The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-11-04
BOARD IS LISTENING TO ARGUMENTS
AT LANSING THIS WEEK
MINES HIGHER THAN MANUf'T'R'S
Reports Show Great Undervalustion in
Manufacturing Centers OF The
Lower Peninsula.

The hearing which the commission
OF inquiry into state taxation matters
is holding at Lansing this week il
bringing out much information in re
gard TO the rate OF tax on the different
kinds OF property; .he undervaluation
Of property. especially manufacturing
property in the lower peninsula.
II has been popular with our lower
peninsula brethren 10 point TO the up
per peninsula and cite the undervalua-
tion of mining property under the old
regime. Recent facts that have come
to light in the hearing. indicate that
the mines before the Finlay appraisal
were not a wit more underassessed
than the manufacturing property, es.
pecially the automobile and accessory
plants in the lower peninsula manu-
featuring centers
To get down to figures. The com
mission of inquiry made extensive in
quiry throughout the state and from
the data that they obtained they found
the following classes OF property pay
ing on the average throughout the
state, taxes az follows:
Residence property. $l4 79 per thou.
sand OF actual value
Farm property, ~ AZ per thousand
OF actual value.
Banks and Trust Cos. Sl7O 90 per
Thousand OF actual value.
Railroads $50. go per Thousand Of ac.
tual value
Paper and Sugar Mf't'rs. si0i per
thousand Of actual value.
Furniture and Musical instruments
$3.50 per thousand OF actual value.
Automobiles and Automobile parts
Sl.05 per thousand OF actual value.
Printing and Publishing. 50 90 per
thuusand OF actual value.
Foundry and Machineshops 81
per thousand of actual value
Chemicals and Drugs, S4. &C per thou
sand OF actual value.
Textiles, etc, $500 per Thousand of
actual value.
Mines 800 per thousand OF actual
value
Electric Railways. Heat Light and
Power, 800 per thousand of actual
value.
IL will be seen from the above list
that there is great inequality in tax
ation throughout the state, the taxes
paid by the different forms of proper
ty ranging in tax revenue from 500. go
per ST. 600 OF actual value paid by the
railroads down TO $l.05 per 81. 900 Of
actual value paid by the automobile
manufacturers. Railroads, banks and
residence property has been paying the
taxes in Michigan. II is to cure this
inequality that the commission was
appointed and it is TO get further 10.
formation TO guide them that the com.
mission is holding the inquiry.
AT the session last Tuesday there APP
peared before the commission several
representatives of the manufacturing
companies among them Mr. Prudden of
Lansing. manufacturer OF automobile
wheels and Hal Smith of Detroit. re-
presenting the manufacturers OF that
city.
Following Mr.. Pruddeu $ address 10
tbe commission. that body gave out
fbme statistics taken from the Lansing
city tax roll which are quite interest.
ing and II compared with the valua.
tion of the upper peninsula mines un
der the old regime will show the MIN
ing values to be not 80 bad after all.
Mr.. Pruduen's = plant In Lansing nad
value of $267. 270. as shown by the
sworn statement in the secretary OF
states Office. while IL was placed on
the assessment roll at $33. 500 Other
Lansing corporations figures were
shown, among which here are some OF
the larget ones
Olds Mptor works. sworn value on
file. $2. 54i,137. assessed at $40I, 900
REQ Motor Car Co. sworn value on file I
~. SOS. .9s7, assessed at $I45 400; Atlas
Drop Forge Co.. sworn value on file
si2g, 625. assessed az 500. 500. Lansing
Wagon works, sworn value on file 4
$l5a. 453. assessed az $50. 0OO Lansing
|Nheelborrow Co.. sworn value ON file
$532. 600. assessed at $i1O. OOO Seager
Engine works, sworn value On tle 81.
i0i. 4s7 assessed at ss03, 900 Gier- Dale /
CO., sworn value on hle Si5072. as.
sessed no az, 600
This last corporation Is The highest
f.,..t f...,.3 -, rs...,,