Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-08
THE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
Congress May Re Asked to Extend the Time
for the Work.

for the Work.
TEE ASSESSMENT TO BIZ COMPLETED xRxr yuxE-
THE RULE ABOUT vAlrrs-wHAr TIE Assxss-
oas SAT- OF Ir-PRoPERrr owxRns WHO Ar-
PROVE IT.
Messrs. Dawson, Cook and Moore. the as
sistnnt assessors, were busy today looking over
plat books and arranging a plan Of camraiga.
lheir work will have to be doue most expedi-
nousiy in order to have the assessment COM
pieted for the triennial period beginning with
the hscal year 1893. The law says that the
assessment must be made within the
calendar year lss2 or in other words must be-
gin on or after January next The ASSESS
ment must then be completed hy Juus 4
at which time the assessor and the assistant as,
SCISSORS will begin their sessions as board Of
review and sit in that capacity until August l.
so the actual assessment will have 10 be
made in the five months from January 1 20
June 1. The board, however, propose. 90
begin work at once by exploring the city and
making notes They will then after the let of
January merely have to review this work and
formally agree upon il.
Mr. Dawson, the president Of tho board. said
today that he thought il absolutely necessary TO
secure IRON Congress an extension Of the time
In which to do the work.
There were, he said, in the city Of Washing
e.
town. about ]. 200 squares. and all these square
are subdivided. one which the board found a
day or two ago including as MANY as Dos sep-
arate pieces OF property.
1t would be almost impossible. he said, for
one man to view every piece Of property in the
time given ana decide upon its value. As il Is
however, the property had TO be viewed by
three mon and they would have to have time to
deliberate and come to an agreement in each
case.
Already matters are assuming definite pro-
portions IN relation 10 the work Of the assess
ors Duplicate tax books and plats Of the city
are being studied and within a few DAYS the
board VIII commence to view property. begin
ming with square l and following on numeri-
caliy.
THE RULE ABOUT VALUES.
The rule adopted by the board OF assessors
yesterday regarding the interpre .ation OF the
words value" and true value" as found in
the assessment law. has been the subject of
much talk among property owners of
the District. Speaking OF the boards
action, and its Interpretation of the law Presi-
dent Dawson today said that the ruling of the as
sistant attorney ii followed out would seriously
II not fatally injure the city of Washington.
In condemnation proceedings, be said
where man was TO be deprived OF
his property it was all well and good 10 give
him the benefits of all doubts as to price 70 NJ
to compensate him as much possible for the
damage done. but the assessment of prop
erty FOR taxation alone was a most important
thing and benefited not only the property
owner himself, but The revenues OF the District.
Now II his property was eXorbitantly taxed the
result would be that a great many property
owners would leave the CITY. II am In ia
vor, he said. ''of just and equitable ASSESS
ment, and believe that the rule adopted by
the board VIII he productive of that result
The welfare Of the District depends upon it's
revenues. and it would be folly. | think. TO over
tax the property owners and thereby kill the
goose that lays the golden egg
WHAT PROPERTY OWNERS THINK.
The ruling yesterday by the assistant assess-
ors that the words ''value" and true value
used in the existing law shall be cons,. ,ed as
meaning that amount of lawful money which
such property would probably bring at forced
sale under adverse circumstances seems TO meet
with pretty general approval among owners of
real estate and business men in the city. A
STAR reporter in talking with Il num-
be- Of property holders found gem
eral feeling of satisfaction over the
dealing and the belief was freely expressed
that If any other Interpretation had been made
it would have had an injurious effect on Wash
ington real estate.
Said one prominent property owner. II
at the prices paid for it the growth
CT the city would be stopped en-
tirely. Washington is not commercial city
and many people have been induced to come
hero on account OF especial advantages. All
this would, however, close in short order if a
high assessment should be made
Another gentleman quoted Baltimore as an
instance of the terrible effect of high assess-
ment. In Baltimore" said this gentleman,
property was assessed at its top value WITH
the result that no one put up any
more fine buildings and real estate was becom-
on rkaf
At the office of Fitch, Fox 4 Brown. both Mr..
Fitch and Mr.. Brown expressed their iudorse-
ment OF the ruling. Both gentlemen we're
of opinion that a high assessment would be
greatly detrimental to the advancement of
Washington.
Mr.. John W. Thompson likewise thought the
ruling a wise one. The assessment he
thought, should be made with a look toward the
future and for the interests of the CITY
Progress should be encouraged. not retarded
high assessment would crush down enterprise,
he thought.
Mr.. Chas. W. Darr of Radcliffe, Darr 4 Co.
was strongly of the belief that the ruling as to
real estate values was just as il should be-
Why. said he, when you come right down
to II the value OF any piece of real estate is
get for II when he is In a hurry TO sell
and has to sell whether ne wants to or no. OF
course when everything Is favorable q man
when he has chance to buy piece of prop
erty that will bring him in six per cent. inter
est net may feel sure that he has got his motley
worth every time, but it is my honest opinion
that his property has as its real value only
about the sum that it will bring him in at
auction. The other day was selling a piece
OF property at auction and received bid FOR it
that seemed to ME q good one. The owner re-
fused to let II go at that and when l asked him
his reason he told me that he had been offered
$50 more for 1t the day before. But when came
to inquire into the circumstances found that
the man that had made the offer did not have
the money at all. So you see that did not alter
my belief that the real value of property is
only the amount in good hard cash that it will
bring at forced sale under unfavorable cir
cumstances."
Mr.. John Joy Edison said that he thought the
definition made by the new board Of assessors
of the true value Of property assessed for taxa
ton WAS q wise one. No one will
dispute, he said, that the valu-
alton placed upon property for the
purpose of assessing taxation should be the
lowest valuation. 10 say that the market
value or supposed market value OF property
would be the correct valuation for assessment
would create the greatest confusion.
Mr.. X. o. Hoffman said that he thought the
rule made by the assessors was good. He had
always thought that was the true
basis for taxation of real estate. The
price of property sold under adverse
circumstances was, in his opinion, the true ratio
of value for assessment; but at each assessment
there should be something taken from the as
sessment on the improvements on account Of
their natural depreciation.
Mr.. George W. F. swartzell of the real estate