National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-23
THE DISTRICT FINANCES.
The House Committee Cannot Decide Whether
to Investigate or Not
what the Expert Says He Discovered In
the District Books.

A long and from all that could be learned,
an exciting session of the house district
committee was held yesterday. 1t lasted far
into the afternoon The subject under dis
cusson was tho report of the subcomm ittee
appointed to inquire if an investigation into
the financial affairs of tho district was
necessary. Every member Of the committee
was present, and it became evident from tho
first that there were two factions in the
committee, one for and the other against
ordering an investigation. Mr.. Fielder, of
the subcommittee, made u verbal report of
the proceedings of his committee and detailed
the testimony Of the district officials and Of
several citizens who were examined.
At the conclusion of his remarks II is un.
derstood that member of the subcommittee
opposed to the investigation charged per-
sonal motives against two or three members
OF the same committee. lively discussion,
in which personal compliments were OK
exchanged, consumed larger portion of the
session.
The opposition of one of the members Of the
subcommittee has, 1t has been charged, flavor
of personal interest in the examination. He
has bitterly opposed every effort made by the
subcommittee to obtain in formation, and in
the meeting yesterday, it, is understood, he
charged other members as stated.
No final decision was arrived at by the
committee ana u lurCu0T eAauluHIlOu Will DO
made. Tho district commissioners will be
heard this morning When the talk of order
ing an investigation first began Mr. J.Yalden,
% New York expert accountant, made q hur4
ried examination of the books of the district.
Before he left tho following report of his
discoveries was presented to the committee:
TO THE HONORABLE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE Dis
TRICT OF COLUMBIA. House OF REPRESENTATIVE
WASHINGTON, D. C.-GeRtemen. In accordance
with the resolution passed by your honorable
hfNH nm tha tnafn n M
of the commiss toners Of the District OF Columbia
and made an examination OF the books and ac'
| kept Tor the recording OF the various accounts
and transactions of the receipts and the expendi-
lures by the said commissioners.
My special attention was more particularly
directed TO the collectors and auditors Office and
the system adopted by tho former In the coec.
ton Of and the accounting for taxes.
Up TO within a late period the system in vogue
for the collection and receipt of taxes III the col
lector's Office shows an utter want of method and
checking From the examination made some
years ago by the commissioners many errors and
deialcations were dicoyered amounting to a large
sum, VIII ich am informed have been charged to
the collector and secured to him by one of his
subordinates by the transfer OF property as Sc
curty.
Bearing in mind the exceedingly loose and
careless manner In which the work Of this office
was carried on, the examination, in my opinion,
has not gone far enough. On the contrary. In my
| Judgment, and in this 1 am confirmed by some Of
the officials, there is yet n further shortage.
As proceedings are now being taken against IN
property so transferred by the delinquent clerk,
iail to see how the examination a. made. can CON
| clusivey prove that such amount was extracted
| generally, from the funds OF the District, no
| agreement OF figures has been made to conform
with the outstanding unpaid taxes. There is evil
dence clearly proving that these deficiencies were
| brought about by many errors in bookkeeping,
and as a off the eo there instances of taxes
twice entered and credited to the city, but only
| once received
| The above examination docs not continue to the
present time, and in fact the figures representing
the unpaid taxes are unreliable.
| The present auditor has inaugurated since
about the LIST of November last an entirely new
| system for the collector in his Office and when
fully in operation and adopted In its entirety and
according to the plan explained to me, will, l
think. be effective ii the proper methods of
agreement at the end Of the fiscal year be pur-
| sued.
TO properly bring the figures of the old work.
ings into the new system the collector office, and
accounts pertaining thereto, need thorough eX.
animation and scrutiny, ana the correct hgures oil
| Since my attendance before your honorable
| committee on Saturday last, the Attn instant
view of inquirng into the accounts of the old
board of public works. My limited time would
not permit very close detailed examination, but
l have found that nothing has been done there q
prove that the accounts are correct and agree with
the outstanding assessments. l cannot discover
either. that any examination of these accounts
has been made since the report by Mr.. W. l.. War
rem in 1875 upon the accounts previous 10 that date
which disclosed a deficiency then existing of ove
$4,000.
stand are in possession of the present commission
ers, and very large amount OF old assessments
are still due aud owing TO the district.
Considering the various matters in this connec
tlon, the result of my examination, and the
statements OF others, i cannot find any complete
improve ments, and nothing as far as can dscoye
has been done to show how the proceeds of til,
large amount of bonds issued by the district hav
been disbursed. Respectfully submitted'