Evening star., 1898-04-01
LOCAL ASSESSMENTS
Important Hearing of a House Sub
committee.
TAXATION OF NATIONAL BANKS
Subdivisions of Land in the Fire
Limits.
FREE USE OF PUBLIC LAND

An important hearing was given by the
subcommittee on taxes of the House Dis
trict committee today on the subjects Of
assessment and taxation in the District.
Mr.. Ross Mr.. Wight and Capt. Black. the
District Commissioners. together with Dis
trict Attorney Thomas, DR.. T1ndall and
Assessor Trimble. were present.
Chairman Odell asked Mr. Ross about the
status of the local national banks with re-
spect to taxation of their capital stock.
Mr.. Ross said the courts had decided the
banks were exempted from taxation. An
act of Congress passed in 1883 further ex-
enpted national banks CT the United States
from taxation on all except their circula-
ton. The banks OF the District have no
circulation. SO they pay no tax at all Mr..
Ross read the decision OF the court upon
the exemption of bank stock in the Dis
trfct
Has an offer been made to you by
firm Of lawyers" asked Mr.. Odel, ito con-
duct a suit to ties: the power to recover
back taxes from these banker
Yes. Col West Steever and James q.
Carlisle made such a proposition
Continuing. Mr.. Ross said the proposition
had been referred to the attorney for The
District who had reported against the en-
ployment of special counsel. He said the
Commissioners were considering bringing
a test suit through their own officials.
They would also consider whether an
amendment to the law WAS needed.
Mr.. Odell said that in twenty states the
law is that the capital stock is not assess
able against the banks, but the shares are
assessab.e against the stockholders. That,
he thought should apply in this city.
Mr.. Ross said the proposition of Steever
and Carlisle was that they should UNDER
take the suits without expense to the Dis
trict and receive a percentage OF the sums
realized in collection of taxes from the
banks.
Assessing Subdivisions.
Have you ever considered the subject Of
subdivision of lands and assessment within
the fire limits?' asked Mr.. Odell.
Mr.. Ross replied in the affirmative. He
was asked about the case of one property
owner who owned ten acres of land within
few squares of Dupont Circle. 1t was
assessed agricultural lands.
Mr.. Ross said his attention had been
called to this case. The assessment was
Undoubtedly an unfair one and should be
remedied.
Captain Black was questioned about the
ON Eership OF property on the river FROM.
He explained the status Of this property
and the attempts made to settle the ques-
ticns of ownership. some of which are now
pending. He said the District had made
10 attempt to collect taxes until decision
WAS rendered by the court.
Mr.. Odel said it was important for the
District to collect either wharfage or taxes
for the water frout property, and he
thought il might be possible for Congress
TO take action in this direction.
If the question has been dragging along
for years in the courts, said MIR. Odell,
Congress might as We'll take IT up and act
Upon it,
Captain Black said ne would he very glad
to examine the subject and see IL any legis-
lation should be recommended.
This whole business of looking after
public property in the District is in very
bad shape" said Captain Black. He cited
a recent case, where the Commissioners
brought suit to protect a park. The court
set it aside on the ground that the Commis-
sioners had no authority, but the court dill
not decide whether the authority rested in
the Secretary of War the Secretary OF
the Interior. Captain Black named several
similar cases showing how the District is
Handicapped in its control of the public
property.
He told of a lumber dealer who had de-
Hberately inciosed a portion of the public
parking adjoining his property and stored
lumber on 1T. Moreover, he had rented out
strip of that United States property for
the location of an oyster shop and was re-
ceiving pay for it. The Commissioners
We're unable to oust the trespasser.
law existed covering the case.
At MIR. Odelrs suggestion the Commits
siCners promised to suggest legislation COW
er.ng this subject well as the taxation
of national bank stock.