Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-24

been piling up on the books during the
years 1905. 1907, 1905, 1909 and 1910.
For the first three of those years the
ta1 collectors books show; that the gas
companies are charged with $16,3442 q
year, and in 1910. owing to some changes
in assessment. TO be explained further
on, the figure is different. 1t is believed,
from conversations with District ofncials
that the lowest amount the District is
willing to compromise on is $4,000.
.. Corporation Counsel Thomas Is at this
moment working up suit to be filed
next fall. 1t Is understood, so that these
questions of. assessment and taxation
may be settled.
Interesting and unusual are some OF
the questions which arise In the prepa-
ration OF the suit.
The Commissioners only recently had
closed door conference with gas rep
resentatives, and the board Of assistant
assessors has also had a conference
with the gas companies, represented by
Benjamin S. Minor and r. H. Colds
borough. The record of the differ
ences between the District and the gas
ports Of the assessor and tax collector.
Assessment Questioned.
The latest mention in the assessors
reports briefs the situation in this
way:
Assessments for service pipes and
meters--Augnst 10. 1907. an assessment
was made against the Washington Gas
sh, Compsny for ssryi s;o, pipes and
The assessment was in accordance with
section Il Of the act of August IA, 1894,
and dated back to the year 1908 at an as
sessed value OF $1OoO.0OO
IAN amount of $S9396 was likewise
assessed against the Georgetown Gas
Light Company.
The gas companies questioned the
right of the District to levy these as
scssments, and January Is. 1908, re-
straining order was issued by the SUI
preme Court of the District of Column
bia whereby the District is enjoined
against advertisement for sale of the
gas property or action of any sort by
virtue of notice of the assessment. The
settlement of this case is still pend
ing"
Meter Assessment Dropped.
The assessor has been levying on
the companies meters for several
years. as shown. and this was ques-
toned by the corporations. In 1910 the
figures which went to the tax collector
from the assessor left out the assess
ment on meters, as the result of pro-
tracted conference between District
officials and gas company representa-
tives
house connections" These are the
lengths of pipe between the gas mains in
gas from 81 to IS cents d thousand SUI
house. 1t is said that there are 5000
Of these ''house connections. A member
OF the board of assistant assessors said
today that the gas companies are firm IN
their contention that these connections
should not be assessed.
The District has been assessing them.
and that is the basis of the difference OF
opinion and the unpaid tax bills. At the
same time the gas companies make the
househOlders pay so apiece for installing
these connections, 1t is understood, ana
should the court hold that the gas COM
panies must pay the taxes on these con-
nections, 1t is not improbable that nu-
merous suits will arise to try to get
SO apiece back from the companies into
the pockets of the house owners.
Would 90 to Court.
1t has been attempted by the District
government to take the matter Of assess
ments on these twenty-dollar house con-
nections into court. The recent confer
ence between the District Commissioners
and the gas company representatives was
based on the Districts proposition to
agree to accept about $4,000 year for
the last four years.
Il is understood the District wanted
to agree on a verdict of that kind and
have an amicable settlement to be
passed on quietly by the court. This.
It Is said at the District building. was
partly agreed to by the gas companies
in the conference where the corpora
lions were represented by Messrs.
Minor and Goldsborough.
HOWEVER, certain other gas company
representatives claimed that two years Of
the disputed assessments were still i'm
proper. and the outcome Of the entire
matter Is that tho gas companies wish to
30 to court to test the validity Of any
assessment against house connections.
Possibly there Will also be taken to court
the question OF the Districts right to as
sess the companies mains in the streets
as real estate.
A District official present at ono of the
recent conferences said today that Jo-
seph Letter has raised the question Of the
DISTRICTS right to assess the mains The
board Of assistant assessors at present
holds that wherever a street Is used for
corporation purposes, such as laying
mains. the District has the right to call
1t real estate and assess accordingly It
10 said at the District building that there
is precedent for this assessment In the
methods OF assessment in some Of the
states.