Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-05-05
RIOT OF WASTE LAID
TO W IS TAX USE
Ten Minneeota Municipalities
Are "Spendthrifts," Say
Lawyers.

VII hpoSt vi IIJtIlIClRdL COIlSlIllOIlS VII
Minnesota. alleged to be without paral-
lei in this country, but which shows
the generas trend of the conduct of mu.
alclpal affairs throughout the nation,
recently came to light in a hearing be-
tore a legislative committee at st.
paul. The wasteful methods of the Of
lclalS of certain cities We're character
NZed as "a wild riot of waste. compar-
able to a New Jerusalem of eXtraNa-
gance."
The committee had under considera-
Ion a bill proposing to limit taxation
n cities and villages of the third and
Eourth classes in this state to s25 per
capita.
Ten small cities and villages on the
Mesaba iron range in st. Louis county
Virginia. Hibbing. Ely, E,veleth. Au-
ora, Biwabik. Bull. Chisholm. Gilbert
and Mountain lron-came in for a Sc
we're attack by various speakers.
1t was declared these towns had gone
On a small debauch of spending other
oeople's money. which necessitated inn
Mediate statutory interference by the
state to prevent generalization of
these communities and the ravage OF
Tax $45.67 Per Capita.
WIN the great iron properties in
TINS district paying approximately IS
DER cent of the total taxation. city and
village councils and other public
oo"luS HdNlaS no pefSOnal investments
IN mines valued at hundreds of mil
lions. have levied with a spendthrift
!nand, 1t is charged. to provide palatial
municipal buildings. libraries and va
tlous municipal plants unequaled in
most American cities of 20 times the
population of the range towns.
S. c. Gale. of Minneapolis; c. O.
Baldwin, w. ID. Bailey and r. w. Nc
Pherson, of Duluth. who appeared be-
tore the committee to argue for en-
forcement of the tax limitation bill, de-
ciared in addition that police, fire.
health and other municipal depart
ments We're managed in the range"
w with a lavishness unheard of
elsewhere.
OInclal figures were quoted to show
that the total taxes ievied by this
municipal group of 1924 total popu-
latlon, last year to $2.O66.-
sos. or an average of $45.67 per capita
on a total valuation of $l61. 925.S67. .
wild Excuses" Revealed.
In this same year, it was said, the
CITY OF Duluth-With "A population and
area approximately twice that of the
10 range towns combined-levied only
SS63.S51. Figures We're submitted to
show that $40 cities and villages i'm the
state having a population of more tina
700. coming under the bill and outside
or the range towns. all together lev
led less than did the 10 ST. Louis coun-
ty mineral towns. although the census
gave the former a joint population ex-
ceeding 1863. 600. against less than 40
900 in the latter.
With this annua expenditure of mill
mons. IT was charged that reason had
peen d~ethr0ned and a wild excess of
spending substituted. To substantiate
TINS contention. attorneys for the min
ing companies submitted many specific
instances of extravaganza.
$500 Each For Tomatoes.
The lawyers said that Hibbing. with
a population of less than 10000. had
more street lights than Cincinnati:
that chisholm, with a population less
than Hibbing. grew tomatoes in winter.
rlpenlng them at a cost of $500 each
IN the conservatory of the new $26s, 900
Chisholm high school, which will
graduate II or IL members his year.
Ihls school also contains a model
apartment-"life size'-with living
room i'm mahogany and expensive tan
e%stries. dining room with timbered
ceiling, imported French china. oli
silver and cut glass, bed room with a
big mahogany "four poster" porcelain
tlled kitchen, and other ella horate do
tails.
1t vas further charged that when
chisholm wanted a baseball team She
hired ball players of skill and repute
and paid for them by putting them on
the municipal pay roll as light. milk.
Sand and water tap inspectors and 30.
| licenlen.