Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-23
THE DISTRICF FINANCES.
Report q Expert YalAeas
PRoBABII ACTION on fm HousI Dus11cf CON
MITE

MI. Fielder made verbal report OF his examina.
ton into the District finances to the House District
committee yesterday, urging upon the COMMITTEES
the necessity Of ordering IN investigation. Quite
long discussion took place. but the SlJ1ctees secrecy
was enJo1ned upon tbs members q the cummittel
and CLERK, 50 that what actually occurred could MOI
be learned It Is known, however, that tho CON-
mittee Is Tar nom being unanimously In accord
with Mr. Feid;er. The idea Of tho committee seems
to be that MI. Feder has an exaggerated notion Of
the case, and y Inclined 70 make mountain out Of
mole hun The only thing the inquiry thus far
has developed Is some slight trTegulArtty in the
into ONES. ana which was discovered and cor
recsed, as fsr as could Be, @ the time The com.
mittee 90 not look with favor upon the idea Ct an
Feidler they win consent TO an examination OF the
books They viii not, however, order q Congress
s SeW YorS ,o me p O. MT Ysldsn tns
counts OF the District was discussed, but was not
thought by the majority Of the committee to CON
tam any evidence that would Indicate the mecca
The committee VIM meet this afternoon, when
the District Commissioners win be examined, and Z
REroRr OF EXPECT YAIpxx.
The following u the report OF Mr. ]. Walden, the
New York expert-Gentenen: IN accordance with
the resolution passed by your honorable body on
the 4th instant, I proceeded 70 the ONCE Of the
an examination Of the books and accounts at pres
ent In use and those formerly kept for the record
ing OF the various accounts and transactions OF the
receipts and the expenditures by the said Com mis-
SiOnerS My special attention was moro partacur
larry directed to the collectors and auditors ONCE
and the system adopted by the former In the col
within late period the system in vogue for the
collection and receipt Of taxes in the colectort
Ing. From the examination made some years agt
by the Commissioners many errors and defalcation,
were discovered, amounting to largo sum, which
q 10 IN a nall ,foy
and secured to him by one of his subordinates b,
the transfer OF property as security.
mind m the ana
carried on, the examination, in my opinion has moi
gone far enough. On the contrary, in my tudg
ofncials, there is YET further shortage. AS pro
ceedingS are now being taken AGAINST the collector
believe for the recovery back OF this property q
how the examination, as made, can. conclustvely
prove that such amount was extracted, generally
from the funds Of the District, as 40 agreement O
figures has been made TO conform with the out
standing unpaid taxeA There is evidence clearly
proving that these deficiencies were brought about
thereto there are Instances Of taxes twice entered
and credited to the city, but only once received
The above examination does not continue to the
the unpaid taxes are unreliable. The present aud
itor has inaugurated since about the frst OF Nove
Der last an entirely new system for the collector II
his ONCE and, when fully In operation and adopted
to me, viii, think, be effective, If the proper
methods OF agreement at the end OF the isca
year be pursued To properly bring the figures o.
the old workings into the new system, the collec
tors Office, and accounts pertaining thereto, need
thorough examination and scrutiny, and the cor
rect figures OF outstanding taxes aScertained.
Since my attendance before your honorable com
m1ttee on Saturday last, the 4th instant, agaiI
visited the ofhces, more particularly with view
OF inquir1ng into the accounts OF the old board Of
public works. MY limited time would not permit 9
very close detailed examination, but have found
that nothing has been done there to prove that the
accounts are correct and agree with the OutStand
ing assessments / cannot discover, either, tina,
any examination OF these accounts has been made
since the report by Mr.. w. 3. Warren in 1876 upOr
the accounts previous to that date, which dis
closed deficiency then existing OF over SIG 600
These records and all books OF accounts under.
stand are In possession Of the present Commission
erS and very large amount OF old assessments art
still due and owing to the District
Considering the various matters In this COnnec
ton, the result Of my examination, and the state
mentS OF Others, / cannot find any complete o.
audited account Of the various street and other
provementS, and nothing as far as can discover
has been done to show how the proceeds OF tn
large amount OF bonds issued by the District havt
been diSburSed.
LATER--The House District committee went int.
session shortly after two o'clock this afternoon +
further consider the Fielder resolution.