Evening star., 1902-03-13
THE NEED OF PLATS
STATEMENT By LR. RICHARDS
REGARDING THE COUNTY.
Lack Of Funds Renders Act OF Congress
Inoperative-Theo Outlying
Sections.

Mr. w. p. Richards, assistant engineer In
charge OF street extension matters, has sub
mftted a detailed statement to the Dis
trict Commissioners in response to the sug-
gestion Of 8. T. Kalbfus, acting assistant
assessor, calling attention to the necessity
for authentic plats Of the county or out
lying portions Of the District for the use
Of the Office. Mr.. Richards says in order
to have a full and accurate description for
assessing all lots and tracts of land in the
District an act was passed March 3, 1899.
ito distinctively designate parcels Of land
in the District Of Columbia for the purpose
of assessment and taxation, and for other
purposes"
Continuing, he says:
"As it was considered unwise to make
any additions on the surveyors books for
such purpose it was found necessary to
have a set Of maps to be used alone for
assessment and taxation. / once suggested
that certain maps of this office could be
copied for the assessors office, but no
money being available for the work the
act has practically been imperative.
Incident Of Study Of System.
"The maps referred to in this are clearly
and accurately drawn and very complete
as to details of the various recorded sub
divisions Of the District. These maps were
prepared as an incident to the study and
completion of the permanent system Of
highways, and the plating was based upon
an extensive system of measurements ana
triangulatiOn made by this department ana
covering the entire District The maps
are on 16O sheets "a by 32 inches. drawn
to scale Of one inch to 100 feet. and would,
If extended to cover the entire county. con-
sst of 260 sheets. Very little plating
would be required to finish the set, as the
maps that are lacking would include un-
subdivided tracts and would have very Few
lines upon them.
'These maps are the only ones OF the
county drawn on so large a scale and In
shape for ready reference, and constant use
of them by the various departments is tend
ing toward their destruction. About half
of them have been Autographed. but no
funds are available for copying the others.
If they are used a basis for the Work
aut horzed in the above mentioned act l
estimate that 5000 will be required to COM
plete the set and to lithograph the same.
One set of plats could then be filed with the
surveyor one with the assessor and one
with the computing engineer and they
should be added to or changed from day to
day as subdivisions re recorded so that
any map Of the set would show the streets.
subdivisions and lots by the latest RECORDS.
Manner of Designating Lots.
'.The manner of designating the lots and
tracts for the purposes of assessment will
be to consider the District divided into
sections corresponding with the number.
block and subdivision with the number of
the section added. Where duplicate num-
bers exist as to the lots in any one block
such numbers are to be changed in accord
ance with the act. Where agricultural
tracts are not assessed by a number or
clear designation they should be numbered
and designated as parcel. with the number
Of the section added"
With the report MIR. Richards submits
specimen autographed map showing the re-
suit of plating the records in section
which includes several small and irregular
subdivisions. He also appends an explana-
tion of the map to indicate the manner in
which the numbers apply to the lots, blocks
and sections. of the subdivision.