The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

mittee, friendless and alone.
SAMUEL York ATLEE --" The
press should report whatever frauds or
evils IL hears of. In regard to the
stories of unjust assessment in the Dis
trict, which were published in TnE
CRITIC, / would say that | think that
every mans property should be assessed
upon the same basis. The rich aud in
ilucntial men should not have the power
to influence the assessors to the disad-
vantage of poor men. | think the
present system Is very unjust and that
something should be done to remedy 1t.
] have been citizen here for more
than forty five years, and have been
president of the old Common Council,
but in those days the people had u
voice in its doings; but while am not
anxious for the return of the ballot
here. on account of the evils that nj.
ways attach to 1t, | think something
should he done. The press should
come out decidedly against this abuse
in the manner followed by THE Critic,
and assessors who are honest and intel
ligent should be appointed"
WOODBURY. BLAIR - Newspapers
should expose all frauds"
WALTER d. DAvIDGE-"I am too
busy now to talk on the subject, but |
am against anything that is unjust"
II. E. WooDwARD-'I can't say
that am very familiar with the pro.
cess followed by the assessors of the
District Of Columbia as regards valua-
tons on real estate, but l am satisfied
that the work might be more carefully
done. As an illustration, the house in
which / am living Q413 Seventeenth
street, was, as my father had consid-
cred, valued entirely too high, and a
protest was made to the Board of AS
SCISSORS. They recognized the justice of
the protest, but did not have time to act
on it, and as result we had to pay
taxes in accordance with the valua-
tion.
For this reason think that the Dis.
trict ought to have a permanent board
so that complaints of this nature could
be adjusted. 1t would certainly give
opportunity for more thorough aud
satisfactory valuation. That the peo.
pie of limited means frequently pay
taxes on too high valuation, and those
who are larger property owners and
capitalists on too low valuation, there
is no question, and the sooner the diff
Guilty is remedied by legislation the bet
ter it will be for all concerned. l can
readily see what an injustice the present
system works to the poorer classes.
Now is good time to get at the ques-
ton"
RANDALL HAGNER-"I find it true
that the owner of small
property has to pay much more in
proportion to the one who owns dozen.
The truth of the whole matter is that
the eve lamb has to carry the most Of
the burden, and it is not fair. | don't
know how it would act to have a per-
manent board; have not looked into it,
and am not qualified to talk on that
score"
j. j. DARLINGToN-"Yes | know
that there is considerable inequality in
relation to our taxes, and there is but
little doubt that we ought to have IL
change. can point you out one build
ing, the United States Trust building,
corner Of New York avenue and Fif-
teenth street, which | am creditably
informed cost 5000 900, and it is equal.
lied at $50, 1000. This is brand new
building, and is only a fair illustration
of how many properties are equalized
in the northwest. Whether a perma.
nent Board Of Equalization would
remedy the existing difficulty am un-
able to say. 1t would depend some.
what on the men who were selected TO
do the work and the manner in which
they were compensated for it,"
FRANK T. BRowNING-'J am very
positive that the manner in which the
assessment business has been carried or
in the District for years has worked 4
great injustice to the poor. Everybody
that has given our present mode oi
equalization any study can very readily
see that property in the old part of the
town, say from Seventh street tC
the Capitol, on the Avenue, and
in that locality, that property is valued
too high, while in the northwest it is
entirely too low as compared with the
Improvements and progress that is be
ing made there. know that in the
old part of town there are properties
would be impossible to, sell at
Take for instance the old May'property
on G street, between Third and Four
and half streets; it cannot be sold to
day for $4,000, whereas before the wal
this same place was worth $25, 900.
| don't believe in this idea of assessing
property up to full valuation, particu
larly in sections where there is no ad
vancement. Property, in my opinion
ought to be assessed at exactly what i
would bring at forced sale under tn,
most unfavOrable circumstances.