The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-07-17
NOW PREPARING
PROBE REPORTS
District sabcommittees Winding Up
Work Assigned in General
Investigation.
THREE WILL SUBMIT
FINDINGS THIS SESSION
Report on Investigation of Assess
ments and Taxation Will
Be Important.

| The subcommittee of the House Dis
trict' Committee. which have been in
tvestigating various features of the ad-
ministration of the District, are now
whipping into shape for early reports the
information CLEANED at their hearings.
Three subcommittee are expected to
have their reports ready before Congress
| adjourns. The fourth feature of the
work. an exhaustive probe into the
financial relationship between the Federal
government and the District may con-
sumo more months before the findings
appear in a report
| AS pointed out in The Washington
Herald some weeks ago, the, report OF
the subcommittee, headed by Representa-
tive Henry, jr. of New York. which has
been investigating assessment and taxa
ton conditions, promises to be the most
important of the first three. Mr.. George
| after extended hearings in which he
examined representatives of all sides Of
the question, is now engaged In writing
his report and collating the evidence The
findings in the report will be featured
| by charges of gross Inequalities in as
sessments favoring the property in the
more desirable residential sections of the
northwest quarter and business property
between Ninth and Fifteenth Streets and
Pennsylvania and New York Avenues
Northwest.
For Complete REORGANIZATION.
The George report will recommend q
complete reorganization of the system
now in vogue. an increased general as
sessment on land, and a corresponding
decrease in the assessment on build
ings.
The report of the subcommittee under
Representative Redfield of New York
which has been investigating the system
OF purchasing and distributing supplies
in the District will pay special attention
to the harding OF supplies for the public
schools. The hearings before Mr.. Red
field have not been concluded as yet.
The probe OF late has been turned into
the school system. and II is possible
number of public school officials will yet
be called upon to appear before the SUBJ
committee. Capt. James F. Oyster, presi-
dent of the Board Of Education, will ap-
pear before the subcommittee Thursday
morning rs a sequel to the appearance
and testimony OF representatives OF the
Municipal Architects office.
Fans Old Feud.
troversy between the Board Of Education
and the Municipal Architect. and Capt.
Oyster will answer the charges that
is responsible for the high cost OF heat
ing school buildings, with the assertion
that faulty construction and installation
OF heating apparati is to blame for the
alleged extravaganza.
Testimony taken in an attempt to de-
termine upon a course of action with re-
gard to the gsslight companies has con-
WINGED Representative Lobeck Of Ne
braska, chairman OF the subcommittee
which had this phase of the investigation
in charge. that the services Of an expert
are needed. Mr.. Lobeck will ask
that before any action looking to a
change in the price of gas be taken an
expert be employed and ordered TO go
through the books OF the companies and
make a fair physical valuation upon
which the committee may base recon-
mendations.
While 1t is not expected that these re-
ports will result in the passage of new
laws this session. they will make possible
early action at the beginning of the next
session II the committee so desires.