National Republican., 1880-09-16
HOW WE ARE GOVERNED.
Annual Reports OF Bureau Officers Of
the District.
The Collections During the Past Year--ope-
rations of the Washington Asylum
The Police Department.
Some Facts From the omcial Records.

The annual reports OF the bureau officers oil
the District are being slowly received by tho
District commissioners. Among those received
yesterday were the reports of tho collector
the major and superintendent of police and
the commissioner OF the Washington asylum
THE COLLECTIONS FOR THE YEAR.
Tho report of Collector Cook shows the col.
lections during tho year to have been: Gen
eral taxes on real estate, S1,433, 1862 80; per
sonal taxes, S115, 5,677.7s miscellaneous, 1878.
54S.14; penalties on general tax, S7l l,325.22
penalties on personal tax, $2,215.04: penalties
OH miscellaneous, S7,7i1.16 Total, S2O03,.
559G4. AT the beginning of the last fiscal year
the Office was debited with general tax ar.
rears amounting to 81 29O, ,5273O. During the
year 1901, 1852 10 of this amount has been col.
lected, leaving net balance of $3.50, 900, which
amount will be greatly reduced before the ex
piration Of the privilege afforded by congress
of the payment of arrears without penalties
or other costs. The personal tax arreara ge
account has also been materially reduced. On
November /, 1870, the office was debitod with
81 ,297, 1920 on account Of the general tax for
the year edding Juno 80, 1880, of which
amount 1892, ,02075 has been collected, and
$50 3S5.09 credited to the Office on account OF
the five per cent. abatement OH November
collections, leaving 1896 ,52G.22 to bo collected
The office was also debitod with the personal
tax levy for the current fiscal year in the
amount Of $171 1,3o146, against which
has been placed the following credits !:
By amount collected S105794 So; by
the five per cent November abatement, &4-
235.1l; by the discharge of the amount against
national banks, S11 1864, leaving a balance
due at the end Of the year ofS40 935 lG. The fol-
lowing items in the above exhibit of receipts
We're collected through the Office for tho use of
third parties holding tho liens representing
the taxes: Amount of special tax, principal
and interest, $l0950.06; amounts received
on account Of paving Pennsylvania av-
enue, aggregating Si,0s513; Washing.
ton redemption fund II principal and in-
terest--SS, ,20133 also small percentage
of the amount collected on account of
general taxes for the years ending respectively
June 80, 1872 and 1873, represented by
tax liens, tho exact amount of which can only
DO shown by the account of the auditor aud
comptroller Of the District of Columbia. The
attention of the commissioners Is called to the
loss of revenue derived from tho tax on dogs
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879
SlO,50612 WIS received, while during the
last fiscal year IS, 5070l was received, and up
to the date of the report, September 10, only
1,260 dog.tags have been sold, us against
4, ,152 tags for the corresponding time of last
year. Tho legislation asked for in the last re-
port is needed, else In future estimates of re-
coipts and appropriations this item Of receipt
will no longer be an element The collector
also asks for the restoration of the clerk cut
off from the force of this Office, aud that pro-
vision bo made for the empl oyment Of An ad-
ditional force for the preparation Of the
necessary tax lists.
THE WASHINGTON ASYLUM.
The report of Commissioner Caswell shows
the operations at the Washington asylum
during the past year. The report congratu-
lates the commissioners upon the accession of
the United States magazine property to the
aeylum grounds. The sanitary condition of
the asylum has been greatly improved during
the year by the erection of building outside
for odorous operations. placing transoms over
the doors which converted tho stairwsys into
vcntilating shafts by the addition of cowls on
the roof aud other beneficial changes secur-
ing separate bathrooms for both the males
and females, better heating arrange
mcnts, together with economy In fuel.
The inmates arc now required to take
bath at least once week. All
female prisoners have been uniformed.
Land has been reclaimed by draining, new
road constructing, and running water fur.
uished for the use of stock. The fences have
been placed In thorough repair, aud hog
range made out Of piece Of waste ground.
The report notes the planting Of thirty-nine
trees and 1000 strawberry plants, successful
operations in pork culture-there being now
sixty-nino animals of improved Berkshire
breed on the place; 665 coillus made for
paupers, aud 449 interments in tho pottcrs
field. All clothing for male prisoners is made
by themselves in 4 sewing room, aud most of
that for the females M well MS all the bedding,
etc, is made by tho women. A large quantity
of excavatng and other work has been
done for the engineer departments. Thirteen
colored and six white children have been
transferred to other institutions. The twenty
two children now in tho asylum will be SIM
ilarly transferred when old enough. The os.
tablshment of school for the twenty -four
minors in the asylum is contemplated. Tho
admission of able.bodied women whose only
disqualification for outside work Is the posses
sion of an inf fant Is deprecated, and tho report
suggests that one of the magazine buildings
be arranged as an infants asylum, where the
children can be cared for whilo tho mothers
are obtaining employment. He also suggests
that old criminals be required to give bonds
for their future good behavior or be commit
ted for from three months to three years. lie re-
news his recommendation TO purchase 800 acres
of land ou the east side OF the branch for tho
use of the asylum, and an additional apprOpria-
ton of 5000 TO complete the new wing Is
asked for. During the year there were 20il
inmates of the asylum, l40 of whom remained
3l6 aud the United States 1,725 of
tho number. There were III white males,
2O0 white females, $50 colorod males aud 2S5
coored females. The estimates for tho com.
ing ycar are $4,000 for salaries, S37,700 for
contingencies, and $1,000 for completing tho
workhouse, making Il total OF S53 700.
Tho report of tho visiting physician, DIR.
John |. Dyer, shows that 44s patients were
received, of which 80 remained at tho oud of
the fiscal year. There were 60 deaths. He
the reappointment Of q second
physician in view Of the Increase in the work
Of the medical department. There were 3
deaths from smallpox.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The report of Major Brock earnestly
recommends an increase Of the force by add
ing ono captain, seven scrgeants aud l50 pri-
Yates or patrolmen, remarking that when the
present number of patrolmen (200) was
authorized by congress tho population of the
District WAS about IS, $40, aud at present II is
IT'S, 900, while tho valuation OF property, both
pr vate aud public, has more than increased
in the same ratio, and the territory requiring
police patrol and protection has also greatly
"a patrOlman, no matter how Wig |
liant aud efficient he may be-" says the re-
port, cannot give due police protection while
covering q beat from ten to fifteen miles In
length, as Is now too often and unaVOdably |
the case The report states that the build |
ings rented for station.houso purposes are not
adapted TO the suryice, being iuGOnvenieutly
arranged the rooms too small aud tho sewer
age and ventilation in most OF them beiug de-
fective. This matter Of statiOn'houses Is ono
of tho greatest importance TO the health and
miurt Of tho force, aud he urges both ON