Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-03
'lHE CITY TAX COLLECTIONS
Methods Commented Upon by
II Auditor John Boughman.
ELABORATE REPORT TO COUNCIL
COLLECTIONS and Deposits for the
Last Six Years.


iW For several weeks City Auditor John
Boughman has been auditing the books
tof City Tax Collectors Eugene M.
Sayers and Thomas S. Lewis for past
years, and from time to time he has
Nmade statements to members of City
4 Council relative to tax collections and
1 pity finances generally, which he fol-
lowed up Thursday by presenting the
Following report to Council
Wilmington, Del, March 81, 1902-To the
Hon. President and Members of City Coun-
eil-Gentlemen: ! respectfully report as fol-
\ bows the amount due OH city and school
taxes for the years 1896 1897 and 1898 on
jYAarch Goth, 1902; Southern district, 1896,
j amount due S., 10; 1897 $6, 527.91; 1898,
$9, 1881; Northern district, 1898, 5281. 50 /;
Total, S28, 40.
s On this date, March 27, the southern dis.
tict has deposited to the credit of 1897
taxes the sum of $500 and the northern dis
n strict to the credit of 1898 taxes the sum of
\ " ,S34 so the amounts due on those years are
III reduced to the extent of those amounts Mt
III Vie present time. As to the amounts out for
lS99, 1900 and 1901, which | have not had
II he time to give attention 10 yet, have
" figured there is at least S15O, coo outstanding.
~ On horse and mule taxes as follows North
nm district-l898, assessment, 1858; amount
\ reeeived, 1886; amount deposited, nothing;
1898, assessment, 1881 amount received,
~; amount deposited, S1,242; 1900, as
seasment $3.50; amount received, 1878; this
M day, 1900, no assessment furnished; amount
reeeived 1896; total, $l,242; Southern dis
WI tr1ct-l83S, assessment, 81 ,023; amount re-
ceived, $48 amount deposited. $4S1, August
N 9TH, 1901 1888, assessment, $95S; amount
u Wtreceiyed, S527; amount deposited $454; ;
February 9th, 1902 1900, assessment, 81, lis; !;
Qnount received, S494; amount deposited,
Nj tothing sol, assessment, 1,119; amount
W ecplVpU X41b. arnOunt 1appaita6 Inc
VI tptal assessment, $4, BIS; amount received,
p,9l7. You will observe by these figures
\ pat very small percentage of this tax is
\ Ilitpllected and what is collected is very slow
\ N ID finding its way to the city treasury.
\ As to money collected and not turned in
H N p the credit of the city | have this to say,
be collectors cash books and deposit
Lpuchers from bank up TO and including last
Thursday, March Goth, 1902, showed the fol-
Tbbwing:
NSou'' ern district-Receipts from the first
l n .eptember each year--1S96, $40, 22S. n I;
III hposits, S42, $50; 1897, receipts, S44, $780, 80
M hposits, %44, so; 1898, receipts, $39, ,633 ii |;
fposits, s39,375; 1899, receipts, $33, III. .02;
II ifposits, S31 800; 1900, receipts, S26 97;
\ sposits, $26, 6,775; 1901, receipts, S6,507. 10 !;
3fposits, "a, f50 total receipts. $193, ,247. SO
\ Stal deposits, $lS9,320; receipts over and
Poye deposits, S,92Es8; receipts over and
\ boye deposits, horse and mule tax, Saa2; |;
ntal @ receipts over and above deposits,
Nl MNorthern district-Receipts from the first
HIN Il september each year-lS9S, 1858, us. 81 !:
N Nposits, SOD a36. S 1889 receipts, $50 $50 %
Fposits, $5l, 2al 1900, receipts $33, ,49S. "a !;
NIl telosits' isbi2; lNl, receipts, S9,0I1. II I;
Il III Rposits, $40, 400 l6; total receipts, Sl51
65i total deposits, $50, 26O.02; receipts
N l1yer deposits, $2,9O061 receipts over and
NV ppNe deposits, morse tax, 81, ,242; total re-
N e5Rts over and above deposits, $2.9O06l.
"a The figures here given should, without
IVl ufIlpf comment ligpol A., A..
M Nraclty of the auditors statement made to
VII r. hhance committee and other me mher
W tCouncil recently that money was being
III pflected but net deposited in bank, a fact
X uft was disputed by the collectors through
h ~ public press. Another thing YOU may
VIA pserye is that on some of the years more
(. Apney has been deposited in bank than was
HIN Kelved In those years according to the
Rh books and | respectfully suggest that
& in juggling with city finances should
II III Nse and at once, for it is the using of one
4 vi Htr taxes to settle that of another year
n Either back, and while on this matter |
n n siire to say that the conditions in this re.
u I'd ipd and in the amount received and not
H posted We're worse several weeks ago than
NlN Ilpresent.
N Nj The collections and deposits for the week
IN}lHing this date, taken from the cash books
iii III the vouchers are:
n Southern distrct-1s96, collections, 500. .O4;
'yl IIPosits, nothing; 1887 collections, $3.50. %
\ " posts, nothing; 1899, collections, SIEGE;
u III eposits, Sl,OOO; 1900, collections. 1926 so
NEI fposlts, S525; 1901, collections, $l09.36 de-
Mlts, Sl,5CO; total collections, 81 PSI. 20; /;
lIlN Al deposits, $3.i25
N H Northern district-1saS collections. Sb3. az,
iposits, 81, ,s34; 1899, collections, $247. 81 !;
n posits, nothing; 1900, collections, $4O6. % |;
~ posits, nothing; 1901, collections, $262.17;
poslts, nothing; total collections, $4,000 |;
83l lFse and mule taxes, 1893, 1899, 1900 and
aVN. ri .21g. total ita
a& lood for thought in these figures also.
5E closing desire to mention to the
MI luncii that it occurs TO me that it might
53S well in addition to having the stub
n pks Tor the collections of taxes for the
N Var lS02, to have one for the outstanding
N f4es Tor at least the years 1900 and 1901.
NJ \ merely make this as a suggestion for the
4 pnsideration of Council.
4 MN Respectfully,
\ " lf John Boughman, City Auditor.
Aiter the auditors report had been
eau by Clerk Hamann Chairman Kane
he finance committee made the fol-
owing motion: Gas the auditor has
y made grave charges against the tan
olteetors | move that the matter he
eferred to the finance committee for
1l lnvestigation. The motion was
Hdopted and the matter was so re-
Ferreq Later Mr.. Kane made the
lpupi1c announcement that the finance
fcommittee has been investigating the
books of the collectors for several
weeks and hopes in the near future to
ne able to present full report. The
anditor's letter was not publicly COM
mented upon during the meeting, but
ufterward it was discussed by some of
the members.
MT4H Orders fdf Cars.
Jhe PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Co. has placed