Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-22

S117,OO0,OOO. The present asse
of the collieries is approximate
The operators already have let it
be known that they will fight to the
end in the courts against any de-
cided increase in assessments.
T. Ellsworth Davies, the mining
engineer from Scranton with num-
ber of assistants, are rapidly COM
! pleting their work, and next Tues
fday he will submit his official report
TO the county commissioners. Until
then no official figures are available.
. Yesterday Mr.. Davies conferred
with the commissioners for some
time. but after the session no in
formation was made public.
To Fix Fair Value
While the actual value of the coal
lands may be approXimated far
above 500, 100000 it is known that
the assessed valuations probably will
= not be fixed that high, as through
out the entire city and county, no
ground or building is assessed at
Iits actual market value. Just what
percentage of the actual value the
assessed value will be, has not bsen
decided but this will be determined
4 by careful study of the assess
ments against other properties as
Ientered on the books. together with
Figures known to be the actual sale
price of them. With this data avail
able the commissioners will have
4 little trouble in reaching a decision
4 it was said, and as soon as Mr..
Davies submits his estimates of the
actual worth of the coal fields the
assessments will be determined and
entered on the books.
Figures Arc Startling
Startling figures will be given to
/ he commissioners, il is anticipated,
showing how Dauphin, like Lacka-
wanna and LuZerne counties, has the
opportunity now to equitably assess
he coal fields. Records on file in the
bounty commissioners office show
/ hat the average assessment of
he coal lands ranges from S4.9S to
! ) an acre.
In other counties where similar
surveys have been made of the coal
deposits the assessm ents were rai-ed
o $500 to $4,000 an acre. Another
reason advanced for high valuation
f Df coal in the fields in this county,
$ that the federal fuel administra-
ion fixed a premium of forty cents
additional for each ton of Lykens
Valley coal because of its low ash
'ontent and lack of impurities. Be-
FORE coal prices were regulated it is
a known fact that the Lykens Valley
lnthracite coal. commonly known as
red ASH coal. brought from 30
'ents to 81 a ton more than other
grades in the open aiket,
Listed As Timber Tracts
An interesting feature is noted in
hat the coal lands frequently are
returned merely as timber tracts
This. however, does not detract from
he value of the veins underneath.
t was said. and officials anticipate
he experts will have interesting data
n this part of the report.
Coal lands in this county are own
Pd by the Susquehanna Galleries
'ompany and the Philadelphia and
ading Coal and Iron Company
While some lands are not being
mined at present il is believed there
re rich deposits of coal in them as
he companies have been holding
tile to the properties but paid small
mounts of taxes on the various
plots.
Less Than S1,OOO.OOO
The assessed Naluation OF all the
Eoal lands in the county together
With the equipment used at the COL
ieries is not more than S1.000,000
While the assessed value of the coal
felds alone. not including ground and
timber land valuation for ia. alton,
probably is far below that mark.
Taxpayers and officials believe the
oal companies will bitterly oppose
my substantial increase in assess
nent. even though for years they
have had the benefit of the low valu-
ton and small tax charges. Prepa-
ations are being made for an extern
i've court fight between the county
md the companies as the officials
have frequently declared they will
nsist upon an equitable value of coal
hnds as well as other property in the !
ounty.