The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1919-01-25
SMALL TAX ON
HARD COAL LANDS
Sj,uUU,0OO, Vert! ASsas-
sed al S.-!,Coo,00O.
koyalTES LOST PRICES LI.L-. STILL IN tEGLIKC
Girai-. .-state FIGURES Are Used by
Other Companies to Raise Prices.
Get $65s,oCo Yearly From $50
acres.

Get $b5S,OCJ yearly From 59u
Acres.
louisville, Jan. 2J.-T. Ellsworth
Davies. Scranton mining engineer
threw a bomb at the Schuylkill county
"coal barons" when he estimated theil
mine fields, taxed at only $21 100000
were worth $5,OOO,0O0O00
Appearing before subcommittee
of the United States senate commit
tee on manufactures, which is inves
tigating causes for the high prices OF
ar, hracite Mr.. Davies said Il fair val.
uarion for assessment of the Schuylkill
fields would he S2OA0,O00.O00 to s..
:. G000 900. He figured it would take
500 years for the taxes to equal the
value Of the deposits.
Mr.. Davies, who has been influen.
tial in increasing the assessment val,
cation of coal lands in LuZerne and
I.;ckawanna counties for taxation
estimated there were 23,OOO,OO0O00
tons of unmined coal in the Schuylkill
REGION. It's area is 200 square miles
Subsequently another Scranton en-
gineer. w. +. Sekel. estimated the de-
posts at 1926, 100000 tons.
While Mr.. Householder groans as
he pays coal bills. he may be assured
the process will be Indefinitely repeat.
ed. According to Mr.. Davies estimate
the Schuylkill field will not be ex.
hansted at the prevailing rate of min.
ing for SEQ years.
The investigation was conducted by
Senator Reed. Democrat, Missouri
Senator Vardaman. Democrat, Missis.
Sippi, and Senator Jones, Democrat,
New Mexico. One of its high points
was testimony that the Girard Estate
derives S65S,000 in royalties yearly
from 300 acres of coal land in the
Locust Mountain basin. near Wilkes
Barre.
The estates royalties were said to
be the highest paid in the anthracite
region. They also were said to be
used as basis in arriving at royalties
by other land owners In that manner
they were alleged to be potent in
f1uence in boosting coal prices.
Undoubtedly the "star witness OF
the day was Mr. Davies He was call
ed on behalf Of citizens who have
been agitating for years to have the
coal deposits assessed at a fair valu-
alton.
Mr.. Davies was employed to make
estimates Of unmined coal deposits
throughout the state for various coun-
ties. In contrasting Schuylkill coun-
tvs low assessment with other coun-
ties, he said Lackawanna county fair
ly reveled in money"
Senator Vardaman observed there
never should be too much money in
a public treasury.
He also said before the war the
railroad companies which also 0pler-
ated colleries, reaped profit Of abbuf
$3.50 ton on anthracite. The profit
undoubtedly has increased since the
war;" he added.
The big royalties received by the
Girard Estate were revealed by Alan
c. Dodson, Bethlehem. He is presi-
dent of set of colleries known as the
Dodson group, and is a member of
the production committee of the fuel
administration. On his testimony the
assertion was made that the estates
royalties were the largest Of the an
thracite region.
Mr.. Dodson estimated the royalty
constituted about % per cent OF the
selling price.
Every time wages are increased
or any other factor aids in boosting
the price Of coal, the Girard Estate
collects on it," suggested Senator
Jones.
The witness nodded assent. He said
he paid royalties ranging from $1O5
to $13O ton. These were the high
est royalties collected by the Girard
Estate in the hard coal fields.
Since 1914, Mr. Dodson said, he had
paid the Girard Estate S1,S72, 600 In
ROYALTIES on coal from the 800 acres.
The output of the Locust Mountain
mine last year, he added, was 633,338
tons. Royalties paid since 1914 were !:
1917, $4,000, averaging SO cents a
ton; 1916, s34SOOO, averaging II cents
a ton: 1914, S236O0O, averaging Y
cents ton, and 1914, $4,000, aver
aging y cents ton. Only about a
fifth Of the coal had been taken from
the mines, he estimated.
Senator Red estimated the Girard
estates 800 acres would bring about
$19,00O,OO0 more before the supply
Df coal is exhausted