The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-11-30
TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION
Next Meeting VIII be Held After Tar Roll
Is Delivered to Treasurer.

From Secretary Ross OF the local
taxpayers association 10 is learned that
the taxes OF each member of the as
sociation will be copied off the roll as
soon rs the amounts are open for pub
lie inspection and that as soon as MIR.
Ross gets those facts all rounded mp so
that they can be presented 20 the mem
bers Of the association-a general meet
ing will be called and the future course
to be pursued mapped ont.
All members of the association are
requested not to pay their taxes until
after this meeting Is held 80 that all
may act in unison and not have one
member paw and another escape pay
ing.
It IS the intention of the association
to keep alive and make the organiza-
tion factor for good to all as 1t is felt
that only by unity of effort can the
common good be arrived at
II il learned that in Gogebic county
there IL a simIlar association being
formed and it is likely that Iron River
will be heard from ere long. as the
taxes on local property owners in Iron
River are much higher in proportion
than are the taxes in Crystal Falls.
Ii would not be surprising if Dickin-
sou county should fall In line az the
last issue Of the Iron Mountain Press
contained comparative valuations that
showed great increases. The organiza-
tiops in the different counties depends
a great deal upon the fairness of pro-
portion between the property and
mineral interests. If the proportion is
iair there Will be- very little likelihood
of organization but IL the proportion
is unfair there is very great likeli'
hood
In this connection. additional in
stances of inequality in taxation be-
tween property held for Investment by
big concerns and the residence property
is reported with every passing day.
A reader calls attention TO the Breitung
holdings In this city. These holdings
include the May mine. she lots in the
lower end of the city aud big gravel
pit north of the Lamont mine. Take
the case of the gravel pit. That pro-
perty is assessed AZ $500 The en-
gineer OF the Breitung interests figured
ont 20 local party some time ago that
that piece Of property is worth Sl2O,
900 This is an exorbitant figure but
az the least calculation ID is worth
$50. 600 for the price charged for gravel
is 25-cents per load. But, that is mott
the worst Of IT, That pit is now closed
and the city was put 10 n disadvantage
until recently Mr. Kimball stripped
and opened his pit, The grvael is
conserved for future use when il
can be sold at higher figures, The lots
in the lower end of the city cannot be
bought at all. Leases are given On
tracts as requested by would-b pur.
chasers or leasers This property is
also conserved The May mine can
not be secured IN option. The excuse
is that it is in litigation. Perhaps
this is so but il good dose of taxes
were given il the litigation would be
brought TO head quickly. The May
may not be- worth what we think IL is !
but il IL held out Of the market and is
on the tax roll at only $40, 750; about !
the value OF two of our clothing mer.
chant stocks of goods. Does anyone |
think that property could be secured in
exchange for the stocks OF drygoods
held by Mr.. Mendelson and Nh. Ru
witchl
The mineral right to the Dalpra resi-
dence property is taxed at S,2l 90. Lo-
cal parties bad chance TO place that |
property and get IL on the working list
but the owners. the Kirby Carpenter
au0 N. LudiDgton interests, they /
skinned this country of its wealth OF
timber hold the royalty az 35.cents per
ton and 50 the property is idle. That
interest should be put on the tax roll
at $50. 600 and $50, 0O0 will not BEGIN 10
buy it today.
There are whole LOT OF things cont
ing out since this agitation started
and from the temper of the local people
whom the Diamond Drill representa-
tive meets daily aud who comment on
the publicity That - being given these
matters il looks as " some effort 20 get
Justice will be entered mon.