Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-04
MAINS AND SEWERS
DRAFT OF BILL PROVIDING
THEIR INSTALLATION.
Commissioners Submit Measure tc
Congress and Urge Immediate Ac-
tion--Changes Explained.

| Td9 Commissioners today, transmitted to
the chairmen Of the District committees In
Congress the draft of bill authorizing the
| laying Of watermaius and service sewers in
the District. the levyfng OF assessments for
| the work and other purposes, recommend
| ing the early enactment Of the legislation.
| In their letter to Congress the Commission
| ers state that the chief respects In which
the proposed legislation differs from exist
| ing law. and the reasons for such proposed
| notifications and new legislation. are as
| follows:
"In section 1 and subsequent sections
provision is made for the levying Of as
sessments for watermains and service sew
ers by the assessor instead of the Commits
| sioners. as heretofore Several years ago
all matters pertaining to assessments for
municipal improvements were Lc.tced under
the supervision OF the assessor. The records
| OF such assessments are kept and all work
pertaining to the same. performed In the
office of the assessor. including the prepara-
tion Of assessments. 1t Is thought that oy
authorizing the assessor to levy assess
ments the circumlocution of sending as
eessment sheets. ETC.. to the Commissioners
for authorization will be avoided. ana all
matters pertaining to such assessments
placed under one official.
Rates OF Assessments.
"In section 2 the rate at which assess
ments for watermains as at present levied
that u.s. one dollar and twenty-five cents per
linear front foot. is continued and provision
made that assessments for sewers shall be
at the rate Of one dollar per linear front
foot. Provision is also made to prevent the
assessing of shallow lots on two fronts. The
stfpulati made in previous legislation as
IN wat orr assessments In regard to cor
ner lots, that Is. that they shall be assessed
only on their short front with depth or
one hundred feet. any excess OF the other
front over one hundred feet being aSSeSSa-
BILE. Is continued and applied to sewer as
sessments also Provision Is also made that
when watermains or sewers are iaid on
both sides of street assessments there
for shall be levied against the side aoutune
each main or sewer.
'It IS obviously an injustice to re-assess
for watermains land which has heretofore
been assessed by the square foot under acts
of the late legislative assembly, for the rea-
son that under the square foot system the
entire area Of the land was REQUIRED to pay
its proportion of the tax. With this OBJECT
| In view, provision is made In this bill to pro
hibit re-assessment of that portion OF the
area Of lots previously assessed by the
square foot. Provision Is also made to pro-
tect from re-assessment, under the proposed
law, the frontage of lots or parcels Of land
assessed for watermains or sewers by the
front foot under previous legislation; 10 &C
complish which result 1t is provided that
such assessments shall be construed 4 as
sessments levied under this law as extend
ing to depth Of 100 feet.
partial payments were made upon many
assessments for watermains heretofore
levied, which were subsequently Cancelled
by the courts and afterward re-assessed
unuer act Of 1888 which assessments Will not
be due and payable until connection with
the main is male. he act of 1888 provided
that credit should be allowed for amounts
so paid and this provision. which is equita-
BILE and just. is carried in the PROPOSE bill.
The Serving Of Notices.
Section relates to the character and
manner of serving notices of assessment.
There is no change made in this feature of
the law except that such notices are to be
given by the assessor instead of the Com
l.rnissioners,
| aSectfon 4 is Identical with existing law
concerning Waterman assessments, except
that we have omitted the provision allowing
a discount of per centum on such assess
ments if paid In full within thirty days
from date of notification. There is no dis
count allowed for prompt payment of other
taxes and assessments and we see no rea-
son for allowing such discount In the case
of Waterman assessments. Provision Is
also made in this section for sale of prop
erty for delinquent Waterman or service
sewer assessments. The law authorizing
the sale of property for delinquent water
htguous.
A New Section.
Section is entirely new. The act of
1898 provides that unsubdvided tracts In
the county shall be assessed for water
mains for 100 front feet only, which 100
feet shall be considered. in subsequent sub
divisions. as extending to a depth of 100
feet This has resulted In loss of consider
able revenue to the District, long sections
Of water main having been laid with COM
comparatively small pecuniary return. On
the other hand, 1t Is hardly just to assess
large tracts of unSubdiVided land for water
mains or sewers, whether used for agricul-
tural purposes or not, for their entire front,
since the land is. in most cases, compare
lively unproductive and of much lower
market value per square foot than that In
the city or even subdivided land in the
county. 1t is the intention of this bill when
mains or sewers are for any reason laid
abutting unsubdivided land. not to assess
such land until subdivided. By this means
the District may have to wait some time
for return of the money expended for the
main or sewer, but as soon as the land Is
subdivided into blocks and lots assessments
are levied. and the District will realize
much more than 1t would have done had
there been levied nominal assessments
against the unsubdivided tract, as Is now
done. AS. however. the Commissioners can
not require land to be subdlvided, 1t would
be possible for persons to build on unsub-
divided land and connect with the public
water main or service sewer without paying
the assessment contemplated by law
Provisions Of the New Law.
The proposed section les that in
any such case where a connection is made
an assessment shall be levied for distance
of fifty feet on each side of such connec-
ton and extend back a depth Of 100 feet.
and that Ia case the land is subsequently
subdivided this assessed area shall be ex-
empted from any further assessment
Section g. The act Of 1893 provided that
assessments in the county should be levied
only after Introduction of water into premj-
ses to be assessed. This was repealed by
the act of 1900; but there are many cases OF
property abutting mains laid while this pro-
vision was In force. into which water has
not yet been introduced. This section Is in
tended to cover such cases and to prescribe
that such property shall be assessed, in the
manner provided for in this bill, whenever
water is introduced.
regular Assessments.
Section Z. The Court of Appeals of the