The Washington times., 1912-08-20
Poor Suffer at Expense of
Wealthy, Is Startling
Accusation.

specific mention is made of other prop
erty in the northwest which is declared
to be underasessed, while smaller
homes are overtaxed.
Assessor Richards said today that
there are a number OF recommenda-
| tions concerning legislation and chang
| es In administration in the report which
| meet with his approved although he
does not agree with all that is said by
| the committee.
| A definite statement will be made by
| him, he said. following careful consid-
Grafton of the report.
Irregularities Charged.
Numerous instances of alleged irregu-
| larities In assessments are cited by the
committee. Attention is directed to the
: remarkable case OF William J. Carey"
machinist i'm the Government Navy
Yard, the assessment on whose small
home was increased $500 over the pre-
vious year, placing gross valuation
on his property of 1,94s above the true
two-thirds of its value.
In a statement bef6re the committee
| Mr.. Carey said that every year he spent
\ SO cents in painting the woodwork and
iron porches of his house, and that this
was the only Improvement on which the
| Assessor could raise the assessment on
his property. The charge is made that
favorttism was made in the case of the
Willard Hotel.
a rule of construction the rule failed"
says the report. I'm the case of the
Willard Hotel, the lowest possible con-
struction cost of the superstructure was
| placed at 81, 500, Co., The assessment on
the superstructure was but 100000. Un-
| der the two-tf1ird rule the superstruc-
| ture should have been assessed at not
less than S.000.0 900 and the claim Of the
A hat hi cnfA otnd thNT
oughly enormously profitable hotel
| should be allowed a 80 per cent reduc-
tion for deterioration is without justifi-
cation.
Shows Odd Valuation.
Another notable instance is the
case of the assessment on the Cairo
apartment house. This building is as
sessed at 100000 on it's superstruc-
ture. On that basis a cost is indicat-
ed of less than 50 per square foot of
floor space. This gives for this splen-
did and notable property a rate of
valuation as low as that Of cheap
two story brick house.
The Cairo property pays handsome
dividends on a valuation of 81. 900, 900.
1t cost not less than s750.00o to erect,
and while 1t was built fully twenty
years ago it's cost in a. period of
cheaper material was so low and it's
architecture SO far in advance of its
period today that it is today thor
oughly modern fireproof and we'll
1 maintained property, whose super
structure should be assessed at not
less than 100000, or twice it's pres
ent assessment"
Shows Underassessment.
Herbert ]. Browne. in his testimony
described as one of the most striking
instances of underassessment In the
case of the property known as Friend
J ship owned by John r. Mclean.
Make what allowance may be fig
ured for the cost of laying macadamized
roadways and sidewalks, which, how
ever, usually find the major expense
somewhere In the District budget, ant
then note that Mr.. McLane's property.
requiring practically no grading and
lying on the better side of Wisconsin
avenue is assessed at $500 a acre"
says Mr.. Browne. Twenty thousan.
dollars an acre would not buy 1t. The
assessment on the improvements is
$4,000. Twenty-Five thousand dollars
will not pay for the stone wall that
runs in front of the property"