The Washington times., 1902-03-14
Surface Division Reports
on Their Necessity.
FUNDS NEEDED FOR WORK
Present Set of Maps Used Alone for As
sassment and Taxation-Are Accu-
rate, Clearly Drawn, and Very COM
plete-Duplicates Needed.

Mr.. 5. T. Kalbfus. OF the Assessors Of
nee, recently called the attention of his
chief to the necessity for authentic plats
of the outlying portions of the District,
generally known as the county for the
convenience of the department. Mr.. kalb-
fus suggested that report upon the sub
ject be obtained from Mr.. W. P. Richards,
of the Surface Division.
Mr.. Richards, at the request of the Dis
trict Commissioners, has submitted his
views in the following statement, ad-
dressed to the Engineer Commissioner:
Favored Plats.
I'm order to have full and accurate
description for assessing all lots and
tracts of land in the District an act was
passed on March 8, 1899, entitled An act
to distinctively designate parcels of land
in the District of Columbia for the pur-
poses of assessment and taxation and for
other purposes
As it was considered unwise TO mako
any additions on the Surveyors books for:
such purpose, it was found necessary to
have set of maps to be used alone for
assessment and tsxation. l once suggest
ed that certain maps of this office could
he copied for the Assessors Office. but no
money being available for the work, the
act has practically been imperative.
THE maps referred TO in this are
clearly and accurately drawn and very
complete as to details of the various re-
corded subdivisions 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 meas
urements and triangulation made by this
department and covering the entire Dis
trict.
- The maps are on 160 sheets, "a by 80
inches. drawn to scale of one inch to
ITO fest, and would, If extended TO cover
the entire county, consist of 260 Sheets
Very little plating would be required to
finish the set, as the maps that are lack
ing would include unsubdivided tracts and
would have very few lines upon them
Only Ones Drawn.
These maps are the only ones of the
county drawn on so large scale and in
shape for ready reference, and constant
rsc of them by the various departments is
tending toward their destruction. About
half of them have been Autographed, but
10 funds are available fer copying the
others.
IF they are used as n tasis for the
work authorized in the above mentioned
act estimate THAT $1,000 will be required
10 complete the set and to lithograph the
same. One set of plats Gould then be
filed with the Surveyor one with the AS
SCISSOR, and one with the Computing En-
gineer. and they should be added to or
changed from day to day as subdivisions !
are recorded, so that any map of the set |
would show the streets. subdivisions, and /
lets by the latest records.
The manner of designating the lots and |
tracts for the purposes of assessment will .
he to consider the District as divided into
sections corresponding with the number,
block, and subdivision, with the number
OF the section added.
Duplicate Numbers.
Where duplicate numbers exist as TO
the lots in any one block such numbers
are to be changed in accordance with the
act. Where agricultural tracts are not
assessed by number or clear designa-
tion they should be numbered and desig-
mated as parcel. with the number of the
section added"
With the report Mr.. Richards submits
specimen Autographed map showing the
result OF plating the records in section
which includes several small and irregu-
lar subdivisions. Mr.. Richards also ap-
pends an explanation of the map to indi-
cate how the numbers apply to the lots,
blocks, and sections OF the subdivision.