Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-02
TELLS HOW OTHER
COUNTIES ASSESS
COAL PROPERTY
League Secretary Shows Valu-
ations of Anthracite Fields
in Various Districts

That the coal lands in Dauphin
and Schuylkill counties operated by
the Susquehanna Coal Company are
assessed from $500 to $500 an acre
while in the coal fields in Luzs-ne
and Lackawanna counties the coal
properties are assessed at from $2,-
600 to $4,000 was one of the state
ments made by Frank c. Reese. Of
the Anthracite Consumers League,
IN speaking before the Dauphin
county commissioners to-day on as
SeSsments
While Mr.. Reese did not have
as exhaustive an amount of infor-
nation about Dauphin county as he
mad about Schuylkill, LuZerne and
l.ackawanna, the new figures he did
give showing valuations in Coal dis
tricts in this county Indicated that
me lands are. valued for taxation at
hgures far below their actual worth.
Mr. Reese is at present conducting
campaign in Schuylkill county to
nave the coal land assessment IN
creased and is speaking frequently at
meetings of school boards, township
supervisors and other officials giving
data. He came 10 Harrisburg volun-
tarllN to explain to the Dauphin Off
'lalS the extent of his Investigations
ana to give all necessary data to
them on the systems of coal land
assessments in other counties.
Heavy Coal Veins
Mr.. Reese first showed the extent
or the various anthracite coal fields
IN the state and said that statistics
snow that the veins running through
SchuNlkill county and with two ends
- tFNe fNNe~ IL.
tain almost twice as much coal as
those in Luzerne and Lackawanna.
Assessments of coal lands in those
three counties show: Schuylkill. SEA
SSS,sS2; LuZerne, S171.240, ,05S;
Lackawanna. S6S,56O,S21. according
TO fgures taken from 1916 records.
me total county property valuations
show similar difference. SChuyl-
kilIs being slightly more than s5S.-
100000 while Luzerne's was $780,
oOO, 900, and Lackawanna's S21O.-
10000 with the tax rates for the
counties seven. four and three mills,
respectively.
Higher Valuations
Coal land valuations in Carbon
and northumberland counties also
were shown both much higher than
Dauphin or Schuylkill.
Barren acres of land in Dauphin
county are assessed at S1S7 to $2.06
an acre; in Luzerne. $500 to $4,000:
Schuylkill, s344 to $l1.25, and
Lackawanna, $40 to 5000.
Mules in Dauphin county are as
sessed at s62.91 EACH Schuylkill,
S4S.50; Luzerne. $125; Lackawanna.
500. The most startling informa-
tion on the assessment of coal and
coal reserve lands per acre was
given next by Mr.. Reese. Owing to
a slight difference in the methods of
assessment in Dauphin and North
umberland counties in comparison
with the other four which are men
toned. accurate comparison between
Dauphin and the other counties was
not possible. but the highest valua-
tions on coal lands in this county are
in Wiconisco township ranging up
to $3.50 an acre. ..-...
The average valuation per acre in
the other counties follows: Schuvl-
kill $S62.61; Luzerne, S6,S55.66:
Lackawanna, S2.04S.06; Carbon. ST.
797; Northumberland. s7s1.S7. High
est valuation for one acre of coal
land: Schuylkill. s6S7; Lacka-
wanna, s10,s7S; Lackawanna. sS.-
SIS: Carbon, $1,S0o; Northumber-
land, s1,250.
Explains System
After giving comparisons of the
amodnt of money spent per capita in
the various counties for the poor,
for roads and for schools Mr.. Reese
made short explanation of the system
followed by LuZerne and Lacka-
wanna counties in getting the coal
land assessments raised. In these
two counties the assessors are ap-
pointed by the county court while in
other counties in the state they are
elected to the position.
In 1911 after public agitation in
favor of increasing the assessments
the assessors were appointed and
made valuations. The county COM
missioners refused to accept them as
competent estimates of the value of
the coal properties. appointed en-
gineers and after much investigation
and comparison of maps and meas
urements of the coal fields an agree
ment was finally made bringing the
assessment in Luzerne county from
s5S.0O0,000 to 73,000,000.
The final assessments in those
counties were made after taking in
to consideration the size of the veins
and with the understanding that each
year the coal companies would be
allowed a reduction in assessm ent
based on the amount of coal which
was. removed during the year.
The question of refuse in coal,
need of more cars at the mines,
freight rates and other similar points
brought out in Mr.. Reese's talk
were discussed also.
The Dauphin county commission
ers said they are positive that coal
land assessments in this county are
too low. but they will not take any
action for the present Next week
while attending the convention of
county commissioners of the state
thev will confer with officials from
Luzerne. Lackawanna. Northumb be--
land and Carbon counties, they said