Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-02-08
THE CITIZENS, COMMITTEES.
Opposition % Various Projects Ex.
pressed "a Last Nights Meeting.

When the Citizens Committee Of One Hundred
met last night the question at once came up as to
whether the committee had at it, previous meet
ing adopted the report Of the committee on pubic
buildings favoring the square adjoining the general
post-oftice building as city post-on1ce. The Sec
retarys minutes showed that vote was taken on
cali for the previous question, and then the CON-
mittee adjourned without voting on the report.
Mr.. Jesse B. Wilson, who opposed the report, and
Gen. Hovey, both questioned the correctness
OF the minutes, although there, seemed to be
considerable misunderstanding as to what had
actually taken place. The discussion was con-
Quoted with considerable asperity. Mr.. Wilson
claimed that there had been no vote on the call
for the previous question, but that he had been
cut on from speaking by the chairman Of the SUBJ
committee {Mr. Mulletp by his individual call for
the previous question. The minutes were cor.
previous question had been ordered by a vote of
the committee, and the report was adopted.
the report Of his committee. over which the aues-
uon was raised, and the report was adopted by
vote OF 40 to 3.
Mr. cLARKRs PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Mr.. 8. c. Clarke made personal explanation re-
garding statement made BY Chairman Church,
Ofthe subcommittee on railroads. at a recent meet
ing, as reported in the newspapers. Mr.. Church
was reported as saying that Mr.. Clarke said he
onered bis amendment TO omit the 5th street route
because his son had erected some houses on 5th
made by him In reply to any inquiry. He criticised
MI. Church rather severely for proclaimlng pub
ncly what had been said at a private interview
sought by Mr.. Church at his (Mr. Clarkes) house.
OPPOSED 10 ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS.
The subcommittee on assessment and taxation,
through It's secretary, MI. r. 7. Morsell submit
ted reports on several matters The first dealt
with the recommendation made by the District
Commissioners, looking to annual instead OF tri-
ennial assessments, as at present.
.'Your committee" said the report, "are Of the
opinion that triennial assessments are sufficiently
often. They believe that more frequent assess
values, excite dstrust and keep the minds OF the
people continually harass by the apprehension
Scarcely be compIeted before another Would be
pair public confidence than frequent fiuc-
the proposed system would promote II IS
true that under the present system more tncon-
veniences flow from want OF power to correct
recognize the fact that inconvenience attend all
she operations OF government, In It's executive
functions, and your committee believe that far
greater Inconvenience would arise under the pro-
posed plan than are found under the existing one.
The vast increase in values since the last assess
ment, particularly In
SUBURBAN PROPERTY,
Is unprecedented, and will probably never occur
again in the same ratio in the same period OF time.
Lands tEat were assessed agricultural have sud-
denly become non-agricultural. II these could i'm
mediately upon the transfer OF title and subdivi-
Sou into villa sites or building lots have been as
SesSed as Subdlvtded persons would not have been
so ready to invest their money in the pur-
chase OF them. and they might have been
withheld from sale and resulting improvement for
lions OF the CITY, too, the increase in values In the
same period has been phenomenal
at should be borne In mind that the general as
eesSmentS under existing law must be made In
the Held within about two months preceding the
nrSt Monday In June In the year In which made,
hpr vayaiy
for six assessors only To enable six men to accom-
pish the work OF assessing from actual view
every Year all the separate pieces Of property now
IN the District OF Columbia would require them to
be In the field the entire year, and By the time
they had reached the end OF their tramp in June
the properly which had been viewed In the July
previous would have changed Its value. SO that
there would probably be
GREAT DISCREPANCIES
between the true and the assessed value by an
annual as in q trtennlal assessment unless the as
SCISSORS were greatly multiplied 1t will readily be
seen that under the present arrangement the as
SCISSORS have not sufficient time to accomplish the
work allotted to them. The acJ OF the legislative
assembly OF August 8, 1871 provided for twenty
be now ne
purposes Of taxation do not themselves determine
va,ues. They are one element or value which per-
sons seeking investment naturally consider. Your
committee therefore earnestly deprecate any
change in the present periods Of making the gen.
eral assessments They are OF opinion, however,
that q board OF appeals should be constituted
by law with, authority 10 sit at stated period AN
nually to revise assessments manifestly excessive
and unequal upon appeal being made, and to re-
duce, increase or eQuaiize the same as might seem
Just and equitable"
The committee recommended the adoption OF
resolution THAT 1t Is the sense OF the Citizens
Representative Committee OF One Hundred that
1t would be unwiSe to change The existing trien-
NAL period OF making general assessments Of
real estate"
The report was received.
PAYING TAXES BY INsTALLMENTs
The committee also made report In disapproval
Of the recommendation OF the assessor OF the Dis
trict to abolish the present method Of paying
taxes in two instalmenta That people pay one
half and suppose they have paid all the tax for the
year, as stated by the assessor, the committee
held was absurd and as q general proposition Is
undoubtedly not true That the people desire the
coTd be- mo- Tetter ev ds1ce rSsn thar tney 20 sen
orally avail themselves OF 1t. The proposed a6ate-
menus for early payments the committee disap-
the disparity greater between the rich and the
poor. The former would, of course, avail
themselves OF the abatement In Novem-
Der; the latter would seldom be able to do so.
The confession, that under the present system 1t
is impossible TO post the books In time and see II
payments are duly credited, Is one the report
SAID, that ought not 10 be tolerated In a subOrdi-
nate offlcial With the immense force In the en-
ploy OF the District OF Columbia, tine books ought
Oe kept regularly posted; except, perhaps In such
mated, when many arrearageS Of taxes were made
payable at the same time with the FIRST instalment
OF the annual tax for the current year. The
whole scheme, the committee said, seemed to have
been devised for the convenience OF the District
Oficials without reference to the public interests
The committee approved the recommendation OF
the assessor TO abolish "Lhe present tnlQu1tOus
penalty OF per cent per month for
non.payment OF taxes until a SALE"
''unQualified condemnation OF the act or the as
SCISSOR OF the District OF Columbia, whereby ex-
hibG OF the business or private concern, covering
four pages OF his annual report for 1887 has been
payers.r This resOlut(Sn referred to the publica-
ton OF q statement coihpar ny the appraisements
or building association with values as assessed
by the District assessors. This report was re-
ceived, and, like the preceding one, ordered TO be
printed.
THE wO0DLEY LANE BRIDGE.
Mr. Morsell offered a resolution setting forth that
Is ga bill is pending In Congress apprOpriating the
sum Of $4,000 for the construction OF a bridge
across Rock Creek and Woodley Lane road" and
as "there Is now an excellent bridge spanning the
creek at that point and all the revenues Of the
District are required to meet necessary expendi-
tures that It would be waste OF the public money
70 apply It 70 the erection OF such structure At
the present time"
The RESOLUTION when read was applauded. A
member proposed that 1t be referred TO the COM
lhittee on roads and bridges. MI. w. G. Dodge
spoke OF the bridge as an Unnecessary thing, pro-
posed only for the benent OF syndicate. Mr.. Leh-
resolution was ut once adopted without reference
OPPOSED 10 rHR FILTER PROJECT.
The commit 5ee o. assessment and taxation re-
ported back resolutions submitted by Mr.. Dodge
January 3, with some notifications, and they were
adopted as reported By the committee The reso-
lOti0ns delare shat the Citizens Representative