Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-30
Investigation Into Affairs of
District Assessors Comes
to a Sudden Halt.
is CHARGED WITNESSES
"FRIT" AWAY THE Time
Members of House Committee Want
Accurate Outline Of Real Estate
Transactions.

The Investigation into the affairs of the
members of the board of assistant as
SCISSORS came to a sudden halt today
when Representative Johnson chairman
of the House District committee declared
that witnesses are .'frittering away the
time of the committee by giving eva
sive answers. Alexander Mckenzie
member of the board, was a witness at
the time, and had just been asked to give
definite date as to the purchase of
some property near Sheridan Circle.
He replied About nine years ago."
and, not having the exact day and year
OF the purchase at hand, the committee
excused hlm until he could give an &C
curate outline OF his real estate transac-
tlOnS.
The hearing will be resumed Monday.
During the testimony OF Mr.. Mckenzie
today Representative Johnson character
lied 'depIorable'' the fixed idea of
Mir. Mckenzie that the law directs the
assessments here to be made at two
thirds OF actual value. and that this
law is not 10 be cons lrueu as aiIoWlng
assessments 1t 1ull value
Tells of Assessments.
Assessor Richards produced an old map
of property near Woodley road, Belmont
ROAD and 10Th street. He said also that
the property owned by Blanche Rogers,
wife of the tax collector on Indiana
avenue was assessed several years ago
at SJ,4o6.
Chairman johnson then asked him at
what hgure that property was bought
by the government in condemning land
for an enlargement of the Capitol
grounds. Mr.. klcnards did not have that
ngure, so it will be obtained from some
otner source.
Alexander Mckenzie. assistant as
he owned tour pieces OF property. One
at 1tJ4 east Capitol street. lot twenty
feet by about sixty-tive feet, with a bricK
house thlrtyfive years old on it.
He bought it nineteen years ago, he
said, for $500, and lived in it eleven
years, and now rents it for $40 a month.
Ihe property is depreciatng in that sec
ton, he said.
DO you attribute that to a discrimina-
ton in the use of appropriations in favor
OF the northwest asked Chairman
johnson.
Mr.. Mckenzie said he did not.
Representative George asked If more
money mad been spent in the northeast
would property there have been Dene-
flted The answer was Il generally neg
atlve one.
The tendency of those interested in
speculation would be to influence legis-
lation IN favor OF the northwest" said
representative George, and improve
ments have been made there that have
not been made eiseWhere?'
Mr. Mckenzie said that no matter
what the reason is the property in that
neighborhood in the northeast seems to
be depreciating in value.
Asked for the assessment on that
property, he showed the figures to be
s3.s47. supposed to be two-tnirds of &C
tual value.
Previous TO the last assessment the
house was assessed at $4OO less.
Il recollecr / wanted TO have the
house raised 5000 because l didn't want
to be subjected to criticism, but
couldn't get it done. As an assessor
wanted TO stand clear in matters like
that. and thought it should be assessed
as high it was worth.
Representative Johnson asked hlm IL
there were any other instances where
the assessors had outrated any of their
number. He said the 1904 East Capitol
street instance was the only one, but
they all had property which had been
reduced viz the kalorama road or
10th street property, which is owned
Jointly by the board of assessors.
He said II had been reduced because
1T was the meanest part OF the block.
Asked about the reasons for assessing
property 1T not less than two-thirds
of the real value by both Representa-
tive Johnson and Representative
George, Mr.. Mckenzie was firm in his
opinion that the law directs the as
SCISSORS to use &c 2-3 per cent valua-
ton.
"A very deplorable idea," was what
Chairman johnson said at the end of
rapid colloquy. in which Mr.. Mckenzie
refused to admit that he was authorized
by law to assess property at full value
or more than two-thirds of Its actual
value.
Property at Massachusetts, avenue near
Sheridan Circle, owned by Mr.. Mckenzie
and bought about nine years ago, was
next brought up.
In the middle of his testimony, Repre-
sentative Johnson cut it short by sug-
gesting that accurate figures, deeds,
amounts, etc. were necessary.
There has been scarcely any question
directly answered since this investiga-
ton started. The time of the committee
is being frittered away by evas1ve an
swers and answers that do not answer
at ALL said the chairman.
Il move the witnesses be required to
get Information that Will enable them to
give fiat answers. dates and figures,
said Representative George.