Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-20
THE CITY TAXES.

The Muss between the Tax CieIk's Ouice
and the Collectors ofnce-Cehecter bos.
well on his Muscle.
The following correspondence has appeared
in regard to the city taxes;
MAYORS OryIoI, OIrY HALL, WASHINGTON,
d. O., September ls, 1s69-To DE Editor Of The
CkronieIs-Sir: That no wrong impression
nav prevail in the minds Of our citizens re-
spectir the time when taxes for the current
wear can be received, ! respectfully request
G tns1 'I may be published in your Columns. "
Very respectfully, your obedient servant
S. ]. BOWEN, Mayor.
TAX CLERKS OFFICE, washin gton, Ssptem-
Der IL, lc69-Bon. Sdyles J. BOcen:-Sir-In
reply 10 your inquiry, i respectfully state
that the tax books for the years during
are always delayed by reason Of said assess.
ments, so that the taxes cannot be collected
for some time after they are due by law. That
heretofore the collectors have taken the tax
books unfinished. together with the numerical
book, and proceeded with the collections the tax
books being completed in the meantime.
The tax books for the current year will not
be completed by the LIST OF October, for reasons
already stated, but suficientiy far ad vanced TO
| collect taxes from on or about the LIST of Octo-
Der. after which time there will be no cause of
| delay that am aware Of.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
WILLIAM MORGAN, Tax Clerk.
| WASHINGTON, d. o., Sept. 10, 1s6s.-To the
A
| day Chronicle q communication from Sayles J.
| Bowen, Mayor, requesting that q letter from
| William Morgan, tax clerk, be published, so
| that no wrong impression may prevail in the
minds OF our citizens respecting the time when
| the taxes will be received. i do not know who
constituted the Mayor of this city tax collector
| in addition TO the position Of Mayor, and, for
1 one, do not propose to recognize him as such,
| having been myself elected to MI that Office.
| Now, desire briefly to call the attention OF
| the public to the letter from the Tax Clerk.
II ftar r.--sv ~H.-.k
be collected for some weeks after they are due
4 by law, he says that the Collectors of Taxes
4 have heretofore taken the books unfinished,
| together with the numerical book, and pro-
ceeded with the collections, the tax books being
| completed in the meantime. Here I ask special
attention TO the second page of his letter. He
be complete by October irst, for reasons already
stated. but sufficiently far ad vanced to collect
taxes from on or about the first of November,
Il presume the word November" is mistake
OF the types, and that the month intended to be
named was "October,") after which time there
will be no cause of delay that am aware Of"
1t is SAID generally that consistency is q
Jewel, but certainly il does not appear any
where in the tax clerks letter. He calls atten-
ton TO the fact that other collectors have col.
lected money from the unfinished tax books
and the numerical book. 1t happens, how.
ever, that the numerical book is not complete
and, according to his letter, will not be until
october i. The tax clerk fails to add, how
ever, that every collector who has attempted to
collect taxes from the numerical book has GOT
ten himself in trouble financially; and accord.
ing TO his statement, repeatedly made at the
City Hall, the errors and damages arising un-
der Collector Boswell's administration were
caused by making tax bills from the numerical
book. am also credibly informed by one of
the clerks Of William Dixon, late Collector,
from the numerical book, and that he has been
paying claims arising from errors made ever
since; and from the tone of the Tax Clerks let
ter to the Mayor, (Which, If it means anything,
Vet N naa hat o
me TO place myself and bondsmen In the same
position others have who collected from the
unfinished books. There Is a law governing
the Collector to collect the taxes from tine tax
books, and there Is nothing safd about numer-
merical book has to be made before the tax book
can be completed A law was passed ana an.
proved BY the Mayor on the 21st Of November,
1865. The order was not given for this book to
be made until the latter part of February, 1862
II II had been given out on its approval, the
taxes would now be ready for collection This
work does not come under the collector nor tax
clerk properly, but under the Mayor, who ap.
points the person to complete the book.
say the taxes would now be ready IL the
numerical book had been given out IN Noyem-
the Mayor ought to have known the delay; but
now nicely they try to get out Of the RESPONSE.
bility OF the non collection Of taxes A letter
is gotten up, which says the taxes can or can.
The law requires the collector to give notice
when he IL re sdy to collect taxes, and that no.
tice means when the tax books are Completed
and turned over to the collector, and So know
ing the law and intending to enforce IL as il is,
l shall not collect one dollar OF general tax for
the year 1860 until the law Is complied with.
1 do not propose TO place myself and bonds.
men at the mercy Of this Corporation by bow.
ing to any man in violation Of law, or to
longs TO this ONCE, nor do intend to accent
any of II. When the books are completed by
the tax clerk and turned over to me, 1, as Col
lector, will notify the citizens when to pay
their taxes, and not till then. Very truly,
F.A. BOSWELL, City Tax Collector.
RIVER FRoNr-The unusual bea, n, tho
morning gives a somewhat sluggish appear
ance TO business matters about the wharyes.
AT Galts wharf, the steamer WV. Colt, Cap
IAN Kysner, Ieft about IL O'Clock for Norfolk
and intermediate landings, with passengers
and freight-her freight consisting mostly Of
Hour and meal. Captain WV. Colt and lady,
OF Norwich, Conn, took passage ON board.
about ~ O'Clock for Mount Vernon. The
steamer Columbia, Captain Harper, arrived
last night, with passengers and freight and left
TINS oi morning ior Alexandra and Georgetown.
Wawaset, Capt. Fowke, from Gone river, with
passengers, and heavily laden with freight.
consisting OF cattle, sheep, fruit and poultry
ne steamer Cnamberiain, due yesterday, has
Harrey's Wharf.-Sailed-Schr Kate V. Ed
wards, Allen, for Georgetown, To load with
Cumberland coal for Hyanas, Mass.
Cdrter's WhaT-Arrived-Schrs. Morning
Star, Lynch, from Philadelphia with coal for
Barneelo d Wood; ]. e. McShane, Gibbs, from
Philadelphia with coal for G.. T. Langley;
Ocswan, Kirby, from Havre-de-Grace, with
coal for T. Falconer; Merchant, Phillips, from
Philadelphia, with coal for s. w. Owen; Claro,
6eoghegan, from Havre-de.Grace, with coal
fer J. Drilling.
JOhnson's Whdf.-Arriyed-S Oyoca,
Mitchell, from Port Deposit, with II5,OOO feet
OF pine lumber for y. b. Church & Co.; A. w.
Martin. nom Cockpit Point, with wood for
Jordan Huntington. Sailed-Scbrs Arthur
Rowe. Mitchell, with lime for Norfolk: Har-
vest, Butler, down the river. light
Rieys Whdrf-Arrved-Sch Mary Anna.
Birney, from Philadelphia, with 2DO tons coal
for a. w God Il Bro; EMILY A. BartIe Smith,
from Philadelphia, with sci tons coal for VIM
Guinand. Sailed-Alfred Z. Smyrk, Jones,
down the rIver, light.
rays WhdT.-Arrived-Schrs. ID. S. Page,
Ouey, with wood; Great Pirate, King with
wood for NARROW; John Thomas, Ashton. with
wood for Cameron. -'
Brorn's Wh0rf.-Schooner 7. NJ Wheaton,
wheaton, from Philadelphia, with coal for S.
r. Brown Il Son.
ShsTiF's Coal and Wood Wharf 9Th street
Arrived-Schr. Pennsylvania, with POS tons
coal for u. L. Sheriff.
TEMPERANCE MEETINGS YRsrRRpAY.-A
public meeting was held in the eastern park OF
the capitol grounds yesterday, by Howard Dr.
vision No. 2, Sons Of Temperance. Rev O. w.
Dennison presided, and made an address. Ad.
dresses were also made by Messrs Wolf, Free.
man and Rothery, A uumher presant s,~naA