
and of which but a trifling percent.
age is returned to the ranges and
adjoining agricultural sections in
road and other needed improve.
ments. But aside from the monetary
consideration and the probable
saving in taxes through division
public convenience is poin,
worthy of consideration. Every
term of court at Duluth or on the
ranges brings many jurors a dist.
ance OF seventy-five miles or up.
wards, not only taking them entire.
ly away from their business but
adding materially to the general
expense of maintaining the Jury
system. If there were two counties
instead of one we would not be
compelled to bring jurors from Du
luth and pay them $500 to S17.O
mileage fees, and Duluth would no,
be compelled to bring jurors from
the range and pay like Tee, OF
which total the ranges pay S29 pe,
cent. Jurors from range points
could attend court during the da,
and be at home or a: their places o.
business during the evenings, an6
the same at Duluth. As it now ia
a juror is taken away from hom.
and business and loses at that enf
of the game while his fees and mile
20e fail to Yeimh mhnrao h;s~, eo. l.