Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
MAKES A CORRECTION
ASSESSOR DARNEILLE'S STATE
MENT REGARDING OFFICE FORCE
Multitude Of Duties Outlined Which
Are Under His Supervi-
sion.

In view Of current reports to the effect
that the Office of the assessor Of the Dis
trict of Columbia is overburdened with an
excessive number of clerks. the assessor.
Mr.. Hopewell H. Darneille, today addressed
a communication to the District Commits
sioners. In which he states he desires Ito
place the true facts on record" in order
that, II in the discretion of the Commits
sioners 1t is deemed wise. they may forward
the same to the committees in Congress for
their Information and guidance.
THE assessors Office" Mr.. Darneille
states, has unfortunately been compared
with other cities on account of the number
of employees therein. The office name Is a
misnomer. for, in fact. six men do the
assessing of the entire jurisdiction Of the
District of Columbia, one clerk and assist
ant clerk doing the scheduling of the same
for the assessors.
THE other members of the assessors
office force bear the same relation to the
District of Columbia the treasurers
Office does in Providence, R. l., and other
cities, and there are a great many offices
consolidated under the jurisdiction of the
assessor which are entirely separate and
distinct from any part of the assessment
machinery.
Deals With All Licenses.
mo other assessors Office that I know
of has to deal with all license matters.
The license department clerks and inspect
Ors appear to the eyes of the uniformed
as part of the assessment machinery, which
necessarily is very erroneous. In other
jurisdictions work done by this office In
rendering tax bills and posting the pay
ment of taxes is done by treasurer's or
some other designated Office.
Also the arrears of tax division in other
jurisdictions is entirely separate and dis.
tinct from the so-called assessors office
and we have under the caption of the as
SCISSORS office the excise board relating to
liquor applications in the District of Co
lumbia.
I'VE have a draftsmans department: we
have a tax certificate department: We have
a pension certificate department in which
we furnish pension certificates when called
upon by the pension office of the govern
ment.
TRANSFERRING of Records.
/ I'VE are required to have two men who
transciipe the records of the recorder of
deeds the register of wills and the clerk Of
the Supreme Court upon the District rec
ords.
We also have under the assessors office
the water main tax department and the spe-
cial Improvement tax department, which in
other jurisdictions are separate and dis
tinct bureaus, having nothing to do with
the ordinary Office of assessor.
This Office also has to keep one clerk to
ascertain the numbe,, as required by law,
of siguerS various kinds OF applications.
I'VE also have to keep one clerk for the
recording and transcribing of subdivisions
and attention to free certificates accom-
panying same and numerous other duties
are required OF this office OF which no
other assessors Office il the United States.
has any knowledge or anything to do
with.
Calculated to Mislead.
From the above recital of facts YOU
can -tiainly see that those who do not
understand the situation could be easily
misled by the term assessors Office to
think that the body Of clerks employed
therein are strictly employed on the as
sessment of property in the jurisdiction.
y I'VE have to make up the annual tax
sale list another thing that is done by an
office outside of the assessors. in other
jurisdictions, and many other classes OF
work, too numerous to include, which in
other jurisdictions are handled entirely by
other departments.
II ar, firmly of the belief that when the
situation IS thoroughly understood by these
who now seem disposed to criticise this
branch of the service, they will not only
be willing to leave the force it stands at
present, but will be ready to increase the
same.