Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-09
District Government Affairs.


ferred to the coroner, s; burials at public ex-
pense, IL; patients treated by ply sicfans to the
poor, 1s9; poor sick families furnished with
food, 35; and the usual inspections and con-
formations OF unwholeSome food and marine
products. Animals impounded, 3d.; killed, Al;
The Commissioners have instructed the in
spector Of buildings to proceed with the i'm.
provements necessary to be made to the pound
as recommended by him, limiting the cost to
In the last two days Mr. Sutton, inspector OF
oysters.
The District Commissioners have appointed
MT. James Small, sealer of weights and meas
ures, to the vacancy on the committee on liquor
licenses caused by the resignation OF Col. Rob't
The humber Of drawback certificates issued
by MT Roome, In charge OF revisions of special
assessments, up to 2 O'Clock to-day, was 4,O1O,
aggregat1ng In amount s24l, 1868.
TYPHOID FEVER IN AN ORPHAN ASYLUM.
Health Officer Townsnend visited the Wash
1ngton City Orphan Asylum Oath and streets)
Yesterday and made an inspection OF Its SAM
raj deaths among the orphan children from
typhoid fever-one occurring yesterday and
several now sick With it. he found the water
the nursery. being in no wise Isolated as it
should be. He also found that sewer gas was
escaping into the room constantly, and the
wonder is that there has been no more cases of
fever. He notified the trustees to either iso-
late this closet and bath room, OF to remove it
altogether.
THE TRRAsuRER's ANNUAL REPORT.
District Treasurer r. p. Dodge submitted his
annual report to the commissioners to-day from
Jnly l, 1875, to June 80, 1879, showing total re-
cepts at ST. sos, 522, all Of which have been paid
into the Treasury Of the United States. The
amount received from licenses was Fill 1898
on the SOth of June, 1873, after the correction
OF the books
Washington s74, hiss, 400; District OF
Columbia, $l,oo5, 200; exempt from taxation,
S4.ol5,0'6; United States, s7S,941.56 - total,
SIS, 715,s42.
Georgetorn.-Taxable, s5,O7e,25e; District Of
Solnmbia exempt sa4915s United
County.-Taxable, s6,574, 1s4; District of Co
lumbia, s34 499; exempt ssh, 25s; United States,
s., 142, 5s0-total. $174,s75,544.
ments deducting the value of old drawbacks,
for Washington, $3.50, $50; Georgetown. 1922, $50;
county, SIS, 15O-total, 81 ,24l 800.
taxes sas is fully as mueh as the Hboe
annual assessment, voluntary and arbitrary,
and there seems to be no prospect of its collec-
ton. Many persons make an annual return,
and proclaim at the same time that it is done
only 10 avoid the so per cent. fine, and that
they do not propose to pay the tax, for tho rea-
son that SO much is outstanding, and so many
OF their friends have heretofore paid no atten-
ton 10 the law, or have in some way avoided it.
1t is believed that all good citizens are willing
to pay just taxes. All visible property can
readily be reached, but when men Of known
wealth hide their property by temporary in
vestment in exempted stocks or bonds, or buy
themselves into debt upon margin, their fell
low-citizens who make honest returns are thus
paying double share OF taxes and the law be-
comes unjust and imperative. AL business
which requires changeable capital should be
licensed, as 1t is impossible to get the amount
Of Of stock < anywhere near right for taxation.
which was repealed, should be re- enacted, and
this class, at least, Of personal property be
released from taxatlon 1t would seem
Upon real estate should not Be ta 9aaS
This tax is a prohibition upon the Introduction
Of foreign capital, and in most cases the inter-
est demanded is higher to the extent of the tax
than it otherwise would be. Tax payers whose
personal property is invisible fail to communi-
cate with the assessor, either from love Of gain
or TO avoid publicity Of their affairs: The arbI-
books are sad commentary upon the ineffi-
cheney Of our personal tax laws The late act
Of Congress which reduced the rate OF interest
to per cent. in lieu Of all penalties, has been
Of Infinite relief to our burdened taxpayers,
and has brought into the treasury a large
amount of arrears. l recommend that
the er en- d
count for prompt payment.
1t is my duty to call attention to the follow
ing: The Baltimore and Ohio railroad company
are assessed for 1880 on real estate in this city
$214, 991, In the county ,4s6, In all S3l5,477
tax of s5,632 &c. This company has never paid
taxes on their real or personal property, and it
stands charged on the tax books with S75,574 of
general taxes, to which is to be added interest
and penalties. In estimating revenue for 1880
this tax should be omitted. There is also an
enormous amount of property carried on the
associations, &C., upon which no tax Is ever
paid until it is desired to sell or mortgage,
when the desired quantity is relieved.
Rirer Front.-There is large amount of pro-
hnil0tOOS pr0nndSN
front, below the Long BRIDGE which has es-
capped taxation. The ground is beyond the
limits Of the original squares, and improved by
from the wharveS. The amount involved Is
probably over 100000, and improvements
$4,000, the latter Of which should pay a per-
sonal tax. The present rentals Of this property
received by individuals amounts to ST., 900 or
S30,000 annually.
Ne,c Assessments Real estate values have
not yet become sufficiently stable to justify
incompetent men having been sent out to as
sess property, many mistakes have been made
In locating buildings and assessing values. In
some cases one side of street has been as
sessed at one-th1rd or one-haH less than the
other when they should have been the same.
In order to better performance OF this highly
responsible duty, / venture to suggest that
there should be appointed seven citizens with
respectable compensation as subordinate as
SCISSORS, selected for their intelligence, integ-
r1ty and Industry, who should be PERMANENT
lOtted to them"
The Treasurer estimates the expenses OF his
Office for 1ss0-s1, at $22,s
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CORONER
Coroner Patterson has submitted his annual
report for the year ending June 3Oth, 1879,
showing total of all deaths certified by the
coroner during the year to have been 625, In
GLIDING suicides, homicides, 80 infanticdeS,
147 deaths by accidents and negligence, and 436
by disease. The percentage OF white deaths
was 1856, and of colored T.44. The coroner
states that the number of cases is largely In
excess OF former years; this is in consequence
OF the adjustment OF the Office of medical sani-
tary inspector attached to the late board of
health. During the last session of Congress 800
was appropriated for the contingent expenses
OF this office, in accordance with the recon-
mendation that six persons constitute a legal
coroner's jury-for jurors $780, and books, sta
tionery, &C., $500. Although the appropriation
passed. the number of jurors remain as before,
thus leaving deficiency of $500, or, II wit
Desses are to be paid, the deficiency would be
800. The necessity for margin for the Dis
trict continues to be more apparent and press
ing. He recommends that six citizens Of the
District hereafter constitute coroner's jury,
and that they receive 81 each for each inquest
Expenses Of the Office for the ensuing year are
estimated at $4,000.
ODEROUS MANUFACTURES.
Yesterday DR.. Townshend, the health officer,
made personal inspection in the Vicinity of
the gas house with view OF aScertain1ng, from
personal observation, the extent OF the null
sanceS complained OF thereabout, and the
origin. He found there that the asphalt works