The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1915-06-05
SAYS FINLAY
J, FORCED ASS'MTS
MADE MINES ABSORB PROFITS
IRRESPECTIVE OF VALUE
BASE RATE LOwERED3 3 CENTS
Slump in Ore Business Caused a
Lowering From Last Years Fl
cures on Average Ton Value

1T is a fact, and one that this com
mission would like 10 have generally
known, that the iron industry Of
Michigan contributes l3h per cent OF
its profits in taxes This compares
very fayorsbly. think. with that con-
. t.ibuted by any other industry, rail-
roads. public utilities or manufactur-
. ing"
The above statement was made by
. DR.. Allen in a discussion OF the valua-
tion on Iron county mines in hearing
held in the supervisors room Of the
court house last Wednesday. There
was present at the hearing Commits
sioners Barnes and Kearney and State
Geoligist Allen. There was present In
addition a representative from every
mining company doing business In
this county number OF the prominent
mining men Of the peninsula being
theie to give their views on the'valua-
tlons set on their properties.
The hearing opened by the Commits
sion directing DR. Allen TO call off the
properties in alphabetical order and
any persons having an objection to the
figures were privileged to take the
floor and present their views.
The first objection was registered
by Supervisor williams on the valua-
ton fixed on the Aronson property,
one OF the holdings Of the Republic
Iron & Steel Co. grouped with the
Sherwood, material reduction having
been made upon this holding.
Mr.. Williams called attention TO the
fact that the property was idle the en-
| tire year and he wanted to know how
the. value could have been reduced
wIien there was no exhaustion
DR.. Allen explained that the factor
taken as the average in fixing values
on undeyeloped and idle properties OF
which there is no mining record was
the average profits per ton including
royalties yielded by Iron county mines
during the previous years.
Base Rate Was Reduced
The average used in the 1914 asses
sments was 90 cents but owing TO the
dullness OF the iron business during
the ave years previous TO 1915 this
average had been reduced by three
cents TO Accents per ton and IL was
this change in the base rate for cal
culation that caused the change in
the value OF the Sherwood group of
properties for the present assessment.
This base rate Is used only in cases
Of undeveloped properties In the case
Of working properties the base rate
used is the individual profit for the
I'VE years previous as shown by the
property itself
This base rate has been lowering
fot the past three years and next year
promises a greater reduction unless
1916 shows some wonderful improve
rnent that will increase the profits OF
the mines very materially
other Value Must BE Considered
.The next question came from super
visor wanzer Of Stambaugh township
when she Baker mine was reached.
The Baker lease includes four forties
and but a small portion OF one OF those
forties Is used for mining purposes.
Mr.. wanzer objected to the value OF
the remaining portion being overlook
I'd and All OF the property value being
included under the figures set by Or.
Alena
TITS question opened up one that
rad been considered by Commissioner
Horton AZ a former hearing In this
county and Mr. Conlin from the Crys-
tai Falls township board OF review
cited the instance where the commits
fiap. over ruled tho board OF review OF
crystal Falls city In the case OF Lot Z
and ordered the value reduced from
where the board Of review placed H.
Goth Mr. Barnes and Mr.. Kearney
1,fe very much surprised TO know
that any such a ruling had been made
and Mr. Barnes said that while he had
not conferred with the other members
of the comnission, yet he felt that an,
item Of va tne other than that OF the
IMMORAL aud the contrivances necos.
eary 10 IN and place that ore IN ths
cars nds1 a a value % the property
that o. fnlnee reported hy Or Allcf