Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-09

nearly one-half of the year, July 1. 1855,
that time the only addition IA our force has
been a deputy COLLECTOR and bank messen-
ger. In the meantime The aggregate
amount and sources of reyenue have in
crease allowed in the ,force. 1t is proper
to state that when the above two clerks
were appointed July J. 1883. clerk who
had been detailed to the collectors Office
was only one clerk. and prior to the APP
pointment of bank messenger. an officer
was detailed from police department to
perform this service. hence that can scarce
ly be called an increase, so that the actual
increase If force in thS office, since 1881.
period of seventeen years. has been depu-
ty collector and one clfrk.
To enumeTate the ma1iy changes that ne
cessitate an increase in'the force Mr.. Davis
calls attention to these facts, viz: The ac
counts of city and county required in 1881
ten tax ledgers; today nineteen tax iedsers
are in use. each one third larger than the
old ones. Transfers of property have in
creased from a few hundred annually to
about 5000 There are 3o.HD accounts on
the assessors books, to about 5000 in
1891. The increase is accounted for by the
many subdivisions made. especially in the
county. in the past ten years TWO books
of entry were sufficient in 1855; six are now
required The advertisement of the delin-
nuent tax list of 1887 required a pamphlet
of 300 pages: that of 1898 required one of
800 pages and fifty-one columns of news
paper advertising. For the sale of 1887 600
certificates We're issued; for the sale of
1896 ]. 100 certificates were issued: for the
sale of 1897 1.Gf5 certificates were issued,
and for the sale of 1898 aTs3 certificates
were issued. an Increase of over $40 per
cent over the previous sale. These certiii-
Gates must be written compared, recorded
and entered on the record of this and the
assessors office. Water bills have increas-
ed from 1891 in 1881 TO about 1900 in
aho mo hui n
ente" receipt and return, and necessita ted
an increase in the books of entry from two
to six. and in addition to this there are
1,Eh water meter accounts the rents for
which are collected quarterly.
Entries Increase Fiyefold.
The average daily entries on the several
books, aside from realty and water bills,
have increased fivefold, by reason of new
accounts kept with the surveyor, sealer of
weights and measures, health department,
permit clerk. and for permit work, and
changing the deposits of Police Court from
semi-monthly to daily, requiring all per-
mts issued by the building inspector to be
paid by the holder instead of depositing the
same in one amount at the end of the day.
and requiring occupants of market STALLS
to pay rent to the collector of taxes in
stead of as heretofore to the market mas
ter, and requiring payment to the collector
of fines assessed against policemen and
firemen.
About 500 receipts were given last year
for deposits for bids against 40 in 1881;
about 100 refunds of enormously paid taxes
We're examined and reported on against 93
in 1881; 5,O33 pieces of property were sold
in 1898 against 81 pieces in 1881; about 800
deposit receipts for permit work were given
in 1897, none in 1881; detailed daily and
monthly abstracts were furnished Treasury
Department in 1899; formerly only daily alb
stracts. Additional work made necessary
by various acts of Congress. such as issue
of permits for railroads, fences, etc, re-
cept of surveyors fees, rent of houses in
Rock Creek Park, rent of market stalls
and permit funds under twenty-three diff
ferent acts of Congress, formerly all I'M
required of the office, such as special re-
ports, etc, which though small in them
selves take the time and services of the
clerks. 1t
Lack of space.
''The business of the Off CO." says Mr.
Davis, could be performed with much
more satisfaction to the public and our
selves had we the space necessary for the
purpose. Vexatious delays occur because
we have not the room to open all the books
needed in daily routiney and for the
same reason errors in entering bills, while
infrequent, are liable to occur at any time
Books are piled upon each other, causing
the loss of much time and annoyance in
and tables, while Insufficient take up near
~ all Of the floor space, making it difficult
10 move around, the narrow passageways
offering distractions to try the patience
ana temper. In u word the room is made
quate and does not afford sufficient space
Tor the furniture necessary for the proper
transaction Of the business of the office
We have no facilities for fling valuable
papers and receipts and no room for file
cases where they could be easy of access
FOR reference and secure from loss and mu-
ulation More room, properly equipped
with modern furniture and appliances is
an absolute need to meet the requirements
OF the growing business of the Office
The collector asks the renewal of the ap-
preparation of $1,000 for the collection of
overdue personal taxes. the outlay being
but small percentage the amount col
lected, and it is the means of collecting
much that would otherwise be a loss to the
District.
The Amount Collected
The following figures prepared by the
collector, show the amount collected by
him during the past fiscal year:
Collected account of
realty tax. .....-...... 81, 500, $50 u