Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1917-08-17
IDAHO NEWS NOTES

this state.
e. s. Madden, the new secretary
to the governor, is rapidly becoming
familiar with his duties.
At Grangeville John Norwood, pio-
neer business man, died Friday. He
is survived by his widow and two
daughters.
Henry T. Ellars. pioneer of the
Occur d'Alene district, where he
had resided since 1884, died Saturday
in Wallace, aged 66.
The receivership sale of the Nor
thern Idaho and Montana Power
company property. which was to
have taken place August 10 at New
port under orders of the court, was
postponed for 80 days.
Standpoint, Idaho, Aug. 11.-Frank
H. Strong, teacher in the Standpoint
schools, and Frank Carpenter, mail
carrier on rural route No. 1 have
been appointed Second Lieutenants
and are in San Francisco.
County boards Of exemption are
now working overtime in this state
examining men registered for mill
tary service, are giving the fullest
publicity to all cases passed upon
by them, particularly those who
fall in the exemption class, in com.
pliance with orders of Provost Mar
shall Crowder, Washington, D. C.
Reports from these boards show that
the exemptions asked for are heavy,
running as high as 70 per cent in
some counties.
The state highway commission has
let the contract for construction Of
that section Of the North and South
highway in Adams couny from the
Washington county line to Council
to F. G. Comerford for $4,000. The
contract for construction of the state
highway between Downey and Frank
lin county, in Bannock county, was
let to Sam Forth of American Falls
for $4,000. Both highways are to be
built as soon as men and teams can
be put on the work.
Tax Board In Session.
The first democratic board to
equalize taxes of this state which
has met at the statehouse in years
took UP its duties Monday. No board
is of more importance in the govern.
ment Of this state, and none has
played SO prominant a part in poll
tics. The board has unlimited power.
During past years it has been of
republican complexion. This year
that complexion has changed to DEM
ocratic, due to the sweeping changes
that followed the last general cleo
ton. The members of the new board
are: Governor Alexander, Attorney
General Walters, Secretary of State
Dougherty and State Auditor Van
Deusen, democrats; State Treasur-
err John w. Eagleson, republican.
The present war crisis has result
ed in revolutionized property and
business conditions in Idaho, which,
board members say, will call for a
readjustment of valuations that will
affect all classes of property. High
taxes have always been a political
campaign-issue in Idaho 1t seems to be
certain that in some classes of pro-
perty the new board will take radi-
cal action, especially with regard to
live stock, and. more particularly.
sheep. The live stock industry has
been enjoying an unprecedented era of
prosperity during the last year.
In 1916 the total valuation of all
reported agricultural land in the
state was 9,O70.655; timber land,
$22,161,314; cutover and burnt tim
Der land, $4,952.969; mineral land,
$39S,863; grazing land, $15,950, 493.
improvements on lands outside cities,
villages and townsites amounted to
$12.914,726. Business lots had val
uation of $12.404,305 and residence
lots. $19,646,771. Improvements on
lands in cities, villages and town
sites were valued at $32.492,O59. Mer-
chandise was valued at $7.631.171.
The taxation Of mines has always
been a live issue in this state, more
so in past years than in the more
recent. The abstracts reported by
the mining counties in the state
show the net profit on mines to be
$12.820,1S0 Last year the net
profit on mines was $10,195,934. A
comparison of the figures favors
the current year. The bulk of this
wealth comes from the Occur d'Alene
mining section. famous for its lead
mines. Shoshone county alone re-
ports net earnings Of $12.214,415.
Some of the larger counties of the
state showing assessed valuations
reported for 1916, as compared to
the reported valuations of 1915, are
interesting. Ada county reports a
total of $26,629,S95 for 1916, as
against $30.479.660 for 1915. Ban
mock reports $16,630,446, as against
$16,491,3 800; Bonneville, $11.003.42
as against $1O,57O,253; Canyon, $12.,
S56,779. as against S15,974,3S3; Idaho,
$10,S11,113 as against $10,6S7,736;
Nez Perez. $13,4S3,535, as against
s14,071,64 Shoshone, $23O79,S66.
as against s19,732,1s6; Twin Falls.
S1S.915,056, as against $16,507, 1872;