National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-07-25
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
ITEMS FROM COLUMBIA BUILDING
+, YESTERDAY.

THEIR sALARY-sOME HINTS TO LAW
YERs-THE COLLECTION OF TAXEs-GEN-
ERAL IDEA OF WHAT TRANSFERRED.
Yesterday was comparatively quiet about
Four snd-a-half street, Is the contractors have
made up their minds that work viii not be re-
sumed until the engineer and Commission get
ready, and the employees know that they will
not begin TO get paid before Monday next.
In this connection it may be stated that the
Commission are using every endesvor to have
the payments made at as early date as posi-
BILE, and for that purpose hayet taken the clerks
from the other current work, in order that they
might assist the auditor and comptroller in the
preparation of the rolls and checks.
4 1t is thought that the checks will be all
ready for the fremen on Monday morning, and
for the other employees inthe order designated
yesterday.
In regard to the police pay q serious draw
back has arisen in the shape of an opinion from
Mr.. Stanton, attorney for the Commission, in
which he says that the police are either United
States or District officers. II the former they
are not entitled to any pay out of the current
appropriation, as It was expressly stipulated
that It should be used to pay the employees Of
the Board of Public Works and District gov
ernment. II the latter they are. clearly IN
cIuded in the class from whom the 20 per cent.
is to be deducted. It is further stated that
this question of including the police in the re-
duction was discussed by the committee and
decided in the affirmative. s--
1t was heretofore stated that the police would
be paid the full amount of the payroll, and
Yesterday q number of the eX-clerks of the
Board of Public Works feeling aggrieyed that
they, and they alone, were 70 be the victims of
the reduction, concluded not to accept the pay
IT, hn Sr.kN hon 81 "a.
recent decision It is probable they will take
what they can get.
A funny rumor prevailed yesterday through
the building, and Tor moment created some
excitement. One OF the attaches Of the board
of audit, who is a strict constructionist, in
looking over the law creating the Commission
noticed that it provided for a reduction of the
salaries "twenty per cent. per annum." That,
said he, means each year, and at the end of
five years of course you get nothing. There
was no talk of designations at present, but
there were several young men who were more
or less moved by the report.
| ComptTolers Brodhead and Taylor were at
the building Yesterday and had an interview with
Lieutenant HoXie and the Commissioners. The
main object was to secure an immediate meas
urement of the work of the contractors for
which claims have been filed, IN order that
they may proceed intelligently with the duties
| assigned them. They also stated that the
labors of the board were extending so rapidly
that It would be necessary to have more clerks
and more room on the ground floor, formerly
occupied by the register, and the third-story
room, formerly occupied by the auditors of the
Board of Public Works, were turned over to
them, and they will take possession imme-
diately.
Mr.: a. G. Stone, formerly chief of the super
intendents' branch Board of Public Works, was
Yesterday appointed a clerk TO the board of
| n 1ufp in oh Of tha
department Of claims for material.
| Mr.. Beall, the deputy comptroller, will re-
| tain the same room he used as assessor Of the
Board of Public Works.
| The pay-rolls of the late Board of Public
Works, which include the clerks of the board
proper, the engineer department and the super
! intendent of property, were completed and for
warded to the auditor yesterday. The aggre-
gate amount Is S125, 992.95. .
There were the usual number Of applications
for positions of all kinds, which were duly in
doFsed and fled.
Bids for the needed alterations to the Eastern
market were received and opened from H.
Wingate and J. Mocabes Co. The award
was not announced.
In the collectors ONCE It was rather quiet,
the receipts for the past two days amounting
to only $25, 062.72. 1t may be well TO mention
to taxpayers that under the law the per
cent. abatement will not be allowed sitter the
expiration Of this month, and those who wish
| to take advantage Of this liberal discount
should do 50 at oNoe.
One of the conundrums 10 be solved by the
new officials Is how to carry out certain pro-
visions of the law. One Of them In particular
| f1dulres that the amounts paid foT eeTer tax
shall be refunded IN the new S-65 bonds: As
these are in denominations Of fifty aud five hun
dred dollars, kdo as the sewer tax is all in
small sums and invariably but the fractional
part Of dollar, the board of audit don't Just
| see how they can carry out thA law They
have called upon the sinking fund commission
ers for assistance In the shape Of q solution. /
The following building permits were issued
yesterday: Theodore Huysman, one-story brick
on L, between Fourth and Nfth northwest; o.
o. spicer, two-story brick stable rear Of G, be-
tween Sixth and Seventh northwest; J. F. q.
9SEE tESs2tL :! sn "a &c @f .5 ~, eng s
IN aIles fear Of Delaware fssna1 hear G street;
Hammond q Gettings, three-story brick, 1877
Tenth street northwest; G. W. Utermehle, to
extend vaults to curb line on Seventh, between
and K northwest; Eugene Grant, two-story
frame stable, Tenth, between 8 and T north
west; John Mccarthy, brick school-house, cor
ner Of Twelfth and L streets northwest; Annie
Fountain, frame, corner TWenty-third and G
northwest; Juan Boyle, nine two-story bricks
on Twenty-third and n northwest; J. c.
KnoWlton, two-story frame, New Jersey ave-
nue., between O and D northwest; John A.
Tamberschmidt, two-story brick, Seventh, be-
tween n and 9 northwest; John Richardson,
two-story frame, Massachusetts avenue, be-
tween Sixth and Seventh northeast; E. A.
Sheckell, two-stoTy brick, No. ITO High street,
Georgetown; John Gibbon, two two-story
bricks, Green street, between Bridge and Olive,
Georgetown.
Several Of the heads Of departments who
had recently sent statements Of the assess
ments upon then property to the officers Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, had
them returned few days ago with the inform
alton that under the terms of their charter
they were exempted from all local taxation.
If the Commission can only persuade this COM
pany and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Company that they must pay their taxes as
other property holders do, they will do them
selves and the community simple justice.
Among the many causes Of complaint which
the officials have, one Of the most noteworthy
is against q class of gentlemen who set them
selves up ss possessors Of full knowledge of
all matters pertaining TO the District and the
/ laws thereof. The most serious of the trans
gressions of these gentlemen recently are to be
found among that class who examine titles to
real estate. As Il, or should be, known to every
resident of the District, among the taxes as
sessed and levied are some payable in annual
installments running for five years, and which,
of courss, are always lien upon the property.
OF this class the most notable and extensive is
the assessment for VI ter-mains, which is pay
able and collected annually. Now the trouble
mentioned arises from the fact that when an
examiner of title looks over the books Of the
Office, for the purpose Of providing good title,
he simply reports that there is due say one in
staIlment, or, II such is the fact, the arrear-
ages, but never thinks Of mentioning those to
become due, and, as a result, when the bill is
sent to the owners, they get wrathy and pro-
duce the title 10 their purchase.
II gentlemen would look little closer into
these matters, they would save themselves and
their clients deal Of trouble.
Among the visitors TO Lieutenant Hoxie yes
terdsy was Ex-Governor Shepherd, who had .
brief interview on some business Of private
nature. Both on entering and leaving the build
| ing he held quite q leVee on the sidewalk, and
q noticeable fact of the impromptu greeting
was that the laborers as we'll as the ex-elerks
and contractors extended him 9 hearty wei
come, with q sincere wish for q speedy return
70 the old form Of government. Mr.. Shepherd
Quietly received their kind greeting, and as soon
as possible returned to his place Of business.
SANITARY VISITORS.
Hon. Samuel H. Pulliam, president Of the
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