New-York tribune., 1874-03-10
WASHINGTON.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT FINANCES

GOV. sHEPTIERDs REPLY TO THE INVESTIGATING
ConMirTER--SOME NEW FACTS REGARDING IT
THE BOARD or PUBLIC WORKS IN A BANKRUPT
CoSDrrroN-rHE BAIANCE-sHEErs or THE Gov
TRSnENT AND BOARD or PUBLIC woREs-sUh-
HAnY OF THE INDEBTEDNESS or TIE GOVERN
MINT.
tBY TELEGRAPH TIE TRIBUrEl
WASHINGTON, March 9-The reply of Gov. Shep-
herd to the questions propoundcd by tho Special
Committee to investigate the affairs Of the District
Of Columbia has been printed, and makes . volume
of 545 pages and this does not include the con-
tracts vouchers and other exhibits. which are not
printed, bnt placed on file for reference in the
room of the Committee A hasty examination
of the document leads to the conclusion that
the Governor has not held back any of
the information asked for by the Committee,
though considerable time and stndy will be required
to obtain from it clear conception of the financial
condition of the District. The following are some
of the most striking figures contained in this doeu
ment and an inspection of them will show that the
summary OF it furnished TO the General Press
porter and to the local press of this city week ago
conveyed by its omission very erroneous impress
sion of the facts of the
Tho present debt Of the late corporations of Wash
ington, Georgetown and the Levy Court OF county,
lis $4,3J0,1S 91. The present bonded debt of tho
District of Columbia is s. ,527 $50 making the pres
ent bonded debt of the District and tho old corpora
tions S9,s7SO39 o. The limit of Indebtedness fixed
by Congress is $1OO00OOO The following is the bal
ance-sheet of the District Government proper for
the current year:
Taxes nncollected for the current and past ,,
uABIIITIEs.
Outstanding Indebtedness Feb. 1. 1874 $3.50 80
Estimated liabilities for salaries OF officers,
nm M
departments, payment OF interest aud sink
ing fund on bonds. and contingent expenses.
Tor year ending June ~, ssoOn N
Total liabilities l,347,s7o 81
surplus 75,1O9 ~
II will be seen that in the assets the District Gov
epment includes $9I s01 80 of unpaid taxes for the
years 1912 and 1928 as well o. the total assess
lnent for this year. As the Controller and Tax Col
lect0r explained TO the Committee the other day
that certain percentage of the taxes were wrongly
assessed and could never be collected it is probable
that when this is deducted the liabilities of the
District Will be found TO be greater than its assets
The following is the balance-sheet showing assets
and Liabilities OF the Board of Public Works:
ASSETS.
Securities on hand t65311s 50
Balance due account VI general sewerage
District OF Columbia 1974oS "a
ment Of Auditor 24.ca6o o.
Amount 70 be reimbursed by District OF Col
pnmps sso2o3 co
Amount OF property hand, per report OF
superintendent OF Property. 1880 As
$37GS.2y7 62
LIABILITIES
Erection OF CITY Hall $4,000 90
Due on account Of contracts certificates 25G9Tl4 "a
Due on account " contracts unsettled 10000 90
of accounts ia certificates. 762247 so
Due on ot her accounts uns tiled ..-..-. 10000 90
Due enpoyC. IabOrers, &c............... l2J707 %
Due utsdnding bills, payable sos l2s 10
Total ............. 1855 70