The Washington times., 1901-10-17
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
The Report of the Assessor for the
Last Fiscal Year.
The Commissioners Request Peti-
tions for Local improvements to
He Submitted in Writing-A Com
pIaint Against street Excavations.

| The Conn misst0ucEs request feti-
tions for Local improvements to
He Submitted in Writing-A Com
pIlfnt Against Street Excavations.
H. II. Darneiiie. the District Assessor,
! yesterday submitted to the Commission
| ers his report for the fiscal year ended
| June 80. 1901. The report shows the as
sessed value of real estate and the esti-
mated value of personal property, and
ends with a few suggestions and recon-
mendations for the future good of the
| service.
MIR. Darneille states that the total as
sessable value of real estate is S1S2525, SOS.
! subdivided as follows: Washington city
| Land. So 613.57O; improvements, S73,2 ,5i4:
| total, Sl55. .9O3 ia; Washington County
Land. taxable at $3.50 (non-agriculturaD,
/ S11, ,569 6O7; improvements, s,40l, 700; total,
! $50 965. .3U7; land taxable at 81 (agricul-
! turaD, 81, ,403 1857; improvements, H,253 500;
| total, 81, 5,657, ,lS7.
| The total estimated value of personal
property is $lS. 35O. GOO. 1t is estimated that
! the street railway gross receipts, tax
able. are $26l2. 500 This brings the total
assessed value of personal property up to
$15 962, sos, and the total of real estate and
personal property to S19S, ASS, ,4l3. The As
| SCISSOR says that the personal tax law has
never been enforced, but an effort is now
being made in that direction.
! The amount of tax collectible on real
I estate is given at $2,709 10, divided as
! follows: Washington city, at s1.6O, S,SSS.-
546.n; Washington County, at $1.5O. s5l4,-
479.61; Washington County, at 81, $780,
! 571.S7.
| The estimated tax returns on personal
property are 5000 $50, and on street rail
way receipts, siO4, ,5l2.2o. grand total of
all taxes being s3,014. .3c0So
The summary of special assessments
shows: Assessment and permit work,
S1G6 7S2 Il; improvements and repairs, sl3,-
S50OT; water service connections, S46S-62;
construction of county roads, 81 ,5f9.57; con-
dennation of land for alleys, s222.le; ex-
tension of streets, s14,S30; reassessments,
1906 95
The report shows that during The fiscal
wear. 4.1Sl licenses were issued, including
SO barroom. 122 wholesale liquor, and 157
engineer licenses. There have been ceru-
fed to the Collector of Taxes 1.237 GER
tificates for miscellaneous receipts and
l57 for insurance percentage taxes.
During the year. 46S passenger vehicles
were licensed. Mr.. Darneille says in re-
gard to this item:
The introduction cf 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
s no means of Identification in case Of ac
cldents.''
Coming down to the subject of the tri-
ennial assessment of property, Mr.. Dar-
nellie says:
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 Mon
day 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
remain in session until the first Monday
in June following, which, when com
pleted, will constitute the basis of assess
ment for the three years commencing
July l, 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 practi-
cally impossible of accomplishment with
out additional clerical ferce, and / am
therefore compelled to Urge an appropria-
tion of at least $500 for the purpose, an
inconsiderable amount when compared
with cost of preparing numerical books
in past years, which usually cost from
81 900 to Sc. %" "
Speaking of the newly introduced card
system OF keeping the tax accounts, the
. report says:
This system has been productive of in
caiculablC benefit both to the District and
Of clearing up the back taxes to q con-
siderable degree, and while in many cases
the owners are surprised in having bills
sent tc them of old taxes they had either
forgotten or neglected yet they were
gratified in some cases to know. and in
others inclined to put the blame on the
office; but under the system then in
vogue the responsibility did not rest with
the office, the advertisement in the
newspapers and pamphlet vas deemed
sufficient notice, there being no other pro
vision OF law nor was there Sny means by
which notice could be given to the scores
of delinquents without prejudice e. the
current business of the office, due to
/ depleted and in some respects incompetent
clerical force
BIr. Darneille says with reference TO
the time of paying taxes:
Under the act approved June 6, 1890
public No. $50, provision was made for
the payment Of taxes in one installment
in the month of May, 1891, which act also
/ provided that thereafter taxes may be
paid in two installments, namely, first
installment for the tax year l90l-1902 in
the month Of November. 1901 and If not
paid in said month a penalty Of l per cent
on the first day Of December and like
| penalty on the first day of each succeed
ing month. The last insta ilment is pay
able in May, 1902, and penalty of ! per
cent attaches for non-payment on the
first day of June and a like penalty on
the first day Of each succeeding month
until day of sale. Taxpayers desiring to
pay the whole tax can DO so in the month
of November, 1901"
The report has the following statement
relative to the personal property tax and
its collection:
Under a recent order of the Commits
siOners the Assessor was directed to en-
force the provisions of the personal tax
law, and ii shall be my endeayor TO com
ply with said order to its fullest extent
with the means at my command. Due no
tice has been given by advertisement. and
blanks sent out requiring returns to be
made on or before August l. -yJl, after
which time all persons liable TO personal
tax, where the facts can be ascertained,
VIII be assessed, as provided by law, with
an addition of 50 per cent. For the past
t%o months | have personally visited the
prominent residential portion of the city
and the various local corporations, trust
| companies, and such other places as In
my judgment come within the provisions
| Of the personal tax law. and with two as
| sistants engaged in reporting upon all
| mercantile establishments with view
| to listing FOR taxation every one liable
| under the law. The lack of force nCces-
| sary TO enforce this law and other obsta-
| cleS lHpel me to again recommend its re-
peal, and in lien thereof a license tax on
| all mercantile business and corporations
| Except street railways) of one-half of one
| per cent on each 800 of the gross volume
| Of business done each year. which would
| appear to be equitable and just, and sim
| plify the assessment and collection of the
| tax.
| I'm submitting this report" Mr.. Oar
| nellie says, in conclusion, Il have en-
| deayored to bring to the attention of the
| Commissioners all the details of the of
| flee, with the assurance that during my
T~.H.. IL