Evening star., 1914-03-25

this amount at l.5 per cent will be s11,-
100. 900. or more than the city of st.
Louis. with double the population and
more than three times the city of Gin
cinnati. which exceeds Washington in
size.
Taking up the suburban area I wish
to call attention to the table printed
on page 416 of the testimony and also to
the fact that other tables apparently
depend on the accuracy of this table.
In that table suburban areas are treat
ed as though they were worth five
times their assessed value. and the
amount of s744,0O0. 900, named in the
report. depends on the construction of
this table.
One Tract as Example.
The statement means that the ground
Just north of Friendship, assessed for
$500. should be assessed for S17.500
per acre. although it was purchased
for $1,000 per acre one year ago This
means that the Gardiner Hubbard tract
at klingle road, near Connecticut ave-
nue.. assessed at $1,000. should there
fore be assessed at $4,000 per acre, al
though the eastern part of this tract
has lately sold for $4,000 per acre
This means that the Nourse tract, as
sessed at $4,000 per acre. should be as
sessed at $4,000 per acre although il
IS on the market at $4,000 per acre
with no takers. 1t means that piece
of ground east of the Cathedra: School
which lately sold for $4,000 per acre
should be assessed at $4,000 per acre
II means that the Dulany trac; along
the Loughboro road. now assessed at
S2,60t per acre, should be assessed al
$4,000 per acre, although MI. Du-
iany will accept half of this tSure.
1t means that tract oil the south side
of Jewett street, just west of Wiscon-
sin avenue, assessed at $21,000 should
be assessed at over Si0U 600, although
il was sold i'll December, 1910, for
about one-fourth of this amount.
This illustration can be extended on
through the suburbs and it can be seen
at glance that such proposition IL not
tenable unless sales are 10 be entirely
ignored and assessments are TO be based
on some fictitious values.
Let us now consider the assessments
of the business area. particularly from
9th street to 18th street and running :rom
Pennsylvania avenue up to l and Is
we have the following in answer TO a
question of Mr.. George:
Mr. Browne-"Yes, L would say. as q
result of this examination into figures
the accuracy of which cannot possibly
be questioned, that the business area OF
Washington. lying between the Capitol
and the White House, section of the
accompanying map, the Mall. which is
now assessed. ground and improvements
at approximately S19090.0i0 would bear
conservatively an assessment of not less
than S214,000,OO0. and should be assessed
at that figure, the increase falling princi-
pally on ground values
"On the opposite page there is inserted
a table concerning which the accuracy
cannot be questioned. according to the
witness This is the result of an eNami-
nation of the table. Lot u in square
449 is stated as assessed at S11 1879. and
as having sold for S.5.910. The fact is
this property did not sell for any such
figure but was traded Cor ten houses in
the suburbs and the consideration named
was two or three times the worth of the
property. Another example is that of q
small property near Corby's bakery,
which was properly assessed, but which
Mr.. Corby had to have In order to extend
his plant, necessitating a fancy price foI
the lot. Another instance is that of a
lot in square 345, purchased by Mr.. Lis
ner. and which. in the opinion of the
buyer. was assessed too high. Another
case cited was in square 1SO. where the
figures are wrong, lots 40 and 80 sold
for S19, 500, and were assessed on basis
of $4,000. Again, in square S19, the con-
sideration for !ot Is is given as $50, 80
when it should be $4,000. the property
being assessed on basis of $4,000. There
certainly can be no fairness in submitting
figures under conditions noted above.
-