Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-05-01

anu taNeS. so as 10 retieve the board OF as
SCISSORS of their interruptions
Inc commissioners, in their efforts 10 thus
relieve you of the lahors imposed upon you,
recognize the primary importance or the as
sesklnent upon real estate. which must not
In any event fail of execution; but they
must leave no means in their power untried
tosecure The assessment upon personal prop
eIty as Wen. Very respectfully,
WIN. TINDALL, Secretary.
No 81
OFFICE OF THE ASSESSORS
Hon Commissioners Of the Dixir.r, on nl,sc,b
Gentlemen; We have the honor To ack-
nowledge the receipt OF your letter of the
.4Gh Instant inquiIing what progress is being
made by the Board of Assessors in assessing
the real and PERSONAL property. and 10 what
extent VIII the duties imposed upon ms h.
performed before the list day of Nav. We
beg leave 10 reply that we are making salts
factory progress in the assessment of the real
estate, and hope 10 complete this portion OF
our duties by the list of May; though we
have found il much more labOrious than we
had anticipated, by reason OF not having the
assistance from the original assessment
books that We had anticipated.
III was our purpose and plan 10 take the as
seSsment on those books as the basis of the
assessment TO be made by us; but as we pro
crossed in the work we found the valuations
OF property heretofore made so unSatiSfac-
tory and inequitable. and so unequal i'm re-
Spects OF different locations that we have
been compelled 10 throw those books aside
ahd proceed as though no assessment had
sary for us TO prepare an entire new assess
ment of all the real estate and the improve
nl'i thereon in the District of Columbia.
inns involved personal inspection of an
localities and careful comparisons, with a
view 10 reach just results. We regarded
fair and Just assessment OF the real
estate as all important 10 the interest
OF The Dlstrict-not only with a view to levy
ing OF taxes at present and in the future bIt
also with view TO the business interest of
the people, I'm the sale and exchange of land
ana Ia the negotiation of loans on real estate
security.
We have. therefore. Iahored To make
sncn an assessment as would meet the
approval OF every honest man i'm the com
munity, and we believe our work will re-
ceiye favorable judgment when il is com
pleted. We regret, however, that the time
within which IL must be done is so limited
In regard Ia the assessment of the
personal property, which the law also
imposes upon US, we are compelled 20 say
that all the purposes contemplated in the
law OF Congress cannot possibly be accom-
piished, by reason of the LIMITED time allowed
for performing the work. We would not be
justified in giving any of tine time allowed by
law 10 the assessment of personal property
or TO any other business or duties whateyeT.
should we he required 10 do so, the assess
ment of the real estate would prove diSaS-
trOus failure.
That you may realize the heavy duties
row imposed upon us, and our anxiety to
perform the same, the private business Of
each member of the board has been entirely
abandoned since we entered upon the per
forinance of our official duty. We are engaged
day and night i'm unremitting and earnest
work on the assessment of the real estate.
The completion of this assessment would be
endangered by any suspension or intermis-
sion of that work. We must rest for our
Vlndlcation upon the sound judgment of
men, which we believe they will pronounce
when The work upon which we are now en-
gagged is completed, that we have done an
That men conld 10 TO perform our duty with
honesty and fidelity, within the limited time
allowed by the law.
Yours, very respectfully.
(Signed,) WA II. CLAGFTT.
GEO. w. HARENEsS,
ROBERT DODGE.
JOHN If. BROOKS.
JOHN IL. MCCHEsNEY.
Board OF Assessors
No. o
April. so. ISIS.
Gentlemen: This being the last day in
which assessment can be made, the Com
missioners desire 10 he informed whether
your board will be able TO complete them in
accordance with the requirements OF the law
in that respect. Very respectfully.
WIN. TINDALL.
To nc B0crrl Of assessors. d. C.