The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1899-10-24
TEE / AUDITORS REPORT
Workof, the Bureau for the Sew
eral Departments.
The Estates of Americans Who Die
sfonaI Action for the Protection of
Heirs RecOmmended-Som Finasi-
ciai Statistics of the District.

| The Auditor for the State and other De-
partments today submitted his annual re.
port to Secretary Gage. The Auditor
states that the work of his bureau is in
excellent condition and is as nearly up te
date as can be expected in an accounting
Office. Referring to estates of deceased
] American citizens who die abroad the re-
port says:
I 1.-The law requires our consular officers
abroad to take possession of the personal
| estates of citizens of the United States
other than seamen belonging to vessels,
who may die within their consular Gis-
| tricts. leaving no legal representatives,
and to dispose of these estates conform
ably to law. After the expiration of on
| year the consular officer is required 10
| transmit the balance due to the estate to
| the Treasury to be holden In trust for the
| legal claimant, together with jewelry an
other articles having a sentimental ya.u
! to relatives as keepsakes. 1t has been the
custom to keep such articles in this Office
in a safe provided for that purpose. My
attention having been invited to the fact
that it had been the practice to file in the
safe sealed packages received from con-
sulates without their actual contents be-
ing known except from description gwen
in the consular dispatches. which are In
general terms, l therefore directed that all
such packages be opened and an inyen-
tory OF same made. This examination dis
closed that there are bills of exchange.
promisory notes, and other licences of
Indebtedness to such estates on which ac-
tion should al once be taken for their col
lection and deposit into the Treasury in
trust for the legal claimant There is,
however, an absence OF leg slat.o1 thor
izing anyone III this country 10 cones the
debts due TO such estates before delivery
by this department TO the legal reoreSen
tatives in this country, and as several
years often elapse before such represep-
tatives are known il will therefore be seen
that the value OF an estate may greatly
depreciate owing TO the tact that there IS
no one authorized by law in this country
to perform the duties which dsvoive upon
our consular officers abroad in re alton to
such estates. Having invited the atten-
tioa of the Secretary OF State to the law
upon this subject, | have received letter
from him where he says:
Il have now to refer to our conver-
sation of the 9TH instant, relative TO es-
tates CT deceased American citizens who
die abroad and to say that the attention
Of this department has been invited to the
absence CT legislation authorizing any Of
ficer of the Government in this country to
collect debts due to said estates. 1 there
fore heartily concur in your suggestion, as
explained to me, that legislation be secur-
ed fer the purpose of protecting the inter
ests CT these who are entitled by law to
the proceeds of said estates
1T is therefore recommended that such
legislation be secured from Congress at its
next session as will protect the interests
OF these who are entitled by law TO the
proceeds of said estates.
The act approved March 15, 1898, pro-
vides that all books, papers. and other
matters relating to the accounts OF Off
GERS of the Government in the District Of
Columbia shall at all times be subject 10
inspection and examination by the Comp
trcller Of the Treasury and the Auditor of
the Treasury authorized to settle such ac-
counts. or by the duly authorized agents Of
either Of said officials In terms no dis
bursting officer within the District of Co
lumbia is excepted from the provisions of
this act The wisdom of this provision
OF law becomes more apparent as time
progresses, merely from the fact that, being
able torcall for all books and papers when
ever il is deemed proper, the accounting
officers are in position to- obtain definite
information as to the methods adopted by
the disbursing officers in disbursing and
accounting for the public moneys placed in
their hands, and in consequence TO proceed
with more accurate knowledge in the ad-
justment of the accounts at the Treasury
The following statement shows the dis
bursemsnts made ard allowed in settle
ments on account of the appropriation for
the District for the fiscal year ended June
80, 1899:
Salaries, officers and employees. s264 .22O.-
9S; contingent and miscellaneous expenses.
$56,S16.64;, assessment and permit work
S265, $685.; Improvement and repairs, $685.
5IS.l6; permanent system of highways
Sc, 700.6S; sewers. s2s6. .6i5.67; streets. s631,
719.45; construction of country roads, $2S-
$500; bridges s2S,G5S.22; public schools.
81 066 056.9S; buildings and grounds, public
schools, s71,710.6S; militia $24 325.85; Me
tropolitan police, 1924, 4,299.67; fire depart
ment, s232, ,259.3S; buildings. fire depart
ment, 9,373.37; telegraph and telephone ser
vice, 59,sS3.SS; health department 94,614.92;
emergency fund. S6,siI72; courts. S29 9,9O3-
69 writs of lunacy s36250 judgments.
s12,505.7S; transportation of paupers and
prisoners, s2,746.07: Washington Asylum.
s61.737.25; building. Washington Asylum.
s5.S097l: Industrial Home School. sl6,291:
Hospital for Insan s110.5176o; Freed
mans Hospital and Asylum, S49,666.74; r..
lief of poor. sl2.lS5.34: Water Department,
SPAS, ,602-96; guarantee fund 472 Sc; police
relief fund. s33.6u.15; firemen's relief
fund. s10.144.27; refunding taxes 3d.
510-10: Washington redemption fund. S32.-
1924; refunding water rents and taxes,
81, 122.50; expenses of Excise Board s4,-
2lS.39; investigating Northern Liberty
Market Claims, s1,635.74; payment to
Tor, Daryr -
ern Liberty Market claims. S12S.01ST9;
smallpox hospital, s329.04: permit fund,
s24-215.94; extension of Connecticut Ave-
nue., 1929 177.56; Metropolitan police build
ings. S9,SS1.50; telegraph and telephone
service central station), S35.500; Provi-
dence Hospital buildings, etc, s6,043.24;
defending suits in Court cf Claims. So, 900:
payment of referees, Court of Claims. s205:
preventing spread of contagious diseases,
$20,f59.76; surplus fund, s675.44; alleys.
$24,72164.
Office Commissioner of the Sinking Fund.
District Of Columbia-Salaries, sinking
fund Office. S2.400; redemption of bonds,
old funded debt S36S, 70S. redemption of
bonds. 365 loan, s377. 700; interest on old
funded debt, s106.316; interest on 800
bonds. s594s15.41; interest on water stock
bonds $S5,770.
Office of Collector of Taxes, District OF
Columb:a-Collection of taxes for fiscal
year 1899 on account of general fund So
715,050.69; water fund.- S346, ,5I5.12.
Revenue account, 1S9S-General fund,
s3.S59. Bill; water fund. s2l1. 1888.
Department of Justice-Support of con-
yicts, District Of Columbia, S2,o67.12; sa a.
ries, Supreme Court, District OF Columbia,
s24,917.7S; salaries and expenses, Cout OF
Appeals, District of Columbia, $2o,971. 40;
salaries, warden OF Jail, District Of Column
bia 81 Sn( - -