Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-02
LOCAL NEWS.
The Water Tax.

The authority whereby the Corporation of
Washington leyies a water tax upon property
fronting on streets and avenues where the
water mains have been laid by the Govern
ment, is clearly set forth in the following reply
Of the Mayor to an inquiry made:
MAYORS OFFICE, WASHINGTON, December
q, leo5.-Liein Colonel J. II. Simpson, U. s. Engi-
Heers-Slr: have the honor, in reply to your let
ter OF yesterday requesting information as TO the
authority whereby the Corporation of Wash
ington levies water tax upon property 'front.'
ing on streets and avenues where the water
mains have been laid by the United States TO
state the act Of the Corporation leyying this tax
is passed In pursuance OF the act of Congress
approved March 3, 1863, entitled "An act
amendatory of an act entitled An act to
provide for the care and preservation OF the
works constructed by the United States for
bringing the Potomac water into the cities of
washington and Georgetown,' &c &c. The
first section Of this amendatory act is in these
words: THAT in addition to the powers con-
ferred upon the Corporation by the second
gress, approved March three, eighteen
hundred and fifty-nine, entitled (as aboye)
" full power and authority are hereby
given to the said Corporation 10 levy and
collect water tax on all real property
within the corporate limits of the city of
Washington, which binds on or touches on any
avenue. street or alley in which a water pipe
United States or by the Corporation of w ashing-
ton, which water tax shall be as nearly as
possible equal and uniform, may be levied on
lots in proportion TO their frontage CT their
area, as the said Corporation may determine
and may be collected in not less than three nor
more than five annual installments, of which
installments all after the first shall bear inter-
est at the rate of six per centum per annum,
commencing from the date at which the first
mstallment becomes due, but may at the option
of the owner of thG property taxed, be paid and
discharged in full 1T any time after il shall
have been levied" &c, &c, &c.
The act OF Congress approved March 8, 1859.
to which the act above quoted from is amen
tory, gave to the Corporation of Washington
full power and authority TO distribute water
and provided as the means whereby this should
be done, that the Corporation might borrow, not
exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars, 'redeemable within period of 10 years out
of any revenue TO be derived from W alter rents"
and that the Corporation should have authori-
ty TO establish a scale of annual rates for the
supply and use of the water, and to collect
such rates ssfrom the owners or occupants
of all such building or establishments respect
lively, who may use the water therein" and 10
stop the water supply on failure to pay the
water rent.
The insuficiency of these provisions to ac-
complish the proposed end, and the ineq uality
of the operation of the law, supposing the pro-
posed end could be thereby accomplished,
were perceived by the Corporation; and at
their request Congress passed the amendatory
act giving the power of taxation of real estate.
1t is obvious that S150,0O0 will do but a small
part of the work of distribution of water
through a city whose area is Gill acres and
the length of whose avenues and streets is
1,2c3, $50 feet; and that if only the water rents
were to be looked 10 for the continual alton of
this work, after the exenditure OF the S150,OOO
proceeds OF water stock, the "water rents''
must presently become SO oppressIvely high
as to amount 10 virtual prohibition of
the use OF the water. 1t is obvious,
too that If in spite of these difficulties the work
of distribution should ever be done and paid
for by such system a part only of the property
OF the city would have been made to pay for
the work which was for the common benefit
enhancement az he
property that the unimproved ground and
the occupied ground where the water was not
of the debt. The act which gave the corpora
ton the right to tax the real property wherever
the water mains extended enabled the corpora
ton to remedy these defects in the original Ia W.
The corporation has by its ordinances awaited
itself OF the powers conferred by the "amenda-
tory" act, and the result is that so soon as in
come shall be available from the water tax that
income Will AFFORD the means for extension OF
the work Of distribution and the annual water
rent instead Of being steadily increased will be
speedily diminished.
The point made by the Messrs. SCHNEIDER,
that .heir ground should be exempt from tax,
because the United States laid the main, was
especially considered when the law was under
discussion, and the answer then made TO it
was this: "The great mains are laid by the
United States for the common benefit and not
for the especial benefit Of the property on those
particular avenues or streets, and il that pro-
perry should be exempted, it WILL Of course.
cause the tax TO fall more heavily on all the
rest"
The Cor poration, in levying the tax, elected
to tax by area, and made the rate X of one per
cent per square foot; no lot, however, pays
more than one tax, though il may be surround
ed by water mains. This tax is equal to 81
cents per front foot on all the private property
in this city. The aggregate yield, when every
square foot of private ground shall have paid
the tax, will be 8, 059,5S3.
Very respectfully,
RICHARD WALLACE, Mayor.
A
PKRsosAL.--Major General Terry, U. 5. A,
Is at Willards'.