The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-02-10
HIGH LIFE AT H|BB|NG
STEEL TRUST PAYS BILL
TOWN OF $4,000 IN MINNESOTA
SPENDS MORE MONEY THAN
STATE OF DELAWARE.

Hibbing, MINI, the richest village
on earth" is, perhaps, the most prod
/ igal of municipalities. Owing to its
fight with its principal taxpayer the
! United States Steel corporation, this
town during the last few months has
gained considerable notoriety in the
newspapers throughout the northwest.
With its population of 10000 people,
Hihhing managed last year to spend
more for running expenses than did
the state of Delaware But when 1t
promised to break that record this
year the mining interests paying tax
es there revolted They declared that
they were being looted, and on June
last, when their taxes fell due, they
refused to pay them,
Realizing that the Withholding of
about $750,000 from the village funds
pending litigation would virtually
starve the village into submission to
their demand for a more economical
and businesslike administration of af-
fairs, the mine owners announced that
they would fight their taxes in the
courts unless they received some as
surances from the village officials that
reckless expenditures from the tax
funds would be stopped.
Richest Town on Earth.
Closely hedged in with mammoth
mi nit inb oh, al, ~,
to the business section of the village,
is typical iron mining town.
Twenty producing ore bodies are
within its corporate limits, and 1t is
there that the Hull-Rust, the greatest
open pit mine in the world, in point of
size and production, Is located.
Hibbing has the distinction Of being
the largest and richest Incorporated
village on the globe. 1t has within its
limits more taxable property than
many of the larger cities of the United
States. Its last assessed valuation of
$S4, 696,6S1, is greater than the valua-
ton of all taxable property In the
states of New Mexico. The state of
Minnesota produces about three fifths
States every year, and the Messaba
iron range, on which the village of
is located is the largest and
most productive in the Lake Superior
region. It is about 100 miles long and
from to 10 miles wide. The largest
open pit mines in the world may be
found there, and 1T Is from these great
holes in the earth that millions of tons
of ore are removed annually.
Turn Night Into Day.
In 1914, exclusive of school costs, the
net governmental costs in Hibbing for
village purposes amounted to $1,155,-
1862, according to official records.
This means that every morning the
village mayor started for his office he
went to oversee the expenditure of
something more than $1,000 for that
Cay. The state of Delaware in 1914
spent less money.
whatever the fact, the village boasts
II more street Hghts tnan the city OF
Cincinnati, with its population of $685.
sol. II Is not content with a light on
every corner. There must be 40. On
every street intersection along Its
main thoroughfare there are eight
standards and on every standard there
are lights. And there are more stan
dards between corners, The village
has in its white way" 66S metal posts
on which are installed 1886 lights. The
cost Of installing this system was
$S1,S33 and the cost of operating 1t
last year $19,S22 The village also has
a park on its outskirts which IL
blaze Of glory at night.