Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-20

officials TIFF a Falling OF Of
Revenue.
QUEs7IoHEeF CLUB LICENSES
Permit for Railroad Tracks on
Water Street.
9th Err LOCAL NEWS

District officials are In an anxious state
regarding the local revenues, which they
fear are seriously threatened. 1t is all
about taxes both special and general.
| Taxes that are delinquent and taxes that
are to be collected. Defective descrip-
| tons Of lots, it is said are responsible for
the condition Of affairs, and the authori-
| ties are cropping for light that Will lead
| the District out of the darkness of en-
| barrassment.
Lately the courts have been knocking
| out District assessments right along, and
| a number of these decisions were based
urcn defective descriptions in tax sales
and assessments for improvements. SO
| serious has the matter become that the
| attorney for the District had long and
earnest conference with the Commission
| ers this morning upon the subject and.
| later, the assessor for the District and
| the collector of taxes were called in to
participate in the discussion.
| According to the officials, the trouble Is
| all due to the surveyors books, from which
! the assessor and collector of taxes make
| their returns. They are, it is said in de-
| plorable state, and unless something is
done Immediately to check matters 1t Is
| estimated by interested parties that the
| District will LOSE 40 per cent of its reve-
| nues from taxes on real property. The
| local officials say that there are many in
stances in the surveyors books where
|
! bered the same, and any number of sub
| lots of the same lot. When it comes to de-
| scribe these lots in tax bill, the authors
/ ties at a loss what to do. They de-
scribe the lot as it is recorded in the book,
| but the courts decide the description faulty,
and the assessment is made illegal, and the
| District suffers loss in revenue
| The Commissioners lealiZe the Importance
| OF the situation, and will endeavor to cor
| rect the matteC by the immediate introduce
| ton Of a bill IN Congress, which Will give
| them the authority to change the sur
veyor's books that a proper description in
| the future will be possible.
Licenses to Clubs.
The Faulkner bill, which gives the excise
| board discretionary power in the matter of
| granting liquor licenses to clubs without
| the payment Of license fee, will receive
| black eye should it be referred to the Com
| m.ssioners for report. 1t is evident that
| they are opposed to the bill, and there is no
| doubt that the excise board is unanimously
| opposed to any such legislation which car
| ries with it discretionary power that must
| keep the board continually in hot water. 1t
| is certain that the excise board will urge adj
verse action upon the measure when it is
| preser ted to it for report. 1t Is urged that
| the passage ef such bill will open the
| doors to any club that organizes for the pur-
| pose of defeating the law. 1t is considered
| that bona fiie club means literally one
| that is incorporated. AS soon as a club re-
ceived its letters of incorporation the board
would be called upon to exempt 1t from the
| provisions of the liquor law. There would be
| no standard of excellence, and such class
| legislation, 1t is urged. would be disastrous.
| If Congress desires to exempt clubs from
| the payment of liquor license fee, 1t is
| urged that the bill be so amended as to
! either designate the clubs to be relieved, or
| else make the law broad enough to include
! all clubs. The excise board does not relish
! such discretionary power. and would like to
| see the matter definitely determined by law
| Instead of putting the responsibility upon it.
l q hp
| I'LL are doing their utmost to have the bill
| favorably reported and passed. They argue
| that bona tide club. that dispenses liquor
! to its members and does not cater to the
| general public. should be relieved of the
| lie enSe tax. The returns from the sale of
liquor do not go to any one man or set of
| men, but are used for the support of the club.
| Again they argue that 1t is unjust to make
a man buy his liquor. pay for the privilege
of drinking it, in the shape of dues. and then
| compel him to pay tax in addition.
The police. acting under the advice of the
| attorney for the District, and in accord
| ance with the wishes of the excise board,
| have notified all clubs that are selling
| liquor without a license to make their ap-
pllcationS at once, or they will be taken into
| court AS violators of the liquor law. This
move on the part Of the police Is in ac-
| corGance with the original intention Of the
excise board, as related in The Star some
weeks ago. A list of all clubs that mad not
| received liquor license was printed at the
time together with the division of them by
precincts. 1t list made up by the
| lieutenants of the several police precincts
| 1t is understood that the prosecutions
will be pushed regardless Of the pending
| appeal Of the Army and Navy Club.
Increasing License.
The excise board today, in letter to the
Commissioners, urges the recommendation
of bill increasing the liquor license tax
| from .s400 to $500 for retail licenses, and
from $3.50 to 800 for wholesale licenses
| Tn renewing. this recompoopdot tho ox
else board calls attention to the necessity
| for an increased license fee, which, it be-
lieves, will be beneficial to the best inter-
ests Of tho city.
The Commissioners did not look with
favor upon a separate bill. believing that
such legislatio would have a better chance
of enactment if added to the District ap-
! preparation bill in the shape of an amend
| nnent. So the excise board it is under
| stood. forthwith prepared such an amend
ment, which will be added to the bill at the
first opportunity.
| Trial Board Cases.
The following police trial board cases
| were disposed of by the Commissioners to-
! day:
Private August Hess, guilty of neglect Of
| duty, fined go; Private Patrick O'Brien,
| tried for conduct unbecoming an officer
| warned to act with more discretion in the
| future.
Charges against Privates Fathers and
| AllII1rtln IoI neglect or duty dismissed.
| Private c. {. Estes, tried for neglect of
duty, found guilty and fined $40, and warn
| ed that repetition Of the offense will re-
| suit more seriously.
| building Permits.
The following building permits have been
! issued:
| Herman Kamrn. to erect a one-story brick
building, in rear Of 715 Irwin street. to be
! used as a bake oven; estimated cost. $500.
Carter and Clark, to rebuild frame saw
| nill south side of Water street. near
| 10th southwest, to cost 500.
| r. F. Bradbury, to erect two-story frame
building at Twining City, to be used for
| storage purposes; cost 500.
South BrOokland.
The property owners and resident citizens
Of South 9Brookland we're heard yesterday
| through committee consisting of H. Il.
Noteman, S. r. Gaines and B. F. sparhawt
before the Commissioners. The hearing
| was arranged to lay before the board the
| necessary improvements in that section.
| Mr.. B. F. Sparhawt presented the case.
He called attention to the populous condi-
ton of the section and the fact that not one
| cent has ever been spent for improvements
| there. The citizens were in the dark and
| knee-deep in the mud