The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-03
THE DISTRICT BUDGET.
The Annual Report of Local Matters b
the Commissioners

The Annual Report of Local Matters by
the Commissioners
The District Commissioners handed
their annual report to the President this
morning. The figures of the Auditors
report, heretofore printed in THE EVEN
ING Posi-, arc repeated as follows:
The receipts were So, 557, 1868. II and the ex
penditures 4,20l, 56095, leaving balance on
hand at the LIST of last July of 81 1856, O93. 49,
The surplus revenue from taxes and other
private sources on the same date was S147,-
69t.p9. The debt Of the District is placed at
S20,5S6, 420,ls, all Of the Indebtedness having
been incurred prior to the present form OF
municipal government which went into. OPP
GRAFTON July !, 1873. The only floating debts
Of the District are obligations incurred during
the year in the nature Of judgments of the
courts and such others as could not have been
anticipated or were not adequately provided
for by appropriations, and are small in
amount. The District has paid $17l ,S09.3l on
account OF the acqueduct tunnel extension,
leaving 81 ,ll3, 330.34 to be paid in twenty-one
annual installments.
ASSESSMENTS AND COLLECTIONS.
The Commissioners are taking steps to
prepare and present TO Congress at an
early day amendments TO the existing
assessment law. The defects in the laws
providing for the collection of taxes in
arrears arc pictured. 1t is proposed TO
give a better form of deed to individuals
purchasing property at the annual tax
sales, or 10 the District in case it is COM
PEELED to bid in the property.
Personal TAN AND TRANSFERS
The creation of the Office of bailiff, 10
assist the collector to enforce the payment
OF arrears of personal tax, has resulted
in the collection OF about 5000 that was
regarded as virtually lost The Re.
corder of Deeds should be compelled to
report transfers of property to the Dis.
trict Assessor, with sufficient frequency
to enable the Assessor to ascertain Mt any
time who is the real owner OF property
delinquent for taxes.
The taxable real estate on June 30 was
valued at S127, PA, 025. United States Gov.
eminent and other property exempt by
law amounted to Sl2O 449, $50.
LIQUOR LICENSES
The Commissioners assert that the
price of baroom licenses is too small and
the number Of such places is entirely too
arge. They believe thar excellent results
would be obtained by such amendments
10 the law as would put the traffic en-.
tircly within their control.
TAN RECEIPTS
The tax collections show a total of
$2,G41, 4l0.00. The total uncollected
general taxes since 1872 amount to S023,-
6Gl II, of which S2l3,615.02 were ar
rears for 1855. The amount Of uncol-
lectcd special assessments was S322,-
104.07 $3.50, 347.3 of this amount bear
ing interest at the rate of ten per cent.
81
drawback certificates outstanding is SILL
34l.S1.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The Commissioners recommend n
chemical engine to be kept where it will
be most easily accessible in cases of fire
in sections where highly inhammable
articles are most largely manufactured or
stored. The relief fund, sustained by "A
tax Of 3 per month on each member, is
Inadequate, and should another disabled
fireman DO put on the rolls. the fund
would be inadequate TO meet the demand
upon it. There were ia alarms of lire,
attended by an estimated loss Of SOS, 446,
covered by insurance of Sj3027.
TIE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
recommendation is made for a larger
police force. The report says A bill
having that object in view has passed the
House Of Representatives, and if ii should
become a law would add eight sergcants
aud sixty privatcs TO the police force.
In regard "a the selection of men for the
force the report says that the department
is still seriously hampered by tile law
restricting appointments on The force Il
those who have served in the army o.
navy Of the United States and received