The morning times., 1895-11-20
AGssT''Ey!!!! TO D|Sc|ft|S!
Firenlen Must Not Engage in
Voting Contest.
AUDITOR PErTY's REPORT
he Discusses the One-Pay yment-a-Yea ear
Plan of Collecting Taxes-Police
Court Witness Fees Increasing.
LiberaIity TO Disabled Firemen ana
Policemen Recommended.

Mr.. George E. Emmons, as secretary Oh
the executive fair committed of the Columbia
Athletic Club carnival, yesterday received
a letter from the Commissioners, which is
of general interest. 1t was In answer to a
communication asking that the fire COM
NAMES be permitted to take part in the
carnival for the benefit of the club, by en-
gagine in a voting Contest.
The Commissioners replied that II is not
expedient to allow members of the different
engine companies tn compete in contest OF
t,e kind. The reason, though not stated, is
that such voting is believed tn be detrimental
to the discipline and efficiency OF the ue-
partment.
Mr.. Emmons' proposal was To award
library OF 500 volumes To the IRE company
receiving the largest number OF votes.
District Auditor Petty in his annual re-
nort submitted yesterday discussed tie
question between annual and selni-ahnuai
collection OF taxes ana tile Dockers raw
suggested that witness fees in police court
ought TO be abolished and urged greater
libIrality toward police and IRE depart
ment pensioners.
ERRORS WOULD BE LESS LIKELY.
TIE one-payment-a-year plan of collect
ing taxes lie says, would lessen the tax
PAYERS liability to error and tighten the
assessors anu collector labors. On the
other hand small owners would find 1t
harder TO pay all the tax at once ana, more
! important, tie monetary ana business
world would feel much more severely the
withdrawal from circulation or SO large
| an amount of money at one time.
! II change 10 the one-paYment system be
| favored lie prefers November to May as the
| time for the single payment. With a col
| lection in May the general government
| would be called upon To support the DISTRICT
| for ten months III the year with a risk or
| failure of the District IN May TO collect
I promptly enough to pay back fuliy the
| money thus advanced.
The notion that money collected for taxes
! is dissipated by an exhibit of figures show
( ing that the appropriations for given
/ wear a re- made months before the year bt gins
I and the District Treasury this year Tor
| instance was empty and the District IN
/ debt TO the generals governments On November
/ /, last. ,o-
! closed many Old and troublesome accounts,
has reduced the friction incident to
I review of the accounts OF one department
| of the Government by another ana eX-
pedited business. But the old method, in
respect to safeguards against error and
| fraud, is much to be preferred.
| Contractors under the board of public
works have been paid S27, 800 under the
| the payment of the difference between the
amounts stipulated in these contracts, and
! the "board rates" Bonds were sold under
the act of June 20, 1874, to that amount,
leaving $4,000 to be sold to clear up
| these accounts. Whether this VIII De
| enough is uncertain, though some well-in-
| formed persons say II will
Expenditures for police court witness
fees are increasing, and it is estimated
$1,000 will be needed for 1897. So many
cases on trial prove frivolous, as to
arouse suspicion of collusion between wit
ness and accused, In order to get the fees.
In spite of refusal OF fees where fraud is
discovered the practice is growing, and 1t
NAV he well whether abolition OF fees might
not be resorted to as remedy.
FIREMEN's AND POLICE FUND.
In concluding Mr.. Petty warmly COM
ruends to the hberaiity OF the Government
policemen ana firemen, who are disabled
from duty. and the widows and orphans OF
those who have died iI honorable service.
He points out that even with an extra ap-
propriatio by Congress last year, the police
mans fund was able to pay only sixty
per cent of the allotment, "a widow, for
example, with an allotment of $50 a month,
receiving only S12." AS the amount is
taken wholly from District revenues, with
the hearty consent of the whole population
should be opposition 10 a sufficient
| allowance.
The figures submitted as part of the
report show total expenditures S6, ,121,-
/ T2a, total revenues 81 1866, with a
| balance in the Treasury of S42S,C9o on
July l last. or the receipts, S3,05s, s,S26
was from the Federal government and
S4OO3. $40 from District taxes, etc. Ii
c..nscs gave S3T5. .4lO: market rents, S1S,-
OO3, of which about $4,000 was from
/ Center Market: fines, S34,4O4: tax on
dogs, SI5.416. The water departments
contribution was S555.Sl1. while its
expenditures were S424, ,SS2, leaving q
balance in its favor of S130,929.
The principal items of expenditure were
Permanent Improvements of streets, etc.
S55S. .02s.O2; care aud lighting streets
roads and parking, S412 2,369.54; sewers
and basins. 1895, ,5T5 .9S; Rock Greek Park
last iuStalimeut ami interest. Slt7,oOo
salaries and contingent expenses. Distric
of Columbia offices, S257 ,S10.s5; Metro
politan police. salaries and contingencies
$3.50, 253.43; fire department, salaries AM
contingencies. 81 ,340.70; fire depart
ment. nav buildings, S52, .43; courts
SI14, ,ST6.s1; public schools, salaries ant
contingencies SSS4. .3SS. .03; public schools
new buildings. S70,43S.79; health de
partment, S63. .SG3.95; interest and sink
ing fund. 81 ,213,
The Commissioners admit their inabilit
to prevent dumping of unsightly rubbis
on vacant lots. No matter before who's
door it may be, the trash, old papers, til
cans, broken dishes, stove pipe, barrels
etc may remain unless such a nuisanc
is created that the courts may interfere
| The admission was in a letter to lad
living near Twenty second and street
, northwest, who wrote to complain of tn
| conditions In her neghborhood.
POLICE DEPARTMENT ORDERS.
A number of orders for the police d.
partnient were made public yesterday.
: | T. Sedgwick is required TO pay So a mont
OIL a debt beginning with December. Samu,
d. Gibson was fined SIS for violation c
paragraphs so, 1876 and 1 80, of the polio
regulations. Harry E. Ranke, for gros
\ neglect of duty, was fined $50. I.
Roberts and Adam stenhuuse, tried Octt
: Der 80, were fined SO each.
Three findings by the trial board weT
made public. o. j. Wiggans and Patric
| Creagh were found not guilty and th'
charges dismissed. a. j. immel wa
found to owe William W. Wright, an a
toruey in the Gunton building, S36 AS, an
directet! to liquidate in 70 INST iiincnts. bt
ginning with December. The testimon,
showed that Mr.. Kimmcl had ipdorsed
S25 note for Thomas H. Elliott of No.
precinct on August 8 last, and the amour
had been recorded against him with II
terest aud costs before Magistrate O'Nea
The penalty was omitted from the take
on four acres of ground in plat 8, Roa
: street, near Georgetown, held by WilliaI
| H. Gordon and J. II. Taylor as trustees.
| John r. KcatinE, of the solicitor general
| office, was Informed that 1t was Inc,
| pedicnt to remove Il tree opposite NJ
| 1903 Thirty-fifth street northwest, an
| Mrs. Francis E. Fitzgerald received tt