The Washington times., 1912-08-21
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
DETECT THRUST At
HALF -AND-HALF PLAN
Assessor Issues Statement
+ Denying Committee
k4 Charges.
Continued from First Page.)

CONTINUED from First Page.)
between II and 1, Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth street has changed hands dur
ing the last five years. The value paid
Tor several pieces of property was
$S70,000 and the basis of our assess
ment is about $902, 900, or more than
the amount of the sale.
THE east part of the square bound
ed by F and G, Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth streets has changed hands dur
ing the last three years and the par
cells sold have aggregated $3.50, 900,
while the basis of assessment is $780,
600 These two squares Just mention
ed are in the heart of the high class
property.
Again taking another square in the
same section bounded by PENNSYLVANIA
avenue, Tenth and Eleventh and e
streets, six pieces of property located
In the various streets named have
changed hands since October, 1908, two
Of the sales occurring during the pres
ent year. The sales have aggregated
$4,000 and the basis of the assessment
10 $26i4OOO. In the square bounded by @
street, H street, Tenth and Eleventh
streets, there have been during the la st
four years about eleven sales, aggre-
gauns $Si,oCo the basis of the assess
In all the squares within the sections
named above there have been about two
hundred aggregate sales in the last four
or nve years. and these sales when add
ed and compared with the basis of as
sessment show the assessors figures to
be remarkably close to the actual con-
sloeration of the property
Concerning Homes.
"Concerning the high-class homes. the
board feels safe in saying that high
class residences, taken as a whole. are
assessed at a higher rate than the
small homes, taken as a whole. There
is practically no market for the very
high-class dwellings and the worth of
such property is we'll shown in a pub
hcation by Richard Hunt, of New York,
on principles of Land Values"
Concerning the statement that sub
urban areas of large extent are assessed
at 20 per cent of their full value,
submit a few examples of worth of
high-class property. The Eastern Park
of the Hubbard tract, north of Woodley
road, was lately sold at S, 900 an acre.
The basis of assessment was $500 an
acre.
Great stress is laid on the assessment
of the Mclean tract in Wisconsin ave-
nue.. with the intimation that the tract
is worth 5000 an acre. Nevertheless.
the Nourse property, directly opposite,
which has a beautiful situat ton, and Is
well adapted to large suburban home,
Is offered at less than 5000 an acre.
without anv takers. Attention is also
invited to the fact that property along
Connecticut avenue Is now assessed at
about tentimes the amount of the as
sessment fifteen years ago, although
there has been no such rise in values
during that time. 1t is believed the
present assessment is correct although
guide them in that locality.
Mr.. Purdy on the question of Rules
versus Trained Judgment has this to
how M far }sGo It IS possbe seS to as subStuts b9T
rules for the judgment of men trained
to judge land values. l have great
faith in suitable rules for following the
unit of value of land and applying II
to particular parcels but do not think
that any rule can be APPLIED Intelligent
" by any other than those who are
trained. and who make a personal in
spection of the property.
Amazing Statement.
This report contains the ANA zing
statement (and it is not based on facts
with which l am acquainted) that real
property is assessed $414, 10000 below Its
true value. 1t goes on to say that con.
sidering ground values by themselves
those areas occupied by small homes
are assessed at 60 per cent of the true
value; those by middle class houses
at 10 per cent; those by fine residences
at 90 per cent; the business area at 80
per cent. and the large suburban areas
at 20 per cent.
"The committee certainly has been
mislead as to facts concerning ground
assessments. Examining one part OF
the statement we can determine what
the whole is worth.
Mr.. Richards ends his report with
the statement that the board of as
SCISSORS feel that in its administration
of taxation matters 1T should reflect
credit on the administration of Dis
trict affairs, and should not be an
embarrassment to the Commissioners
1t stands ready to supplement its re-
port by any additional matter the Com.
missioners may desire in order to show
that they have conscientiously carried
on their work and have fulfilled the
requirements of law as fully as cir
CumStanCes will allow.