The diamond drill., 1919-09-20
MCKINNEY STEEL AND OLIVER CO.
COMPLAIN OF ASSESSMENTS
COM. VIOLATED AGREEMENT
HeId a Star Chamber Session in
Kegaunee and Changed the
Announce Values

In another column or THIS issus -
a notice that the state tax commits
sion will be at the court house IN the
city OF Crystal Falls on the 25th day
of September to review the assess
ments on the properties OF the Oliy-
er Iron Mining company and the
Mckinney Steel company In this
city, and the Pickands-Mather prop
critics In the township OF Hematite.
The notice calls upon Axel Axel-
son, assessor OF the city Of Crystal
Falls, and John Blomquist, superyis-
or OF the township Of Hematite. to
appear with their rolls for review.
Causes Of the Complaint
The notice recites that complaints
have been made by the Oliver Iron
Mining company and by the McKin-
ney Steel company over the action
OF the board OF review of the city Of
Crystal Falls and the township 0,
Hematite in raising the assessed val
uatlon OF certain properties.
In Crystal Falls the valuation Of
the Youngstown mine was fixed by
the tax commission originally at
5000, 900 and on the Great Western
at $159,OO0. There was no opposi-
ton made to those values when the
assessments we're announced in crys-
tai Falls last April. but two days
later the commission wrote the as
SCISSOR from the city OF Negaunee fix-
ing the valuation Of the mines at
$4,000 for the Youngstown, and
s129,o00 for the Great Western.
The city board OF review in fixing
the values last summer found that
the values upon the Great Western
and the Youngstown mines were rel
atively unequal, and In order to
make them equal they put them in at.
the original figures as reported by
the commission at the hearing held
here In April.
This seems to be the reasons for
the hearing which will be held on the
18th OF September.
Hampcring Local Boards.
The policy OF the tax commission in
hampering the local boards OF review
has been carried on for a number
years. 1t is evidenced more especial
" In the case OF the mining corpora
tions than in any other induttry, and
principally because the board has set
hard and fast rule OF computation
with which 1t seeks TO measure all
mineral values.
In this work Il totally disregsrds
the relative value to other kinds OF
property. Local officers who know
local conditions are better qualified to
adjust these relative values than the
commission.
AS an example OF this the case Of
the Youngstown mine may be cited.
Several years ago the commission 1x-
ed value OF $l50,o00 upon this
property. The local board OF review
decreed that this value was not rela-
lively equal. and in order 70 equalixe
they raised II TO s25o,ooo. The tax
commission came TO Crystal Falls an,
put the valuation back TO sl5o.0oO. but
the next year they fixed IL at s2se,Ooo.
within few thousand dollars OF the
figure that the board OF review said It.
should be placed at for the purpose Of
review. The next year or so they
raised II to $4,000. Notwithstanding
that not pound OF ore had been TAX.
en- from the property nor had work
any kind been done 70 either increase
or decrease the value OF the property.
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Miss Isabel Harrison entertained
number of friends at a theater party