Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-19
AFFAIRS I'M eEoRaErowN.
Citizens Want Better Freight Facilities
Mr.. King Discusses Water Tax.

MI. King Discusses Water Tax.
President Loree of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company will tomorrow
morning receive a letter from the mer-
chants and shippers of Georgetown, IN
which he will be asked to Immediately in
form them as to the intentions Of that
railroad in the matter Of furnishing freight
facilities to the westerly section OF tbs
city. Several weeks ago President Loree
In q personal letter, 1t is said, assured the
committee which has the matter in hand
that the wishes Of the business people Of
Georgetown would be respected and that
adequate facilities would be placed at their
disposal within the near future.
Mr.. George w. King Of 1926 32d street
northwest addressed letter to the District
Commissioners this morning, in which he
the general investigation into the conduct
OF affairs at the District building, in so far
as 1t affects the water department, in
which he says:
THE auditors report page 81 for the
year ending June 80. 1902. shows that the
amount received by the District of Column
bia from all sources, not including amount
from the United States: was 1854. $50. Is
The statement of w. F. Myers, assistant
secretary to the Commissioners, shows that
the number Of salaried employees of the
District, not including day laborers, is
S.317; the salary Of these employees amounts
to $2,497. OO8 The contingent expenses, as
taken from the auditors report (though not
In full. as some doubt exists as to the
proper classification Of some of the items)
amounts to 1918, 600, making a total for
salaries and contingent expenses. not in-
Guiding day laborers. 1907. 6O6: showing
that the entire receipts from all sources,
that is. taxes, permits. &C.. was absorbed
In paying salaries and contingent cx-
penses, excepting $496, 963.55. In this ex-
penditure are the following items: Sal
aries in the water department. $50. 5o3. o5;
contingent expenses in Office. s., 1865 card
system, 81, 1885, IS; or total for running the
water registrars office. $35, 298.6S. About
this sum could be saved the District an
nually. At the same time the tax payers
could be better accommodated. saved a
great amount of trouble and numerous
visits to the District Office.
In correspondence with municipal au-
thorities of other cities am informed that
Is combined in one payment and payable at
the general tax office. Why cannot this
be done in Washington? In Boston, which
| Is much larger than Washington. all bills
essary in the District that a tax payer be
rendered separate bills one for water, the
other for real estate. and be required to
pay at different dates? There Is no reason
the bills issued at the general tax office
and paid when the general tax Is due and
payable. The same clerks could sattend to
ing water rents on the basis of the value
of the improvements. as ia done in Rochcs-
ter and other large cities, not only could
the bills be made out expedit1ously. but
hundreds of errors could be avoided, numer-
GUS trips to the tax office saved and this
before mentioned sum Of So, 29o.68 saved
annually.
Assessments made on the basis of The
value Of improvements have at least some
consistency. While 1t Is conceded that no
method Is accurate, except that which EN-
ploys a meter solely the adoption OF
meters Is Impractical from an economical
standpoint. because Of their cost Water
rents should be assessed on such basis as
to equalize the payments in proportion TO
consumption, in connection with the value
of the improvements and attention paid to
the law. This, of course, does not affect
irregular assessments where water meters
are required. as at present. A graduated
scale Of rents should be adopted and no
Interchangeable plan observed"
Mr.. King holds that the construction OF
the law by the water Office is arbitrary.
Emmett Hill. colored. forty-two years 3D.
was taken suddenly i'll last evening while
at work at premises 1888 3Oth street nor RI
west. He was removed to his home 1921
18th street, in the patrol wagon Of the
seventh precinct station.