Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-06

mas been to employ eight or nine men for
period of three months and require that the
assessment be completed in that time. 1t is be-
lleved that the present assessment has been
made with intelligent care, but whether the
judgment displayed will meet with general APP
proval remains to be seen.
The three assessors were in their Office this
morning with the books containing the figures
spread out on long table Soon after the office
was opened citizens began to come in and go
over the books. There was, however no mob,
az 1t was not generally realized that the books
were open for inspection.
THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION.
At noon today the board of equalization met,
Mr.. Trimble, the assessor. as required by law,
citing the presiding officer. A form to be
used by the public in making appeal to the
board against the assessment was adopted. The
board will hold daily sessions if the business
that comes before it makes it necessary.
Representative johnson, chairman of the
House committee that has been engaged in in
vestigating the assessment of property, called
upon the assessors this morning. He said that
he and the other members of the committee
wanted to appear before the board for the pur-
pose of making an arguement the against rule
adopted by the board the basis for yauing
property. Mr.. johnson calls 1t the two-thirds
rule, or i'll other words fixing the assessed value
at two-thirds of the real value. The assessors,
however, state that their rule is the value which
under adverse circumstances. Mr. johnson,
however, holds that in the evidence before
his committee the assessors admitted that their
rule virtually assessed property ut two-thirds of
its value. However, Mr.. johnson and his asso-
clates propose to talk to the board of assessors
tomorrow and endearor to change the rule in
their work of equalization. Shortly before IL
o'clock today the three assessors went up stairs
and handed to the District Commissioners their
report, which is as follows:
OFFICE BOARD OF ASSESSORS.
WASHINGTON. ID. c..
June 6. 1892.
To the Board of Commissioners Of the District
of Columbia:
Gentlemen: On July /, 1891. the under
signed were appointed bonded and sworn as
assistant assessors to make assessment of realty
within the District of Columbia for purposes of
taxation for the three years commencing july
l, 1882. We at once proceeded to Il temporary
organization, and through Your honorable
body, requested of the attorney for the Dis
trlct an opinion as to the scope of our duties
and powers. On the 18th of July We re-
celved that opinion from Assistant Attorney s.
L. Thomas, to whom Attorney HaZleton had
given the matter in charge. In it, among other
things, he said:
Il have carefully examined the question SUBJ
mitted by you to the attorney for the District
relative to the status, power and duties of the
assistant assessors recently appointed under the
NV VI >oiSiSso appIONtu harCn j., 1881, and
have the honor to advise you that in NV opin-
ion the act of March 3. 1891, is to be read with
the act of March 3, 1883. Section 3 of the lat
ter act (22 Stat. 56S-9 provided for twelve
assessors and that the District of Columbia
should be divided into twelve subdistricts. The
act of 1891 changes the act of 1888 by droppine
the subdistrIct feature and reducing the num-
Der OF assessors TO three, on whom is conferred
the power and authority to do the things re-
CURED OF twelve assessors under the act of
1888.
Under the old system of twelve subdistricts
each OF the twelve assessors WAS required from
actual view and from the best sources of in
formation within his reach, to assess each sep
arate lot or parcel OF real property within his
district
The present law contemplates that all three
of the assistant assessors as a board are to make
the assessment. They are to exercise a Joint
authority. his requires that they shall meet
to consider the subject of their authority and
that the whole board shall have the benefit of
the Judgment and advice of each of the MEM
beers.
las in the case of boards composed of two or
more persons, the assistant assessors NAV organ
lie and elect a presiding officer and secretary
II they choose. They should act only ut regu-
lar board meetings, at which all the members
should have opportunity to attend, and thew
should be together when engaged in viewing
property for purposes of assessment The du-
ties and powers of the assistant assessors as a
board-for they cannot act separately-are the