Evening journal., 1903-03-30
CITY HAS NOT
YET GOT MONEY
Has Made Application to
Borrow From the First
National Bank
CHECKS FOR INTEREST MADE OUT.

City Treasurer Feaster Will Disperse
over $4,000 April to Holders Of
City Bonds-city Tax Office Secrets
Made Public.
Application has been made by the FL
nance Committee of City Council to
the First National Bank of the loan Of
100000, and tho necessary papers are
being drawn up. City Treasurer Fels-
ter has already made up checks
amounting to s3S 200. which amount
represents teh semi-annual interest due
on outstanding bonds and he will dis
tribute the money next Wednesday, on
which day the interest will mature.
Tax Office Reports.
The Sunday Star yesterday published
a detailed report Of the work
ings of the city tax Office.
Some startling disclosures were made
by the examination made by the we'll
known firm of LeihHand. Ross Bros. &
Montgomery, which makes a speciality
of that business. Mr.. Ross, a member
OF the firm. personally conducted the
investigation.
While the report makes no specific
charges of a criminal nature, it pro.
duees facts which show that the method
used in the tax office for the collection
ssessments is not up to the standard
Something is materially wrong. anC
that something can be attributed al
most solely to politics.
The report shows a schedule of as
sessments erased and reduced in th'
collectors book in the Northern dis
trict in 1898. According TO the figurei
submitted, the first three amounts ap
pearing in the list OF correct amount
we're 5000, 81 100 and 5000, while tn
amounts substituted were 500, 81 00
and S10O, a difference Of 81 100. A lonl
| list follows, showing a reduction o
| S64,150 between the correct nmoun
and the substituted amount.
For the same year in the same dis
trict is shown a list of capitation as
| lsessments for which taxes We're col
lected. but not entered in the collec
| tors book. a list Of school taxes col
lected, but struck out of collector
book and marked colored, and list o
assessments erased from the collec
tors book which have not been identi
fed as entered elsewhere.
Lists of both districts for the year,
of 1900, 1901 and 1902 follow along th'
same lines.
"There is too much politics In thu
city for the welfare OF the people,
said a prominent business man thi
morning. "The tax Office is used b!
the two parties for a purely politica
purpose"
Money Outstanding.
It Is said that there is about $3.50,
900 in outstanding taxes due to the city
100000 of which represents thi
| wears assessment, while 100000 re
mains for previous years. How mucl
of this latter amount is outlawed is no
known. but il is believed that there i
a large amount of money owed by tax
pavers to the city which can never b
collected by law. The correct amoun
outlawed will probably never be known
as the hooks Of the department are il
such a condition that only the COLES
tors can understand them themselves.
The Board Of Assessment, Revision
and Appeals has completed the reyl
sion of the assessment, and the book
can be seen by property owners at the OF
fee of clerk of council from April ! I
April Is. inclusive appeals will be hear
from April ITO 80 Inclusive FROM to
o'clock in the. afternoon and from TO
o'clock at night, every day with the eS
ception OF Sundays.
The Board Of Assessment, Revision an
Appeals IS composed of James Kant
chairman of the Finance Committee q
City Council; Building Inspector Joh
Cassidy, and Charles II. Blaine, Presidor
of City Council.
Since the financial question arose theI
has been much talk regarding the chang
of assessments as made by the board. TIL
board has authority TO make any chang,
but they are made according to one {
the members, with the knowledge Of a
three. II IS true, he said that SON
changes have been made in the past by II
individual members but not without n
knowledge Of the entire board.