The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-18
BAD BREAK OF A DOT.
Misuse 4 Q Decimal Point Does
Seattle Great Injury.
TAX RATE MULTIPLIED ~ TEN


Inc startling mfsstatemeut printed IA
The World Aimanse" that the rate OF
taxation In Seattle uas &i20o on each
$io0 has been traced 10 its source by the
Chamber OF Commerce. and formed the
principal topic Of disc1ssion at tie weekly
meeting al the trustees yesterday. The
erroneous statistics wers furnished Tho
World Almanac" by Comptroller ]. n
Carson. vhcse inadvsrters disregard for the
value Of decimal point led hin 70 write
sized With the last two figures above the
line and carefully undersigned. snstead Of
IL %. The origins. statement Of Mr.. Car
son h nov in the hands of the
Chamber Of Commerce, having been for
warded by Senator Squire, to whom it was
sent by the editor OF The World Alma
nae" in defense of the nrinte statement
The chamber also has : letter from Mr..
Carson giving the correct rata OF taxation
In letter 20 President Graves Senator
Squire explains the manner In which the
u.sstatement was brought 10 his asten-
ton and the reason why he investigated
it. A memorial Was submitted TO congress
by the Citizens Association of the District
Of Columbia on the subjsc: Of equal taxa
ton, assessment, etc. Of the principal
cities Of the United States, stating that the
Information had been taken from The
World Almanac" and had been furnished
by the mayors OF the respective cities Mr..
Squire thought IN injustice had been done
To Seattle. and he wrote to the editor of
the New York World on the subject. He
received reply from George w. Olney.
editor Of the Almanac" enclosing the
statement of Mr.. Carson ~ authority tor
the printed statement II was the printed
blank sent TO Seattle and returned. bear
ing the Seattle postmark Of October Is,
1883. The date ct which il was sent was
Dir. Carson's excuse for giving the a.
sessed valuation Of 1903 and the tax rate Of
1892. the tax rate for 1898 not having been
made up at that time.
Mr.. oiney, in his reply to Senator
Squire. says:
81 inclose our authority for the figures
you will see. - not ours. beg you will
return the blank to me after inspecting it..
Is We desire TO keep the vouchers for our
printed statement on file.
I'VE cannot hops to make . book Of
statistics of such bulk as the almanac ABB
soluteiy accurate. The human eye and
brain are not equal to 1t. But We try our
BEST to approximate perfection"
The documents were submitted BY Presi-
dent Graves. and after some little discus
sion IL was determined to make public the
correspondence. Secretary Whit,iesey
will write Senator Squire an explanation
Of the figures and the latter will have them
corrected in the memorial before congress.
The following letter from the Tacoma
Chamber Of Commerce vas received:
I'm view of the signs Of the times, which
predict great prosperity for this section
of our country within the next twelve 10
eighteen months, and taking into account
the close business and social relations
which exist between our two cities, would
Ii not be wise ut this time for the boards
OF government Of the Chambers of Com
meree of Seattle and Tacoma. in confer
ence or by correspondence, 10 endeavor to
secure the good will and cooperation Of
the daily press in efforts which shall set
forth the business and social advantages
OF each place instead of devoting their
columns TO the traducing of citizens and
bringing into disrepute the financial status
of the two cities? In these times to dis
credit one is to discreet. all, and il tho
citizens of Seattle and Tacoma allow the
newspapers to discredit them in ways
which have recently been adopted. then
We may expect that capital--which is al
ways t,nid--will seek other opportunities
and different locations for investment
1.-THE board Of trustees OF the Tacoma
Chamocr OF Commerce believe that you
are in sympathy with these views and
hereby invite correspondence on the sub
ject with desire to arrive at unity OF
action at the earliest possible moment
The letter is signed by q. l.. Holmes,
PRESIDENT; George II. Stone, frat vice
president; W. C. Wheeler, second vice
president. G. T.. Cleveland. treasurer; r..
q. Hudson, Calvin Phillips, ID. 5. john
ston. T. w. Enos and W. II. Fletcher,
trustees.
This letter caused a good deal of discus
sion and the general sentiment seemed to
be that the chamber should meet the
Tacoma organization half way. Messrs.
Prosch. Durie. Ramsey, Graves and He'll
bron were appointed a committee to draft
an answer TO 30 submitted al the mex.
meeting.
A letter from J. r. sankey. stated clerk
OF the general assembly of United Presby.
terians. was received. in response TO an
invitation from the chamber. saying the
delegates TO the general assembly would
be insseastis few hours on May - on
their wav ~ oregon.