Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-06

| TO let the public Of the outside world
| the people who buy the coal whlci
| Schuylkill County produces--know al
| about the inside history OF coal develop
ment and exploitation In the county.
They hope before they are through &c
have the United states Senate take q
hand through a coal investigating com
nitt.e.
They plan to subpoena J. T. Morgan
Of New York, and Il. T. Stotesbury, Of
Philadelphia, to tell what they know
about the value of Schuylkill County'
coal lands.
For the fight centers around the valua'
tion Of the coal which has made Schuyl'
kill at once the richest and the poorest
county In the United States.
To explain the situation in Schuylkill
The county, in common with every
other county in the State. meets its bills
out Of money raised by taxation Taxes
there. as everywhere. are apportioned at
so many mills on the dollar. Property
owners pay according to the assessed
valuation Of their property. The rate is
the same whether the property belongs
to n day laborer or a multi-millionaire
corporation.
Crux of situation
Here is the cruN or tno sItu"'''',' -
II is seen by the men who are nahInB
Schuylkill's fight: Properties owned Dy
individuals are assessed practically at
their selling value; coal properties owneo
by the great corporations are assessed
at a fraction--and that n small one-of
what they are really worth.
Schuylklll's fight is to have coal land
valuations for assessment purposes
brought up to something like the actual
market value of the land.
In Schuylkill County. as elsewhere
the assessment valuations are hXed by
real estate assessors. Some time ago the
Tax Revision League notified all the as
SCISSORS of the county to raise the valua-
tlon of coal lands. They didn't do 1t.
The assessors turn in their assessment
budgets for the year to the County COM
who approve or disapprove.
The two associations which are lighting
against Schuylliills state OF impending
went before these commits
sioners some weeks ago, and at
public hearing demanded that the coal
land valuations be brought up to an
Of what the coal lands
are worth.
Decision Not Announced
The County Commissioners have not
yet announced their decision, They are
to do so almost any day. lt
Is rumored that as a sop to public opinion
they intend to add about $4,000, 900
10 the present valuations
Members Of the two fighting assoeia-
tons say they won't be satisfied with
any such paltry sum. For it IL paltry.
they contend, compared to the real value
Df the coal
If the County Commissioners don't
,ome through with whacking big raise
n the valuation Of Schuylkll's coal land
he two associations will appeal from
he commissioners to the courts.
And there Schuylkill expects TO get its
demands
The court proceedings can't be d.
-ected against the coal companies. be-
'ause the coal companies do not fix the F,
valuation of their own properties.
But the coal companies, in the persons |
" their high officials, can be brought |
nto court, the two associations con-
end. and can be forced to divulge what |
he coal lands. are really worth.
Taxed at 1000, 900
1t is necessary to give some figures .
o make IL clear why the. people Of
County are wrought UP over
he present valuations Of the coal lands
So that they would have a solid basis
or their actions. and would know
whereof they spoke when they went be-
ore the commissioners and when they
ater go before the courts, the associa-
ions commissioned two expert engi-
eers. Messrs. Crawford and Straugh, to
make preliminary survey of the
'chuylkill mine fields. At the same
ime. Frank G. Reese. one of the men
ctive in the fight and an expert ac-
ountant, went to every corner of the /
ounty and otok down from the official
ecords the existing coal-loand ralua-
ions on which tax assessments are
ased.
Schuylklvs coal lands are valued, for
resent purposes of taxation, at s2i,-
co. 900 in round numbers
officers of the fighting associations,