Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1888-02-03
mo ntgomery County. .-The follow

Montgomery County. "-The follow
ing report is by our fellow-towsman, Philip
d. Laird, ESQ, and was written at the in.
stance Of the tax commission of this State
created under an Act Of 1886, To inquire into
and correct the complaints against the in
equality of taxation in this State. 81 highly
was the report thought of that il has been
embodied with u table of levies, valuations
and rate of taxes from 1875 TO 1885 inclusive
in the voluminous report of the Commission
lately submitted to the present legislature
and copy of which we are in receipt of:
II enclose herewith tables showing the
annual levies in this county from 1875 also
the valuations Tor assessmenO of property
from 1875 The assessments for
1885, will send when can get hold of the
book, and you can then fill up the appro-
PIRATE column.
have gone back to 1875, so as to get the
basis for two years before the assessment Of
rs for comparison.
The increase OF valuation OF real estate
has been very moderate, $537 ,222; of per-
sonal property, $63,707; while the private
securities have decreased 1914 ,457, making
the net increase on the basis only $346,7 TAI
[Thesese figures will be slightly changed
when the basis for '36 is obtained The
valuations OF land proper (per acre, that is)
has not, probably increased at all, and the
increased valuation OF real estate is on ac-
count Of improvement" i. g. buildings.
During all this time, however, the market
price Of the land has increased steadily and
largely, its productiveness is greater than
ever before, and large areas have been
brought under cultivation which at the time
of the assessment were in "old fields" Per
sonal property must also have increased far
beyond what appears from the. books of the
County Commissioners. The --lrinkage in
private securities is probably accounfedfor
by their conversion from notes, etc, into
mortgages. From my own observation and
the opinion Of others, should say th at the
basis Of Montgomery county should not be
less than eleven millions of dollars.
Certainly there should be annual valua
tons OF personal property, and some method
OF getting at the increased value of land.
For the counties, too, l think the levy
should be made in advance upon estimates.
Those who work for the county always ex
pect to be kept out OF their money from six
70 twelve months, and charge accordingly.
len per cent, OF the county levy could be
saved by levying in advance, provided the
laws for enforcement Of collection were 81
changed as to meet the demands as they
arose.
l don't know as to other counties, but
here We cannot ascertain whether there are
overdue taxes standing against a given
piece Of property, and if collector should
happen to lose his books, very serious diff.
culties might arise. A record Of this kind
should be kept, and the collectors compelled
to make full statements monthly"
The Catholic University Archbishop
Corrigan has resigned as trustee of the
new Catholic University to be establish
ed at Washington. The reason assigned tor
the Archbishop's resignation is that the
arduous duties of his large and important
diocese SO fully occupy his time that he can
not devote to the University the time and
thought that so great an enterprise demands
of all who are in positions of trust and re-
sponsbility in connection with it.
Friday Bishop Keane, of Richmond, the
rector Of the Catholic University, and Mr.
Baldwin, of Baltimore, the architect, had
conference with Mr.. William Forsyth, the
Surveyor of the District of Columbia, in
reference to the location Of the university
buildings on the Middleton property, near
Brooks Station, about a mile and ahalf
from the city limits. The result was that
Mr.. Forsyth WAS directed to proceed with
the levels and grades and fixing the lines
for foundations, and to have them ready for
the commencement of the excavation for
the foundation in March. This action, it is
said, settles the question of the location OF
the university.