Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-11-15
Affairs in GesPgetswn,


iron the Mayor. with reference to the condi-
ton OF Little Falls bridge, stating that he
had received q reply from General Micnler,
superintendent Of Public Buildings, in which
that officer says that he has examined said
D 0saose ana purchased timber 70 make the
necessary repairs thereto; was read and
aoopted. communication from the Mayor.
relative 70 the validity of the collection of
naroor ices, was referred (as requested) 70 the
hecorder- comm IN icalon from the Street
commissioner asking an appropriation to re-
PAIR certain dilspidated Corporation improve
ments, was referred to the Common Council
iootways on 9Th street, was referred 70 the
BOARD OF Common Council. Mr. Hyde from
the Standing Committee, reported resolution
authoriztng the Mayor 10 invite proposals
ior building prison At the station h suse
passed. Also. from the same Committee, q
supplement- ior an ordinance for the improve.
ment OF certain parts Of Beali street; passed.
MIR. Hyde, from the Joint Committee OF the two
Boards, to whom haa been referred the pxan,.
nation OF the accounts of the late Tax Coll ctor
NOW Mayor Welch) submitted report which,
on motion, was referred 70 the Bosrd Of Com
mon Council ana ordered to be printed. IL is
follows
The Joint committee of the Boards Of Aldermen
town, to whom were referred the report Of the
standing COMMITTEES Of the Board of Aldermen
cit in the returns Of charles d. welch Iste tsx
collector, and all matters relating thereto with
books of the late collector and other source. Of in
formation. have discharged their luty ~ .bs las,
Of their ability, and respectfully present the fol
At their hrst meeting they appointed Mr.. Rich
ara a: Edmonston their suditor, with the fol-
lowing instructions to report To the committee =
fnr rst. he aggregate amount Of the assessments
and whether the clerk has put into t6e bans. ef
each the %oqn of for
for each year charged on the booSs If ,ha ssIs
,h sc late collector and the property
due and collected in each year and paid to the eert
f. make god the desieney Of any prior
The report appears in the condensed report of the
auditor, marked and the details in his several
tabular ststeme nts for the years s5s and 1910 nclu
sive, msrked respectively B, c, d, +, &c. d, l.
aha %i the @ %Ste5 tax for the yea % and
table ma: ked H. and in the revised tabular state
ment q the CLERK, marked N.
the returns of the late Collector on the 18th of Oto
her last amounted to the sum of SIS s,55 49, and for
Clerk, the deficit in the late Collectors returns
year 1865 to the sum of 81 az; Is
The amount reported by the Clerk of SIsssi 20
lector the 18th Of October without stating To the
crcdit OF what account or accounts it should he
pcductng this amount from the sum of : IS 80; "a
as reported BY the auditor, leaves Sl5,2sj38 as the
The difference of sl.70I 50 in the final result as
estiu ated by the auditor and by the clerk. shows
tor over and above what the smou of cash paid in
10y him at he various dates would Justly entitle
INN TO receive as Is fully explained by the auditor
The same expIa nation should lee made respecting
the discrepancy in the returns of the auditor and
clerk for the year 1855: the deficit according TO the
auditor b ing sass a. and according to the clerk
laws Justify the clerk in allowing the deduction as
CLAIMED bS the collector; and ia fact he has no
other means OF know ing them when claimed pt
FROM the collectors statements.
The returns as made by the au'iitOr. correct.
collector. in acCordaRce with the dsSigH Of our
laws and with equity. They also correct as re
mate the deduction from the claims of the collector
ana the letter of the Law.
such is the result to which the committee have
reluctantly come after the most careful examine.
non OF all sources Of Information to which they
had Access Justifying fully the facts reported 10y
dated October ), lS5I. and referred TO this commit
BY letter dsrsed October a. 1861. IA copy ST which
is appenaed the attention Of the late tax collector
was called to this large apparent deficit, and he
he was able. Accordingly, in company with Mr.
William King, who was in vited 10 aid the commit
but without being able to throw any light upon
the deficit in his returns or to poi Mt out any proba
Bow this deficit has occurred, apparently be-
ginning in lSj9, and running on from year to year
and with no bond to secure the city FROM loss ~
required by law except for the years ls5, and l. 5
the committee will not attempt to say. They con
By the charter of the town it is made the duty of
the Mayor in general to that the laws are duly
BY ordinance. approved June ? ls2 entitled
An ordinance regulating the Collectors bond,
Collector ts lodge sith the clerk within two eeh
OF his election, his bond in the penalty of sI2eO
Board of Aldermen for the faithful periormance of
his duties collector of taxes aud on the last ay
CO and On f9
10 f. 10 hs the duty of the
The failure to, comply with this Law may have
antss nndeT H. but much more nro nSsGr or their
impression, which seems TO have been general TN at
the bond for one year held good and was b nding
for each and every succeeding year 81 long a. the
same person was elected Collector, which impres-
sion, However. is entirely erroneous
Wherever the blame may rest. AMI however, il
may be Justly distributed. your committee have no
hesitation N asserting that so large and so con
tax COLLECTORS returns If the law had forbidden the
clerk to deliver the tax bills to the collector, I'm
less the clerk had evidence that the collector hal
duly qualified, and had infinitely prescribed to the
collie ctor proper system of Keeping his accounts
insp ciion and, together with the Clerks sI se
counts to be duly audited by Joint committee On
accounts. at the end of each financial year
An ordinance to secure this Is accordingly re-
ported by your committee, and also proper book
The present condition Of our laws relating to the
ofce and duties of the Collector to the transfer of
real estate; 10 the opening and Improvement of
streets. and to other connected matters is de-
fective that this committee would urgently call the
attention of the Boards the etO, and recomme nd
that either this or some other Joint committee
with the addition OF the Recorder. be appointed 10
report some gene raj laws thereon for the action of
the two Boards.
Since the report of the auditor to this committee
informed that of the sea- paid on the nth
OF October by the late Collector TO Mr. Laird and
the credits of which he did not distribute 20 10
were paid 10y Mr.. Spaulding Pre- perty advertised
for annual taxes OF 1875; also, $3.50 IF the sum
VAS paid by VIM. Il. Mackall for annual taxes of
1865, and s l29 ~ for street taxes of same year
Finally, the committee take pleasure in express-
ing their obligations to Mr.. Edmonston. and TO
Mr.. Parkurst, his assistant. for the patience
and accuracy with which they have discharged
their task and 10 Recommend that Joint appro
clerk. for the extra work the examination has de-
VOWED upon him.
All of which is respectfully submitted
ISignedl-A Hyde. Jenkin Thomas, Board of
Aldermen; {. II. Crsgin. Benz Darby. VIM Cla-
baugh. Board of Common Council
Council were adopted: Resolution increasing
the salary of Ed Rhodes, fireman of the steam
fire engine H. Addison, $50 per aunum: Also
in favor Of paying the Claim OF John Low
(s420) for glazing, &c, done at the new
market house; also, resolution in favor OF pay
ing claim OF Henry w. Brewer, surveyor; also
resolution relative to licenses. Adjourned.
COMMON CoUNCIL.-Mr. Olabaugh presented
the bill OF Jos. F.Collins, (S16,) for paving re-
TERED. Mr.. Shoemaker presented q commu.
nication relating to footway on Montgomery
street, from George p. Fisher, Judge Fisher
referred to Committee on Streets, with instruc-
tons to bring in a bill for the improvement
presented communication. relating TO the
exemption from taxation Of the property of
Lewis MackAll, signed by DR.. Mackall; re-
to fho (Ogvny ttno