Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-05
THE DISTRICT INVESTIGATION,
Proceedings OF the Joint Congress.
stOnal Committee To-day.
Inc Public Schools and the school
Enmha.


sfOnal Committee To-day.
The Public schools and the school
Funds.
The investigation into the charges against
the District government made by the memo
rialists was begun this morning. Senator Thur
man presided, with all the members OF the Spe-
cial Committee present except M sssrs. Boutwell,
ana Jewett. There were present on the part OF
the District authorities Governor Shepherd;
son, superintendent of public schools; George
Z. Baker, controller. with the counsel for the
District government, Messrs. Harrington, Stan
ton and Mattingly; and on the part OF the me-
morislists Messfs. Columbus Alexander. r.. s.
Davis, Jesse b. Wilson, and several others,
with their counsel, Messrs. Shelsbarger, Mer-
rick and Crystie. Mr.. K. Champlin, trustee of
public schools, Mr.. j. E. Thompson, principal of
the Jefferson public school, and several others,
were present.
Before proceeding with the investigation
Senator Thurman said he would correct a mis-
| apprehension in regard to the printing of the
report OF the Governor. 1t was the intention to
| print the full report. He also announced, in
order to correct misapprehension in connec-
ton with the custody of the papers lodged with
the committee, that they had the highest con-
sides, and that the strict watch kept on these
| public documents by the District authorities
meant no reflection on the memoriaists' counsel
THE FIRST WITNESS
examined was Geo. f. Baker, District Con-
troller, who was sworn by Mr.. Wilson.
Mr.. Hubbell saying that he had business be-
Iore the departments, was excused.
q. by Mr.. Thurmsn-what is the system of
taxation for the support Of public schools in the
District? A.; = tax of two per cent. is levied,
ana then 1t Is divided around with different
funds. The schools get 33-hundreds of one per
cent, or 80 cents levied on every hundred dol
lars OF real estate: That for the teachers; the
other expenses of schools make 1t foot up 60
cents on the hundred dollars for school pur-
poses.
@. What property is taxed for schools? A.
San fnr nufk ole NJ
personal taxes. The entire tax for school pur-
poses is levied on real property; no chooses in
action, or anything of the kind, are taxed for
schools; Inc amount is fixed by an annual bill
fixing the taxes.
o. understand you, Mr.. Baker, that the
taxes are levied annually? Please read the
The first act making such levy is August %,
1871, (pages 1851 LIST session 1st Legislative
Assembly, referring thereto;) the next act is Of
which is the last.
@. Does the sixty cents include the erection
OF school buildings? A. Yes, sir. The first act
OF the legislature provides for the erection of
public schools; the second act says nothing for
the erection OF school buildings in the city, but
does in the county; neither does the last act.
e. Is there any general law passed by the
schools? A. No, sir; there is a Board of School
Trustees in Georgetown, Washington and the
county who make their own laws; the act au-
thorizing the appointment of trustees by the
Governor Is legislative act.
y. Who determines upon the necessities of
school houses? A. The trustees; they make
recomme Rdations to the Legislatures; all the new
school houses were built under the old govern
mentj the new government only completed
them: The amount for school purposes raised
under the first act of the Legislature was
si16, Washington, 1914, 5N.9s; George
Town, Sl5O9l0S; county, s26O20 For 1872 the
Georgetown, sS3, 1929; county, si3, 1880. For
1872 the amount was 1888 1878.
q. OF the levy for 1871 how much was col
lected, and how much remains delinquent? A.
The total levied for the three years was
s1,Ol1 1912; the amount collected was $780,
6423, leaving due 1871 ,322.52. For 1871 the
receipts were $685., 241 49, the amount due is
$4,000. For 1872 the amount levied was S317,-
3o2.93; the amount collected, $40, 10, leay
ing delinquency Of about Sl07 900. For 1873,
1888 1913; the amount collected foots up
sIS1 800, making delinquency of over $780,
Q. When was the ultimate day of taxes of
1871 due? A. In July, 1872; the taxpayer has
until July LIST, 1872, to make payments; il they
pay before that they are allowed an abatement
school tax levied for 1873 is mot deinauent until
July LIST, 1874.
@. Please explain how the delinquency of
lsl became so large and what steps have been
taken to collect the same? A. By issuing GER
tificates against the property Of delinquent tax
payers. If the tax is not paid at maturity we
such certificates was in 1873; no such sale ever
took place before, but little property has been
thus sold. Debts however have been paid with
certificates, the amounts year by year, appear
in the report furnished by me to the Governor
and by him to the committee.
z. At what rate were the certificates sold
A. AT par, and so were then taken for debts; any
valid debt was paid by them for which an APP
preparation had been made. We paid to the
school treasurers large amount Of these GER
the school trustees have overdrawn the full
amount collected for the three years. We don't
keep the school fund in the treasury separate.
"A krrHA 49, 500 - -
on them as colIaterals There has been spent In
three years for the completion Of school houses
s26, 1876; that amount Is from the taxes; in addi-
uon there has been expended, s215, 1920.
By the hypothecation of bonds. We were au-
thorized to use the District funds for any pur.
pose.
Q. Was there no appropriation for the pur-
act Is OF Jan. 10, 1872.
Q. Please refer to the passage which author
ICES this application OF the money. A. The
Goversor is authorized to anticipate the reve-
nue.. There Is q subsequent act which modifes
this act. The specific act is june 90 1872. /
refer to another, Jan. 49, 1872, of the first legis-
O.. Briefly state the provisions of that act au-
thorizing the government to make loans ard
hypothecate the bonds. A. They authorize tie
governor to borrow money.
z. What amount do they authorize? A. To
the amount OF the debt found to be due by the
auditing commission.
thority? A. Section 4 seems to provide for it,
which authorizes the Governor to anticipate
the revenues; notes were issued under it, and
the bonds were given for collaterals. There is
no provision as to how much he should borrow
or how much interest he should pay.
z. What amount did Georgetown give of such
bonds to the District government A. None;
don't think 1t had any debt; Washington gave
about twelve hundred thousand dollars. The
bonds only bind the city; they don't bind the
District government.
Q. How many of the twelve hundred thous-
and dollar bonds have been hypothecated? A.
About elk hundred thousand. They run indeh-
nitely; they are promissory notes signed by the
Governor, binding the District government IL
Is all now in one note.
National Bank of New York.
2. Is 1t q call loan? A. 1t il, virtually; do
not remember the terms; it bears 10 Der cent.
interest.
Q. When was this loan made? A. About two
years ago; ii has been renewed several times:
part of It has been paid.
Q. What bonds were hypothecated? A.
Bonds Issued by the sinking fund to nav the
debts Of the city, think $3.50 900 was raised on
100000 collaterals; the loan was originally I
made with the First National Rank 0f Na1