Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-01

for realty for the years 1906 1907 and 1905
are affected by the recommendation of
the board of assessors that the attorneys
for the Washington Gaslight Company
and the Georgetown Gaslight Company
have the right of appeal to the assessment
levied by the board on service pipes and
meters of said companies as to the le-
gality of the assessment. The amount
involved is $49,032.S2, equally divided
among the levies for the three years, 1905.
1907 and 1908.
Personal Taxes.
"In the matter Of personal taxes in ar
rears for the six years from 1908 to 1908.
1851 bills, amounting to $23,3S4.04, were
found to be uncollecuble. and this in
formation was given the assessor, who
Cancelled bills to the amount of $10,1IO.22,
allowing the balance, $13,213.S2, to remain
on the books of the assessor and col
lector for want Of sufficient warrant at
law for their elimination. In addition to
the above, personal taxes aggregating
s3O.OO7.S2, not considered assessable In
1908. had been previously reported uncol-
lectible and further pursuit of the same
abandoned.
So, 034.64, filed in the Probate Court. and
200 bills, amounting to $2S.O67.65, filed in
the Court of Bankruptcy. Thirty-one
bills. amounting to $9,034.25. found to be
uncollecttble except by some action at
law, have been sent to the corporation
counsel. and these should also be deduct
ed from the amount charged to the col
lector to show a true balance, as the col
lection Of those accounts no longer de-
ponds upon this Office. but upon the
courts.
There was collected on account of per-
sonal taxes for the fiscal year 1909 $751;
1901, and Of this amount $S4, 1906 was
collected from 7,15' delinquents.
Over 30 per cent Of the collectible per-
sonal taxes levied for the last six years
given by the collector. showing net levy.
collections, suspended and uncollectible
accounts and net balances for the years
1903 to 1908, inclusive.
For the Year 1909.
mo account has been TAKEN Mr.. Rog-
ers states. "of the unpaid balances of
real and personal taxes for the year 1909
for the reason that they were not in ar
rears until the close of the fiscal year,
and collections on these accounts did not
begin until after that day. Since then
there has been collected on account of
realty taxes, 1909, $163, 600; on account of
personal taxes. 1909. $4,000.
Many changes have been made during
the year looking to the betternent of the
administration Of the Office. A new sys-
tenn of indexing and fling of all official
papers and the keeping of card records
of all correspondence received and sent
has been installed and the records of the
office have been put in proper shape. en-
abling the public to promptly and expedi-
tiously secure information in regard to
tax matters. The bookkeeping methods
have been looked into and changes have
been made
This office Is charged with the receipt
and return of all deposits made by bid
ders for supplies, ETC., which aggregate
several hundred. thousand dollars an
nually. These deposits are In the form
of certified checks and cash, and in view
OF the fact that no provision has ever
been made to deposit the receipts from
this source to any special fund they
are retained in the Office until returned
to the depositors, on order Of the Com
mlssloners. If possible, these deposits
should be treated as all others made in
this office in order that q proper ac-
counting can be made. and with this in
view 1t Is recommended that the matter
be referred to the District auditor.
Sales Of Delinquent Property.
AT the annual sale for delinquent taxes
in March, 1909. 4.47O lots were sold. for
which the District received $11O175.s2.
AT that SALE" the collector states.
about 10000 unpaid accounts were re-.
ported. to revise which 1t was necessary
to examine eighteen tax ledgers, contain
ing $3.50 accounts. At the time set for
sale by the Commissioners this office sold
the property advertised at public auction
noting the sale Of about 5000 lots to in
oiViouaIs, and collecting the proceeds