National Republican., 1883-08-07
Completion Of the LabOrs Of the Board Of
Equalization and Revision,
Pleasant Closing Coutesies-Presenta-
ton Of a Cane to Chairman Dodge,
An Interesting Talk with Two Of the Assessors on
the Results Of the Assessment
Some Pertinent Suggestions ms TO the Oper-
ations OF the Personal Tax Law.


heartily glad of it,"
"what do you suppose will be the aggre-
gate amount ?" asked the reporter.
al think" said Mr.. Cottrell " that tho lists
will foot up about S1o,00O,00O less than the
assessment of 1874 "
al hardly believe it will be that much
short" remarked Mr.. Hackney. 1T may be
about $1,000, 900 less but not more. You see
there has been largo increase in both our
districts, and probably Mr.. Harkness's dis
trict will about hold its own now. On the
other districts there have been big reduc-
tions."
"Do you think with the changes that have
been made in Mr.. Harknesss district it will
now come up to the last assessment"
every nearly So" was the reply "There
have been great many changes made upon
the land yet tho improvements are placed at
a low figure. l think, however, the total
will be very near the old assessments"
"How much will the total of your district
vary from the report you made on the first OF
June?" asked the reporter of Mr.. Cottrell.
"I don't think the amount will be reduced
moro than $4,000 or 100000"
Both gentlemen were then interrogated as
to tho probable increase of property in the
next three years and they estimated that the
great increase in value would be west of Fiji
tecnth street and north of X. In some sec
tions, rs around Sixteenth street, it would
probably increase 100 per cent. Even out on
tho hills there would be an appreCiablc in
crease in value, and if the project of extend
ing the city limits, which is talked of and
has been petitioned for, should be carried out
the increase would of course be very great.
Both gentlemen said that the proper way
AZ I'm tn hny yn
three or five permanent assessors and pay
thgm fair salaries Then they could keep the
run of all the property and improvements.
"Why," said Mr. Hackney, eff l was per-
manent assessor | should mako II my bvsi-
ness to attend every sale of property i'll the
district assigned me and would keep record
of the prices paid | would also 60 round and
examine the buildings in progress, talk with
the bricklayeIs and carpenters, fad out
whether il was hard wood finish or not, and
be enabled to know exactly the character of
all the work and material | could then
intelligcntly assess the improvements when
the time came"
In regard to the assessment of corporations
both gentlemen said that the position taken
by the commissioners, rs TO apprONima;ing
the actual value of stocks aud not taking the
par value, was correct, and that all the other
assessors held the same view; and several in
stances were given of transactions in stock,
in which the actual price paid was vastly
greater or less than the par value. Thoy both
agreed that the personal tax was au outrage,
ard that the law should be repealed.
Just see how much injustice it works,
said Mr. Cottrell. 81 buy house of you for,
say $4,000. / pay you $500 cash, and give
you mortgage of $1,000. Now when my
house is assessed l am taxed L. per cent. on
the 5000 and you pay u per cent. ON the
~ 800 that you haven't got. You, of course,
charge inc sufficient interest to make up
that /! per cent, SO really pay per cent.
on the property
In this connection the following opinion of
Mr.. Riddle, attorney for the district, will be
the guide of the commissioners in the matter
OF determining the assessment OF the stock of
corporations:
OFFICE OF ATTORNEY DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
Feb. 10, lS79-GenIemen: a press OF important
cases in court has prevented an earlier attention
to the letter of the assessor, Mr. Dodge, ol Jam 81
With the policy, expedency, or justice OF the
laws we have nothing to do We are TO ascertain
their meaning MS well MS we can and enforce them
WltnuuL reference TO consequent to individuals
or The public Interests. Those matters rest with
CongeS go
pJratiUn nuthOiAed by the charter is to b. taker
as its capital stuck. II there Il no way of deter
miningit, value At hand, aud The compny iur.
nj ,hrs no evidence ao to It's value, that amount
may be taken as its yalne also. Ii the company
refuses or uoglects 70 make return, the Law
orders 81 per Grnt. TO be added. lSec, 10, act o
Mhrch 3 1871 10 stats, 800, 400 There is no hell
for tns um the art of the district. think IN,
N rsct value of stock is the legal value Mt which
II shuU'd br asses ed; but when company refuses
To maze Il return, do not thiui the assessor y
obliged to 80 SHINING through the market to hnt
ont what IL is worll. He may put 1t down at par
and the law adds 30 per cent. for nonrcturn b.
the company. Tho act diIerts the capital stocl
10 be taxed with reicruuce To the characl of tn,
property in which IL is invested, except rea
estate, which is taxed Us land ana deducted.
The supreme coult of the United states has de
cided that capital stock, though made up o
United States securities not taxable us snch, ma!
be taxed as capital even by state. some OF tn'
banks of this district, however, do not bcliev
this is the law, and we have several cases nov
pending to try it over. Meantime we shall go ol
and enforce this eleventh section of the act q
law. Congress and the courts must settle the di:
putes alike of law and its policy,
The matter of giving notice to property owne.
ofthe duty of making returns by publication
commits s,ioners will take upon the diSriCtthe I'D
ditlouul burden of personal notice, which in Nh
result ! have no doubt, would save money to tn
Respectfully, tsgncd) A. G. RIDDLE,
The board of assessors completed their worl
at 9 o'clock yesterday, and their last sessio
being almost at close, a lull occurred in TN
proceedings, of which Mr. Harkness too
advantage to rise and, in an appropriat
speech, present handsome gold headed can
to Col. Robert p Dodge, the assessor of tn
district
The presentation was made ON behalf @
tho entire board in consideration of tn
accuracy and uniform courteOusncss wit
which Mr.. Dodge had otliCiated during thei
meeting.
Mr.. Hardness subsequently said that IN
pleasant things had been said between him
self and one of his colleagues, which he too
pleasure in withdrawing, rs he did not Tegar
the actions of the others as intentional il
suits.
A resolution was passed recommending thf
the clerk, Mr.. Thomas b. Shoemaker, /
granted pay for an additional month, as ii
iudelatigable labOrs would be required fC
that length of time in finishing up the Wor
of the assessment. Mr. Shoemaker has pc
formed very responsible and difficult wor
throughout the session of the board.
The assessors also recommended that the
be allowed compensation for $50 days instea
of the 116 which they have actually bee
employed.
A large number Of applications for redu
tions were disallowed, and q number
changes made on lots in squares 100, 50, Z
63, and 81 in Georgetown. The changes wei
ell reductions, and some of them importan
Reductions were also made in other section
1t was ordered that the improvement
lots 72 and 73, of square 63, be charged 81, 90
that the property of the Washington Brio
Machine company be changed TO $1,000 pt
acre, and Trinidad farm $500 that on lot
square 400, the improvements be reduce
from $3.50 to 200; that the Arlington hot
be raised from $4,000 TO $4,000; thu
Willurds hotel be reduced from 100000
$S0,00O. Tho total amount of reductions
the seventh district was $4,000.
Tol nodpA then WrOte n letter To the con