The Washington critic., 1890-02-24

mittec, friendlcSs and alone.
SAMUEL York ArLEE - The
press should report whatever frauds or
evils IL hears Of In regard to the
stories of unjust assessmeutin the Dis
trict, which were published in THE
CRfTrC, ] would say that | think that
every nuns property should be assessed
upon the same basis. The rich and IN
liuential 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 II.
] have been a 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 al.
ways attach 10 It, ! think something
should be done. The press should
come ont decidedly against this abuse
in the manner followed by THE CRGTGC,
and assessors who are honest and intel
ligent should be appointed"
WOODBURY. BLAIR 49, 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. Il. WooDwARD-'T can't say
that am very familiar with the pro
cess followed by the assessors of the
District of Columbia as regards valua-
tions on real estate, but / am satisfied
that the work might be more carefully
A. 81, I,
which / am living d413 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 a 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 and
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 il will be for all concerned. can
readily see what an injustice the present
system works to the poorer classes.
Now is good time to get at the qucs-
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. dom t
know how ii would act to have a per-
manent board; have not looked into it,
and am not qualified to talk on that
score.
j. ]. DARLINGToN-'Ic les, / know
that there is considerable inequality in
relation to our taxes, and there is but
little doubt that we ought to have a
change. can point you out one build
ing, the United States Trust building,
corner of New York avenue and Fif-
teenth street, which l am creditably
informed cost $500, 600, and it is equal.
ized at $50, 900. This is brand new
building, and is only fair illustration
of how many properties are equalized
in the northwest. Whether perma.
nent Board of Equalization would
remedy the existing difficulty am uu-
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 II. BRowNING-'1 am very
I pOsitiyp thot thp manner in which TN
assessment business has been carried or
in the District for years has worked {
great injustice to the poor. Everybody
that has given our present mode o
equalization any study can very readily
see that property in the old part of tho
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 il
entirely too low as compared with tht
Improvements and progress that is be
ing made there. | know that in thu
old part of town there are propertie
assessed at valuation that /
would be impossible to sell at
Take for instance the old May property
on G street, between Third and Four
and "a half streets; it cannot be sold to
day for $13 900, whereas before the wa
this same place was worth 5000.
don't believe in this idea of assassin,
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 |
would bring at forced sale under tn
most unfavorable circumstances.