Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-02-20
DISTRICT INDEBTEDNESS
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF Audit.
Accounts ofth Board OF Public Works
what the City Railros DIS should Pay.

Accounts Oh the Board OF Public Works
what the City RaiIros Dis shouId Pay.
Speaker Blaine, in TIE House of Repre-
sentatives yesterday afternoon, presented a
message from the PRESIDENT of the United
States, TRANSMITTING the following report of
the board of audi. of the District of Columbia
in relation to the claims against said Dis
tr1ct, the accoTmts of the late officers of said
district the liabilities of the street railroads,
&C:
BoARJI OF AUDIT, DISTRICT OF CoLuNBIA,l
February, 1875. {
BY sect' on six OF the Act for the government Of
approved June 20, 1874 the board OF audit therein
cTae were required to ascertain and report to Con
tlsty chargeable 90 the
STREET RAILROAD COMPANIES
rsnie ehare s ss 81 Sa eon
the acts Of Congress relating thereto together with
The provisions Of the several charters of the rail
road companies are substantially alike regarCs
enUes. The charter OF the Washington and George
town company tl2th stat, - provides
First, for the taxation Of the road other real
Second for the taxation Of the real estate owned by
the company in the same manner.
Thru Tor the taxation 81 their personal property
as other personal property IN the cities Of Washing
ton and Georgetown may he taxed.
Fourth, for license for their vehicles or cars.
The roads should therefore be valued real estate
j. valued, and charged with the same gate of TAXA
ton. Their personal property should also D.
should be charged FoT fGer e gfSper'' anu i'7
We do not find that any tax has been paid by
ton, except on lands and structures. Section of
the act Of Incorporation required the company to
kerr the tracks and for two feet beyond the outer
rail thereof. end also the space between the TRACKS,
expense to the United States or to the cities of ash
Ington and Geor9etown; and section reserved to
Georgetown the right 20 alter the grade Of other
wise improve the avenues and streets occupied by
prOvement. made il the duty Of said company to
change their said railroad to conform to such
altered grade and pavement. Whatever, therefore,
the District has paid or expended in putting the
tracks on new grade and in paving them within
to and paid by the companies respectively. Meas
mine The amounts eEDenJed Inv the District The
Of the avenues and streets 10 be paved bv tRe com
panies, " hen they shall have complied with this re-
qulTement they will have done what their charters
We append hereto q statement in detail. prepared
~ Mr. Wilcox, Of this office, which explains the law
in relation 20 tn" liabilities of the roads account
Of street Improvements, and states the financial con
dition Of the several companies, as furnished by
themselves.
CLAIMS ACTED UPON BY THE BOARD.
BOARD OF AUDIT, DISTRICT OF COLUNBIA,(
February Is $50. :
The board OF audit have proceeded in the discharge
81 the duties imposed upon them by the act of June
~ lsi a. continued and extended 10y the Joint reSo,
luton Of December 2l lSl with all the diligence and
expedition that the nature of the subjects Of Inquiry
10.
ti0ns sui united with the accuracy desirable.
Pursuing the classification Of claims against the
District az in our report Of December I 1874 the adj
dltonal amounts obtained and allowed appear in the
following statement:
FIT The smqPnt e sever certificates issued Ey the
Accounted for in former reports l-Sl5.itO
= 2oIi,iOO
Yet outstanding. .-................... siO5,6JO
Amount Of eerti6eates issued, including interest,
Second Amount of auditor certificates, per former
Amount Of treasurer acceptances and '''- -
A nS5ai u treasurer. liens gfs.sals '1f % %
Accounted for in former
report. ......---.-..-.S l9,24S. stl3 IS
Allowed in present report l59,2gS 81
Outstanding II ' isl ~ ~ S 81
OF the sum Outstanding. certificates to
the amount Of 500 Sg7 % were found
among the papers Of the treasurer and
auditor, which the treasurer claims
be had paid, and for which he Is enfi-
correct, but il has not been finally
acted 6is97 %
Not acted upon.....-...... s992is IS
Amount Of certificates issued since
lvrlner TepOrt. l6676D s.
Third. No claim of this class has been presented
since the former report.
Fourth. The aggregate amount Of claims Of this
class, as per former report, was.-.. - -95 So $
AMOaut since PTe>eLted... 1876 81
Amount allowed and certified sl7z57Ii .
Amount dlsallcwed....----.---.- l.l23 80 -
--2,Si),9H -
Not acted 1850 .
Number Of claims presented A.. - sfr5
Number Of claims allowed. ...........-... .. 500
Number Of claims dsalloweJ. .......... Iqf
Number OF claims not acted upon............... 67J
OF the whole number of claims Fl led, there are
20 IN which the amount claimed Is not definitely
stated and therefore the aggregate amount stated
above i only approximate OF the 67g not acted
uponr the larger portion have been referred the
engineer Tor measurement, or are held for additional
evidence and examination.
This class includes the cont uuation by the COM
missioneTs OF work under old contracts which hal
rot been Tally completed prior to the change Of the
District government.
Ia all cases where final measurements had not
works, claims could not be audited until ,rch
measurements should be made ami rep0Ttai
measurements constituted part OF the duties of
The board OF audit, but 10y the act of June %
and as We are Informed and believe, the fore. en-
lioy "a under the engineer has been insufficient to
FIFTH Amount If claims per former
Itp y -. ~ 30 ~
Amount allowed Ter former
Amount allowed per present 20" F"
amount l5ill di,siiov sd.. 1871 1881 s g
S52S.5s2 Of
Not acted $3.50 q
Sixth Claim. under this class with a few rxcen.
lions had all been reported the Board Of Public
ork- BY special sHperlntendents, and have been
considered a. properly presented to the board 81
audit The property taken was reported separately
a. "ppeTtalnlng II the particular prices Of land in
front Of which it taken, and the number Of
claims as thus reported i bI3l. The vaiHe Of the