The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-06-22
COUNTIES DISPUTE
OVER BULLION TAX

RENO, June 22.-with a view to
claiming the bullion tax on high
grade ore shipments In the past and
future production of the Broken Hills
mine, being operated by the Broken
Hills Silver Corporation, located
forty-eight miles north of Luning,
officials of Churchill, Mineral and
Nye counties r making prepara-
tons for a fight. probably legal, to
definitely determine in which of the
three counties the camp of Broken
Hills, the new bonanza silver district
OF Nevada. is located. AT present all
three of the counties claim that the
district is within their boundaries.
As taxes on bullion and property
holdings OF mining companies con-
stitute one of the chief of
income, and as Broken Hills has to
date yielded nor than $50, 900 in high
grade ore and has already more than
800. 900 worth blocked out in its
workings, which cas- now only
$50 feet in depth, the desire OF each
of the three counties named to prove
that it is located within their bound
aries. is readily apparent.
Ed. Malley, state treasurer of Ne
vada, acting on behalf of the Broken
Hills Silver Corporation. of which
he is president. has taken up the
question with the surveyor-general
of Nevada, with the idea OF eliminat-
ing the possibility of future Difficult
ties regarding payment of taxes. 1t
is the expectation that. wen after
the surveyor-general renders a deci-
sion. the matter will be taken to the
courts to settle.
The exact location of Broken Hills
ter OF considerable conjecture, but
il has only been since the Broken
Hills mine began its heavy shipments
of high-grade silver ore that the of
ficials of Churchill, Mineral and Nye
counties considered il worth while
to have the matter definitely settled.
James Stratford and Joseph Arthur,
the discoveries and l~ocators of Ne
vada's new woodworking silver
mine. have held the belief that ii was
located in Churchill county. a short
distance from the southern boundary
line. and accordingly. they recorded
their notices OF the location of the
property at Fallon. the county seat of
county.
F. c. Schrader. geologist for the
States geological survey, de-
partment of the interior, who recently
at Broken Hills from Wash
ington, ID. c.. to make a geological
study OF the Broken Hills mine and
district. says the camp is situated in
a wedge" attached TO the extreme
northeastern section of Mineral coun-
ty. about one and one-half miles
south of the Churchill county line.
He further describes its location as
the northeast corner of Range
east, Township thirteen
north. There is no question as to
the accuracy OF his calculations, but
IL is claimed by others that changes
in county boundary lines has placed
Broken Hills within the limits of
Nye county. Advocates of Mineral
county's claims to the camp refuse to
concede this point. and say that Min
eral county is rightfully entitled to IT,
Happy Jack" Barrier. sheriff and
assessor of Nye county, is the loudest
advocate of Nye c~ounty's claims TO
the camp. He visited the district 6
few days ago and announced thai
within a week he would have the Nye
county surveyor and his assistants
determine it's boundary lines so that
he could proceed with the collection
of taxes. In voicing Nye %county's
claims to Broken Hills. the sheriff
jokingly declared:
mo silver camp with the showings
and future hat Broken Hills has could
be located outside of Nye county. To
nopah is in Nye. That makes it a sure
thing that Broken Hills is in Nye."
Fred Balzar. sheriff and assessor OF
Mineral county. is just as active IN
behalf Of his county al is sheriff Bar
rier for Nye. in laying claims to titie
Broken Hills. 1t is understood that
the county surveyor of Mineral coun-
ty and a force of men is already
checking up the eastern boundary line
of Mineral county. and that similar
employees of Churchill county are
preparing for like work on its south
ern boundary.