Evening star., 1901-10-16
ASSESS0RSF REPORT
Mr.. Darneille Reviews Operations of
His 0fice.
LICENSES DURING The YEAR
Suggestions for the Future Good
of the Service.
b STIM ATES SUBMITTED

ESTIM ATES SUBMITTED
Mr.. Hopewell H. Darneille. the assessor
for the District of Columbia, this afternoon
submitted his annual report and estimates
TO the pistr.ct Comm issioners, together
with few. suggestions and recommended
tions for the future good of the service
Mr. Darneille states that the total assessed
fa'ue OF the real estate in the District is
SisZoZo'6oS This amount is subdivided as
follows: Washington c.ty-Land. So 613,-
so; improvements, S732s9,5 ,544; total, $780,
3o5'ii4; Washington county-Land, taxable
at S1.5o agriculturaD. 81. .5Ga. COZ; i'm
provements, S9,401, 7C0; total. 800 965, ,3O7; 4;
land taxable at 81 (agriculturaD, S44O3.3S7;
improvements, 81, ,253S 500: total S5.657,1s7
The total estimated assessment value of
personal property in The District of Co
iumbla Is $13,350,000 1t is estimated that
the street railway gross receipts, taxable,
are $2,612,So5. This brings the total as
sesseu value OF personal property up to
Sio,3t2,Soo, and the total of real estate
anu personal property to S19S ,4sS,413. The
personal TAX law has never been enforced
direction --'@e III 'if''
The amount of tax collectible on real es-
tate In the District of Columbia Is given
at S27O9, ,59S.1 DIVIDED as follows. wasb-
mgton city, at $150, $233S 546.71; Wash
ngton county, at $50, $31447961: wash
lhg.on gTSa county, at 81, $5s,57Is7.
Inc estimated tax returns on personal
property are $500 ,25O, and on street rail-
way receipts, $104,512 20, a grand total of
all taxes being $3,O14, ,3OO39
Special Assessments.
Inc summary OF the operations of the
specldi assessment office for the year shows
that assessments were levied as follows:
Assessment and permit work, $1O6. 1872 II:
improvements and repairs, $13, ,35O07; water
service connections, $46S.62; construction of
county roads, $3.50. 81; condemnation of
iand Ia for alleys 500. 10; extension of streets.
$l4,S so; reaSsessments $3O6 695
Since my last annual report" saws the
assessor, the office Of special assessments
ana SO much of the water registrars Of
nee as pertains to water main assessments
nave oeen consolidated with this office, and
WhIe add1ng largely to my responsibilities
ana duties, has been a decided improve
ment upon the old system, especially in the
prompt dispatch of business, and in af-
fording increased facilities to the tax-
payers. The various items Of assessments
nave been placed ON the card index. and
the searches heretofore occupying consider
aDie time have been reduced to a minimum.
IhlS much needed reform was practicaIlv
impossible Of accomplishment until an an
preparation was granted by Congress for
the purpose. 1t is hoped to make this
pranch of the service, as well as all other
divisions of the office, attain the highest
degree of efficiency, and if Congress Will
sun 1urther give us needed appropriations
there can be no doubt of the result
Licenses Issued.
The report shows that during the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1901, 4,1S1 licenses were
issued, including $40 bar room, 122 whole
sale liquor and 157 engineer licenses. There
has been certified to the collector of taxes
1,237 certificates for miscellaneous receipts
and 157 for insurance percentage taxes.
During the year 46Se passenger vehicles
were licensed. Mr.. Darneille says in regard
to this item and on the subject of insurance:
The introduction of motors on public and
private vehicles has tended to reduce the
natural Increase of revenue from this
source. Public interests require the early
passage by Congress of a law licensing and
numbering them. At present there is no
means of identifcation.in case of accidents
Since the last report Of this office Con-
gress has enacted municipal code includ-
ing new insurance law for the District
Of Columbia. 1t Is impossible to predict at
this time the amount of revenue to be re-
ceived from this source when it becomes
operative January 1, 1902"
On other interesting subjects the assessor
has this to say:
1.-The past year has been unprecedented In
the volume Of business transacted in the
various branches Of this Office and has
taxed the regular and temporary force to
the utmost degree. involving the working
Of extra hours by the regular clerks in Or
der to completely install various improved
systems for the betterment Of the service
and the protection and interest Of the tax
payers. 1t affords me pleasure to state in
this connection that the clerks and officials
Of this Office have been untiring in their
zeal and industry to accomplish these much
needed reforms, which could not have been
done without their cordial cooperation.
1.-The temporary force, authorized by an
appropriation at the last session of Con-
gress, is kept constantly employed in bring
ing up to date the many items Of water
main taxes and special assessments to be
placed on cards for ready reference. This
work entails unusual care in its prepara-
after being transcribed to the. cards, with
a view to insure accuracy in all the details
and is nearing completion.
The Triennial Assessment.
,''The board of assistant assessors has
been engaged since July. 1900, in making
the triennial assessment of real estate, and
will return the same on the first Monday
in January, 1902, when, under the law, the
board of equalization and review will meet
to receive and determine appeals on the
valuations, and for this purpose will re-
main in session until the first Monday in
June following which, when completed,
will constitute the basis of assessment for
the three years commencing July 1, 1902
''The compilation of the assessment on the
card index will require considerable labor,
and is required to be done by a corps of
expert clerks, which is practically impossi-
BILE Of accomplishment without an addi-
tional clerical force, and I am therefore
compelled to urge an appropriation Of at
least So, 500 for the purpose, an inconsider-
able amount when compared with cost of
preparing numerical books in pas: years,
which usually cost from $4,000 to $4,000.
Arrears, Of Taxes.
''The successful Inauguration Of the card
system Of arrears has been productive of
incalculable benefit both tof the District and
taxpayers alikes and haRfbeen the means
of clearing up the 1bacitttaxes to a con-
siderable degree. and while in many cases
the owners are surprised, in having bills
sent to them Of old taxes they had either
forgotten or neglected. yet, they were graft
fed in some cases to- kn9W, and in others
inclined to put the, blame on the Office
which under the system then in vogue the