Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-12-13

Z mittee alexandria, ia.
DEAR SIR: Since our conversation on
Yesterday, our company has prepared Il
statement. which have the honor to hand
YOU herewith exhibiting the true state OF
the tax question which we discussed orally
You will, | think, iud the same accurate,
AMI it is as full as the time and data in our
possession enable lis TO make it, and we re-
spectfuly express the hope, that it may
satisfy not only yourself, but your associates
in the administration Of the affairs of Alex
an,lria, that the request is reasonable one
and ought to be granted. Yours very
truly, WIN. W. DUNCAN, secretary.
An examination Of the plat of the prop
rrty in the city Of Alexandria owned by the
Alexandria Canal Company, shows that the
number Of feet is as follows: rs, 81 "
which is assessed in the aggregate ut S30,0O
An equal amount of property adjoining
this property on the south, running west
the same distance, including the same
amount Of river frontage improved by
dwellings aud other buildings, is assessed at
the sum ofS7, 10000.
An equal number Of squares and feet,
still further south than the one last above
mentioned and embracing the same amount
of river frontage, lying in IL solid body, Is
assessed at $500, or about one sixth ldl
Us much as the Canal Company's property.
The south square of the Canal Company's
property, being a water front and without
any Improvement whatever and that pro-
duces not penny of income, is assessed ut
5000, while the adjoining square and next
south, also without improvement and be-
| ' 81, Il Pnil-
road Company and Il much more valuable
square, is assessed at nothing.
The four az half squares fronting on the
Potomac river, next north of the canal
property, all that is in the city, north Of the
canal is assessed at $1,000, while the same
amount of property adjoining it on the
south, and belonging 10 the canal company,
with the same amount of river front is AS
scssed ut SlO, 900 or eight times as much.
Another tract Of land fronting on north
Patrick street, west of the canal property
two blocks of which are On the eust side OF
Patrick street, containing seven and one
| halr On acres. is assessed at the sum OF
$500, or less than $500 per acre, and when
YOU consider the ease with which it can be
| improved, and contrast it with the utter i'm
possibility Of improving the canal lands.
| which were, before the basin was con-
! strllct cd a marsh it is manifest that il ought
| not to be taxed much higher than that,
or say fifty per cent. higher, 5000 per acre
or about $4,000.
The sole improvement on canal property,
| is the canal, locks and basins, and if it be
alleged that the tax is put upon these inn
provementS, We reply. that the Washington
and Ohio Company, in the same vicinity,
having one-half more river front than the
| canal company, is assessed at $4,000 per
mile, including $50 feet of the canal COM
pany, along which they pass, and If the
canal was assessed at so much per mile, ii
would amount to about Sl,G50, instead OF
$4,000
The one square of ground occupied by
the Alexandria and Fredericksburg Rail
road Company, with its improvements, and
but one block north of King street, in a
populous part Of the city, containing one
eighth ~ as much land as the canal COM
pany owns, is assessed at 81 600. only one
| fifth as much as an equal area is assessed
upon the canal property.
If the purpose is to tax equally, it is sub
mtted, that it would he perfectly just to as
sess the canal property as land at the same
price, that an equal amount of land is as
tossed next adjoining it. 10 w.t. as is seen
above 81, 70O and add thereto the same rate
per mile put upon the Washington and
Ohio Railroad $l,GjO, making in all $3.50
If the purpose is to tax land according to
its value, and to tax improvements accord
ing to their productiveness, this property
should be taxed as land, and as 4 canal, as
stated in the last paragraph at $3.50, with
out any addition for improvements for pro-
ductveness, because the total receipts from
Z ao mol ba Ioof
were 81, 73, and the expenses for simply
operating the canal or canal business was
81, 94l ID, or an aggregate loss on said canal
business, for each year of 81, S2G 20 and for
the two years 81, 65340.
The two most valuable squares Of land in
that part the city fronting on Fairfax street,
upon which all the passenger and freight
depots, engine house and other buildings of
the Washington and Ohio Railroad, in the
very heart Of the city and highly produc-
tive, are assed at $25 900, which is undoubt.
eddy high enough and the canal company's !
improvements, assessed on the same basis, |
ought not to be taxed at all as improve
ments.
Another square, between St. Asaph and
Washington, Pendleton and Wythe streets. |
the best improved and probably the most
productive piece of property in Alexandria,
which has cost probably between $4,000 !
and $4,000 is assessed at $50, 600.
Some years since, when the tolls charged |
on the canal were eight (Sl cents per ton on
coal, under an earnest representation, that
the business of the city was injured by so !
high Il rate, a reduction to six cents tG) |
cents was made; under similar representa-
tons made later, reduction was asked for.
and fixed at cents per ton. and still later
to 3 cents per ton, where it has stood for
nine ~ years, by which reduction the COM
pany has lost at least onc-third of what il |
might have earned at Il more renunerative
rate of toll.
The present rate of taxation requires the
payment by the company for city taxes
alone, twenty-five (25) per cent of the total
annual receipts of the canal; in other words,
it requires the payment of six hundred tGOO)
dollars year for the privilege of doing a
business by which loss is every year
caused to the company of 3, 500 70, but
which business is Of very great profit and
advantage to the city and the citizens of
Alexandria at large
This estimate is based upon the business
of the years 1882 and 1883, but, if the two