The Washington critic., 1889-02-15

The Commissioners aid before the
Senate yesterday afternoon their reply
to re Ont resolution pa sod by that
body. II is az follows:
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS,
DISTRICT OF Columbia,
WASHINGTON, February 49, 1889.
Hon. j. J. Ingalls,, President pro tenn. T. =.
Senate
SIR In response to the resolution passed
by the Senate on the It'll instant and trans
mittod TO the Commissioners by the Secre.
tary Of the Senate under that date, the Com
missoners beg leave 10 transmit to the
Senate the following reply:
The resolution Is In these words:
"ResOired, That the Commissioners OF
the District Of Columbia be directed TO re-
port to the Senate the assessed market
value Of the capital stock OF all corpora
lions within the District OF Columbia, as-
sessed In accordance with existing laws for
personal taxation, the amount OF tax paid
by such corporations, and for any facts or
information within their knowledge tending
to show any evasion OF the law on the part
of any Of said corporations"
And 1t lie presumed that it's intent Is TO
obtain information upon which legislation
may he based, II needed.
Assessor of the District Of Columbia, gives
in detail the information asked for By the
resolution concerning the assessed market
value of the capital stock of all corpora
tons In the District assessed under the eA-
listing provisions of law governing such
matters and the amount OF tax paid by such
corporations.
1.-THE Commissioners have no personal
knowledge as to the correctness of the as
..s.ta tatV Ia, tl.a .l..sl ,.l.
ferred to, except In the case Of the EUening
Star Newspaper Company, ~ will be made
to appear by the accompanying documents,
for the reason that such assessments under
the law are made by the assessor alone.
But with respect to the Ereni,ig Star News.
paper Company the Commissioners have re-
ceived information as to the assessment
made of It's personal property and the tax
paid by IL, which, appearing to show an
evasion OF law, has led to inquiries re-
sulting in the correspondence appended to
and made part Of the report.
VERY Respectfully,
In regard TO this corporation the Com
missioners addressed the following let
ter to the Assessor:
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS
OF THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA,
WAsHiSoToS, Jan. 20, 1880.
| M, Ross A. Fish, Assessor, d. C.
SIR: The Commissioners having been In
formed that the assessment Of the Egenin9
Star Newspaper Company stock for taxa
| tiOn for the current fiscal year Is at an
| amount much below its actual value, you
are requested to furnish the Commissioners
| with the amount OF the assessment and the
| circumstances under which such ASSESS
4 ment of stock was made.
Very respectfully,
| W. TISDALL, Secretary.
The Assessor replied to this as fol-
lows:
SIN reply to your inquiry OF the 25 in
| slant as TO the circumstances under which
the assessment OF the personal tax OF the
Efening Star Newspaper Company was
made, have To state: The capital stock Of
this company was assessed In 1883 at $50,
Coo After examination and from the best
information could get, decided this was
too low and assessed the company at $780,
600 for 1889. In November past, when the
bill was presented 1t was objected to by
the company, and Mr.. Frank b. Noyes, sec.
rotary OF the company, called upon me and
affirmed that 1t, the stock, was only worth
fifty cents on the dollar; and that the cor
rect amount to be taxed should be $50, 900
On this affirmation made by such an author.
ity did not hesitate one moment to make
the correction, us Mr.. Noyes had requested
and the company has paid the first half OF
the tax on this assessment.
''Of course the realty of the company
32,Sl6, is deducted as allowed by law.(Y)
had no better source Of information to base
an assessment on than the statement of Mr..
Noyes, secretary Of the company, and Il
the assessments much below its actual
value as you inform me, II is because
was Intentionally misled by the secretary
OF the company. Respectfully,
"Ros. A. FISH, Assessor
Two days later Assessor Fish sent G
supplemental letter to the one of Jan
uary 26, in which he says:
"AssBssoR's OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, d. G., Jan. 2S, 1882
"To the Commissioners, District o. Columbia
"GENTLRMHs; | beg to say, in addition
that the records Of the Recorder Of Wills o
this city, which have examined
show that twenty-three shares belon,
ing to the estate of Mr.. Adams, o.
this capital stock, was appraised a
$4,000, and these twenty three share
yielded, In 1887, a net revenue Of S35, $3.50
On this basis, capitalized at 8 per cent, tn,
capital stock OF this company was wortl
s2,009, 037, and should have been so returne,
and would have been assessed according u
the rules Of this Office in assessing capita
stock in bulk' ut two-thirds of its value, n
81 1888, 1891. Respectfully,
Eros; A. FISH, Assessor"
Subsequently he furnished the fol
lowing:
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
WASHINGTON, February Is, 1889.
TO The Commissioners Of The District Of Col
n,xn,,..,~, T., .or..li..,o. ,,,i.A -.