National Republican., 1885-03-03
rur coMMlss1oNnns, nnpLY.


rhey submit Certain Statements TO
tho Senate, Hat sny That All the
Information Asked For Cannot Be
Furnished without Additional
Clerical Force.
The commissioners Ihave, in pursuance
TO tho purpose indicated in their letter
to the president of tho senate, submitted
several statements rs partial reply to
tho resolution adopted by the senate
June q, 1884, calling for certain infor-
nation. The statements submitted in.
clude the following:
/. Statement of expenditures for streets
and roads from 1915 to 1851.
.. Statement Of receipts and disburso.
ments on account OF the water depart
mcnt from 1875 to 1891.
These statements have been prepared
by Lieut.. Townsend, assistant TO the en-
gincer commissioner, aftor prolonged
and labOrious examination Of tho records
Of the engineer Office; thoy arc 90 be nc.
ccpted as tho nearest approximation that
can be arrived at without re.cxamina.
tion of all original vouchers in the audi.
tors Office.
3. Statement prepared by the collector
Of taxes showing tax collections from
1876 TO 1884 inclusive in Washington,
Georgetown, aud the county.
A.. Statement of special assessments
charged against street railroads only. A
very small portion of these assessments
have boon paid, but suits have been iusti-
tuted to enforce their collection as fol-
lows Against the Washington and George
town railroad, suit entered Nov z, 1880;
on trial March "a, 1891, TO April 12, 1854;
verdict for the district Of Sii 800 and
costs; claim for interest being disallowcd.
Against the Metropolitan Railroad Com
pany, suit entered Nov. 7, $780, on trial
April II, 1894 to May /, 1894 verdict for
tho district for $1475OG05 and costs.
claim for interest being disallowod. Both
Of these cases havo boon carried up on
appeal by the railroad companies. Suit
was also instituted against tho Columbia
Railroad Company Nov. Z, 1880, but has
not yot reached trial. 1t must be observed
that
THE SECTIONAL DIVISION or THE CITY
| of Washington as made in the resolution,
docs not exist in the records Of the Office,
nor does the law require IL; therefore, an
accurate assignment of tho expenditures
to these general subdivisions cannot DO
made without an examination OF all origl-
nal vouchers, aud this is absolutely i'm
possible unless n special forco is organ
| lied to do the work. The same is true
in relation to making such subdivided
statement of tax collections rs is called
for by tho resolution; to do this It wfll
bo necessary to take from tho collectors
books each item, aud locate each lot,
parcel of ground, and Improvement,
| with reference to the subdivisions indi-
Gated; 1t would require, practically, the
making up oil an entire new set Of books
relating 70 tax collections In tho city of
| Washington. But tabulatod statement
of assessments by divisions is submitted, +,
which, being tho basis of tho tax lovy,
may possibly serve tho purposes of tho
inquiry.
II must be apparent that
IN IL IMPOSSIBLE
| for the commissioners to complete the
statements required of them during the
next year without an extra force OF cm-
ployes to do the work, and special ap-
preparation to defray its cost; tho sum
necessary for this purpose would be at
least $1,000. Under these circumstances
tho commissioners are compelled to ask
that such provision bo mado at once, or
that they be relieved from further action
under the resolution of June "A, 1854,
until it Is made.
The statement of the tax collector ofthe
| years amount Of collections for the fiscal
ending June 30 1875, to June 80, 1884,
collected at tho latter time, shows that
Sl,449,2l5. was collected. The amount
collected for arrears of corporation tax was
S115,63S.6G.
There is statement of the arrears
charged in the revision of special assess
ments against -
THE FOLLOWING STREET RAILWAYS
for pavement of csrrisgoway:
Capitol, North o Street, and South
Washington railway, -; Columbia,
Sll, ,25I27; Connecticut Avenue and Park
railway, S6,6j5.56; Metropolitan railway,
$16l, ,622.95; Washington aud Georgetown,
S56, ,42G3S none of which has been paid.
In addition, the assessor reports the follow.
7 ing amounts as due for paving Penusylva-
mia avenue and other Streets Washington
and Georgetown, $7,670g2; Metropolitan,
SS0.S4; Capitol, North o Street, and South
Washington, $40.
The statement of assessed value of real
estate shows the total assessment from
1879 to 1884 to be as follows: Washing
ton city, Sl0S,O3s,7 ,7iO; Georgetown, $751;
Oll,44O; county, SlO,GO7, 200.
The statement OF tho
EXPENDITURES FOR STREET IMPROVE
MENTs
and receipts and expenditures from 1877;
to 1884 of the water department is quit,
extensive. The report of the parkinl
commission shows the work performed
but not the cost Of the work. The aggre
gate expenditures for streets and roads
permit work, sewers, and parking from
1876 to 1854 was $3,3l5, 5000, of whicl
. Si0l, ,29l.0l was expended during 1876 y
for pavement of Pennsylvania avenue
The expenditures on tho county road
! cannot be determined prior to 1875
Two statements, showing tho expenses
! receipts, and tho amounts collected OF
account of the water department, which
give the amounts by years since 1876
9 are included,
|