Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-24
LOCAL NEWS.
Corporation Affairs.


from the Mayor, stating that he had approved
certain acts for street Improvements origina-
ting in this Board. Also, a communication
from the Mayor returning, without his ap-
proyal, an act entitled "An act authorizing q
modification of the grade on the south side OF
one square in the 5th ward The Mayor says:
This act authorizes the S1perin tendent Of
Sewers, Carriage Ways. and Foot Pavements,
at his discretion, In laying the foot.pavement
and gutter on the north side Of East Capitol
street, between Fourth and Fifth streets. to
make slight depression In the grade at the
corner OF Fourth and East Capitol streets, and
as the pavement and gutter intended to be de.
pressed is already laid and made it is too late
TO execute the act" Laid on the table. Also,
communication from the Mayer enclosing
one from Thomas Il. Hoover. making certain
the penitentiary department OF the Washing.
ton Asylum, and the remains OF all deceased
paupers for interment IN the Almshouse
grounds, which the Mayor recommends for
early consideration Of the Board. Mr.. Hoo
yer. in his communication, proposes to make
contract for TWO years with the Corporation
to carry all persons sentenced to the work.
house. and deliver to the Asylum all persons
who procure the proper permit, and deliver to
the Potter's Field all the pauper dead, except
CONTAGIOUS diseases,) for s2,4Oo per annum,
pay able monthly. The wagon which he pro-
poses to use would be made secure. The in
side has two cells, constructed so as to move
the partition when there are no female prison.
ers. The wagon, or .sBlack Maria" to be in.
spected by the Board before use. He proposes
10 call at each station house, every morning,
at whatever time the Superintendent OF Police
may direct, the driver to report in the after
noon to the Superintendent of Police for fur.
ther use, il necessary. The papers were re-
ferred to the Committee on the ASYLUM.
The Chair also laid before the Board the fol-
lowing communication:
"COLLECToR's OFFICE, City HALL, WASH
INsToH, D. @. September Goth. 1s6s:-To the
Honorable Board of Aldermen Of the city OF
Washington, ID. C.-Geptlemen: / have the
honor #
a resolution passed by your Honorable Board
On the 16th instant, calling upon me to furnish
"a statement showing the amount of money
paid during the fiscal year ending the 30th Of
June, 1867, for advertlsing the property of de-
linquent taxpayers, due and in arrears for
general and special purposes, and to whom
deccssor in office that the amount of money
paid. as Aforesaid, was nine thousand dollars,
ana that the same was paid to the publisher
OF the Erening Star newspaper. L have the
honor 10 remain. gentlemen. very respectfully
your obedient servant.
A. G. HALL, Collector.
Referred to the Commttee on Finance.
Also, the following comm unication from
William Dix0n, Esq, late Tax Collector:
Gentlemen: have ad with surprise the
communication of the Collector of Taxes to
your board. in response to a reSoiutio passed
by said Board on the I'd instant, requesting
statement Of the amount OF general and spe-
cial taxes in arrears due and unpaid or the
Both OF June, 1867. The Collector disciams
any intention to reflect upon his immediate
predecessor: but, in fact, the whole tenor Of
The article is such a reflection. What are the
real facts9 Some S3O,GUO are estimated as the
arrearage for personal tax. OF course this ex-
tends over many years, but an Insignificant
sum per annum when the amount OF per.
sonal tax for our entire city is considered.
But small amount of this belongs to
my administration. large proportion of
this average Is in assessments OF small
amounts. Determined effort has tsen made 70
collect this by special agents at compensa-
M In hQ o1fh nd
OF parties to great eXten made it impossible
Previous t03he late acts of Congress confer
ring universal suffrage in This city. the Collec.
tor was required TO furnish at the polls list
OF the voters who were assessed for personal
taxes, and to require the payment OF such tax
before voting. This means IS now abolished,
and II remains TO te seen whether the present
Collector will resort to the distress Ii W. which
clio hes bim with fuli power for its collection.
but which has been universally disregarded
by foImer incumbents Of the Office. The
amount OF arrearage On real estate is compar.
atively small A Iart of this is because of the
impossibilify OF obtaining proper descriptions
Of tho property OF course such property
could not be legally advertised ana sold.
Very much OF the rest has been advertised
over and over again. and as often offered for
SALE The ia could not be realized for want
OF bidders. The suspicion OF failure, as to ct.
fort 70 realize, should be set at Aaught by the
bare mention that a compensation OF six per
cent. WAS allowed on all taxes collected by
advertisement and sale. Self-lnterest alone
would lead to effort to secure this. 2 E..
The general charge is m ade OF "confuson n
the accounts OF The Office" have simply this
remark to make: II the Collector will bring q
little care and ordinary intelligence to bear. he
will, ere long, find everything clear. Allow
ance must be made in view of the fact that he
and his associates have not as yet become IA.
miiar with the details OF the Office had fiat
tered myself thar my clerks were highly com
petenr men, and that the administration OF the
Collectors office during my term had given
general satisfaction to the tax-paying public,
oh I had no hon n
from thar source, or, inceed, from any other.
1t will. i think, be very difficult for the pres
eDt Collector 70 make the people believe that
there is any thing in his assertions beyond the
cry OF sscleansing out the Augean stables"
usually made by persons newly electsd to
Office In this case his very laudable object OF
out clearly but the means are, think. un-
worthy of him. l certainly would be pleased
10 see the Collector receive q liberal compensa-
ton. 1 think contrary policy narrow and
injurious to the interests OF the city, but re-
gret that such mode should be resorted TO, to
secure the same. If any improvement can be
secured in the system OF accounts hitherto tol-
lowed 10 such advantage in his office he will
WILLIAM DIXON.
p. S. 1t will be perceived that the above
comm unicaton was prepared some ten DAYS
ago. 1t would have been laid before you at
your last meeting. but for promise made bv
the Collector to correct the erroneous impres
siors made by him in his letter. W. ID.
Oh The table. af-s r
Mr.McCathran called for the ayes and noes
on this motion. when the Board refused to Law
il on the table by the following vote: Yeas
Messrs. Elvans and Richards-2. Nays
Messrs. & iven, Grinder, Lloyd, MoCathran,
Moore, Noyes. Talbert, Tait, Turton, and
President Barrl-10.
The communication was then referred to the
Fipance Committee, and ordered 70 be printed.
Mr.. TuTton presented the petition of Michael
Doyle for remission OF q fine; referred TO
CLAIMS Committee. .srs
Mr.. LIoyd presented the petition OF George
McGregor, for remi mission OF a fine; referred TO
COMMITTEE on Claims.
Mr. Moore introduced the following:
ReSolced, That the Register furnish this
Board q statement showing the amount paid
to this Corporation for licences by commission
merchants, and hawking and peddling. and BY
whom paid for the past TIVE years: adopted.
Mr.. Noyes presented the petition Of Samuel
an alley In square sa, accompanied by bill
to open. grade, and pave an alley in said
square, in accordance With the prayer Of the
petitioners, and the bill was passed
Mr. Grinder moved reconsideration OF the
vote by which this Board refused at the last
meeting 70 agree 10 the report OF the Confer.
ence Committee OF the two Boards on the tax
bill.
order, a. the bill was not now in possession OF
the Board.
MI. Elvans moved that the Secretary OF this
Board be reques Ted to ask the lower Board for
the return Of the tax bill from that Board.
Mr.. Moore hoped that the motion would not
prevail, and read a written speech, In which
be eaid that his attention bad been called to q
particular article in one OF the organs of the