Evening star., 1903-07-17
Why He Failed to Make State
ments Year by Year.
COMMISSIONERS ORDER
CONDITION OF THE DEPOSIT AND
ASSESSMENT FUND.
His Conference With the Late Mr..
Ross in 1899-The Collect
or's Response.

Mr. James T. Petty who is still the in
cumbent in the District auditorial Office
today submitted to the Commissioners a
report In response to a letter of inquiry
sent him by Commissioner West concerning
the alleged failure of the auditor to report
the condition Of the deposit and assessment
fund from year to year. 1t was from this
fund that James NJ. a. Watson abstracted
the sum Of $4,000 during the four and one
half years that he was clerk In the aud
itor's office. Commissioner West also called
for information as to the correctness of
the figures given by the auditor in his last
report as representing the condition OF the
fund. In his letter of inquiry Mr.. West
said
BY order of the Commissioners. dated
June 13. 1883. you were made the custodian
of what is known as the deposit fund. In
the year 1SSs. as in each subsequent year.
the Commissioners have called upon you
for a detailed statement of al the transac-
tions of your office Examination of your
annual reports. however, falls to disclose
any statement of the amounts received and
disbursed by you account of permits
from the date of the order, June 13. 1888,
until your annual report for the year end
Ing June 30. 1891, in which report reference
to the permit accounts appears. apparently
for the first time.
1T will be seen that. according to your
statement. there was a balance on hand in
that fund on June 80. 1891, of $50, ,62S 81,
while the balance on hand June 80. 1902.
was s13.2oD.
Il desire to be Informed whether the bal
ances thus certified by you We're accurate
statements of the condition of the fund
Il also desire to be informed whether an
nual statements of the condition of the de-
post fund We're made prior to the balance
shown for July l. 1899"
Mr.. Petty's Reply.
Mr.. Petty's reply is interesting. as are all
his reports. On this occasion the auditor
takes opportunity to pay a tribute to the
robust imagination of the corps Of accom-
plished young gentlemen who represent the
press at the District building" He says:
In the preparation of my annual reports
1t has been my custom for years to consult
the Commissioner in charge Of my office
and to take his direction as to the nature
and scope of their subject-ma tier respecting
both that which they should contain and
that which they might omit as we'll Con-
gress has been their objective point and as
that body never exercised control or juris-
Giction over the funds arising from deposits
for crossing Sidewalks for plumbers per
NIT fees. or for what is technically known
as whole cost work. the relevancy OF the
treatment of these matters in reports OF this
character was not apparent My state
ments. therefore. previous to July 1. 1899.
related exclusively to taxes. revenues and
dppl ldliOIiS, dS inc SUBJECTS upon WnlCn
Information would be desired In connection
with the work of legislating for the District
of Columbia.
In July, 1899. concluded that 1t would
be well. as a matter of general information.
to state the accounts Of the several funds
and publish them In the form of appen-
dix to the annual report After comforting
with Commissioner Ross and receiving his
arr-"--~l e ti'o s,,Ii-nie 1 addressed a let
ter to him for the purpose of securing GER
tam Information from the collector which
was necessary to the accomplishment Of the
end which | had in view"
A copy Of this letter which was approved
by Commissioner Ross. follows:
Sir: l respectfully ask, through you, to
be furnished by the collector with the fol-
lowing information, viz:
/. The total amC unit collected from jan
uary l to June 80 1899 inclusive on ac-
count of deposits made by plumbers for
pairs over cuts In streets. for crossing side
walks and for work the whole cost of which
is borne by the depositor.
-. The aggregate collections (total only
on these three accounts to June 80, 1899,
inclusive.
Very respectfully.
y. T. Petty Auditor D. C."