The evening times., 1895-12-02

The Commissioners report was trans
mitted to the President this morning.
1t says that the details of the transactions
| or the District Government are mainly
set forth In the accompanying statements
of officials Immediately In charge of the
several departments, but the Commissioners
preface those exhibits with special reports
and comments and with recommendations
for legislation.
The report then goes on to say that the
appropriations for the year, payable out
OF the general revenues wer. *6,vl4,a1a.1Z.
The amount Of general revenues received
| during the year and other sources appli-
cable to the payment OF such appropriations
| was SI.e43,o 1851 l. o. ,lIat hth. -, ,O,' o.
54O.O1 was derived from general taxes
ON private property. fees for licenses and
privileges, and receipts from all sources
other than the United States and the water
department, but included credit bal
ance on account OF prior years OF $685.
4s5.39.
The remaining sa.o39,s ,s26.7O represents
the prOpOrtioDatc sum legally chargeabIe
to the United States on account OF said
appropriations.
The expenses of the water department,
which are wholly payable out OF the rev.
eDucs derived from water rents and taxes.
| amounted to $424 ,SS2.2S. The revenues
| Of the department, including repayments
| and q balance at the beginning OF the fiscal
year of $212,169.03, were S34o. 96.
| The bonded and other interest bearing
| debts Of the District OF Columbia are under
| charge OF the Treasurer OF the United
! States, but the Commissioners Include IN
| their annual estimates an estimate for the
interest and sinKing fund on these debts
| and for the salaries and contingent ex-
penses Of the sinking fund office. The bond
| ul debt on June 80, 1895, was as follows
| Water stock maturing October /. 1901. z
200. eea cent o"' ''n"''' anu '"' l. S-'
4
per cent. due january and July l. S COO.
| Fifty-year funding. maturing August !.
1924, SGD per cent. due February and
| August !, S14, ,1S9, 500.
| 1wenty-ycar funding. maturing July l.
j. SITS 900. ~ " ~ anu '''
30 per cent, due January and July l. ST.
or the late corporation of Washington:
Three-year Emery. niatured July 30.
1873. 7.3 per cent interest ceased. 800.
Thirty.year funding, maturing November
.s l.. ls02 per Gent. cent. due May 1 and No
sibo. '''''''' " '''''''f ''' ''''-' va D'''u''
Corporation of Washington s per cen, gen.
erni stock. 81 .340.0l.
Corporation OF Washington, 6 per cent
general stock, $7sO.17.
District or Columbia. permanent improve
| nient, per cent bonds, $500.
Corporation OF Washington, twenty-ycar
iunuiiiy, per cent bonds 81 ,S5U e.,
IOtai-Sl7, ISO 620.1S.
TN the last five items in the above list
interest has ceased. funds for payment OF
principal and interest being depo ted in the
United States Treasury.
NON BOMBED INTEREST FEARING
DEBT.
On June 80. 1894, the Dis,ric, owed the
United STATES. on account Of advances for
increasing the water supply under the act
approved July 10. 1882 tJT. S. Stat nj l.
voi. e2. p. 1881, S6s4, p 4.S3, which was
rayabie IN sixteen Observation-Disclosures wxh
interest al Fer centum per annum. out or
any surplus Of water rents.
This obligation was thus. the report says
III PROCESS or easy extinction in a manner
vances had@bcen put. when, by au act OF Au-
gust Z. 1894 ~. s. Stat. at l.. vol rs u,
E6St thai method OF liqnidating the deOt
was modified by the following proyiso
provided. That not exceeding $500 goo
OF the surplus general revenues OF the Dis
tr,ct oI Coinnlbia remaining on the LIST day
OF July. 1894. shall BE- rdnsferred TO the
wafer fund. to b. applied in the payment
of the principal OF Tue deb; incurred Tor in
Greasihs the water supply as provided IN
Quently by a proviso in the District appro-.
priaiion act OF March 2. 1895 ,,bic, page
'o4D transferring IKE amount irunl tue
suopius general revenues remaining on the
1st day OF July. 1895. for the same purpose.
The account thus stands:
Balance due July l, 1894, 1854,
increase by new advances Tor work. interest
and sinking fund and Judgments OF United
states court or Ciainis, So4. 1851 S; total.
S13S 81 2.9s. Less transfer OF surplus OF
general revenues, 5000, 900: less payment
or interest and sinking funh. SiG. .4Us.3s:
total, $40, 4Os.9e; leaving S9s,l04
On July | 1895, the District of Columbia 1
owed the United states S24s, $50, ,65 on ac-
count OF advances Tor the cx xpense or laying
the 4S-inch wafer main ana the + ourt eenIn
street water mann and connections.
During the year the fourth and last in
stalnicnt OF the Districts proportion ap-
propriated for the purchase OF property for
Rock Creek Park, under the act OF Com
gress of September %, 1901. s. Stat
tue Uniteu States. with the interest due on
the entire $500 900. with which the Dist rict
was charged. The Interest amounted to
$4,000.
THE FLOATING DEBT.
Under the organic law OF the present Dis
trict, which prohibits the making of any
expenditure or incurring OF any obligation
unless pursuant TO authority previously
granted by Congress, the floating indebted-
ness is substantially limited to Judgments
the appropriations law, and small amounts
needful to give effect to requirements of law
The District was also under obligations
at the close of the fiscal year to receive |
in payment OF general and special taxes |
81 lUos.ll OF urawuack ctilIliCatts is
sued for rebates of special assessments.
The rate of general tax for the year is the
same as last year, viz: 81 80 on each 500
for personal and real estate, except that
used SOleiy Tor AGRICULTURAL purposes, on
which 81 per 500.
EXTEND THE TIME.
OF the work of the permanent board of
assessors, Messrs. Bates, Morsell and |
johnson, under the act of August IA, 1894, |
they say 1t is confidently believed that the !
result is satisfactory valuation for ASSESS
mcnt purposes OF the real properties OF |
the District.
The amount of work to be done by this |
board in making the assessment Of real |
property in the District OF Columbia ON |
which 1t is now engaged, is SO extensive
that it will he impracticable for them to I
complete the assessment of the entire Dis |
trict in time for the collection of taxes |
based thereon within tile period now pre- |
scribed by law. The Commissioners re- !
quest Congress 10 extend the time for CON-
the first Monday in April, 1896, aud in
that portion outside OF Washington until l
the first Monday in September, 1896, and |
make the collection OF the tax for the latter |
section payable in one instaliment during I
the mouth of May, 1897. They will /
early submit joint resolution to that ef- |
feet to Congress.
Attention is called to the defects in the
tax sale system recently explained in The
Times, i'm the words used in the last report,
and the following statement is added:
IAN essential fault In the existing law |
relating TO tax sales is the peremptOry re-
uuirement that at the expiration of two
years from the date OF the sale of q piece |
of real estate for overdue taxes, the Com
missioners must on the demand of the own
for the property. AS the deed carries with
1t clear title against any claim of the Dis
trict for taxes due prior to its issue, 1t is |
q convenient agency for the evasion of
the payment of back taxes"
A bill, providing that no tax deed shall
icct rnd ho vyo I,naun