Evening star., 1915-11-05

|
notes, no record had been kept. He
also told the committee that in as
sessing buildings something more than
mere cubic cost had been considered,
that buildings use, depreciation, etc,
entered into the total, and that three
men, in viewing building, might read
lily have different ideas as to cubic
costs and might arrive at a conclusion
| through a system of averages or COM
promises
f, Mr.. Browne repeated the well known
| charge emanating from former Repre-
| sentative Georges office. that the as
SCISSORS refused to raise the assessment
| on Clifford PinchotS house, near Scott
| Circle, after the owner had written a
letter stating that the assessment was
| too low. Commissioner Newman's de-
| fenSe of the assessors office was SIM
| pie. He produced the law, which states
| that once an assessment is closed up
| no power earth can change it. The
| Pinchot complaint was received too late
| to make change. However, the pres
ent assessment has raised the figure on
! the Pinchot property from S121,36O, of
| which the former chief forester COM
planned. to S141.67o. Mr.. Newman said
| the assessment for 1915 had been made
| after a full and careful investigation
| and that the board of Commissioners
will stand by it.
Another set of figures from Mr..
Brownies attack against the assess
ment system involved the Carlisle es-
erty at 11th and F streets occupied by
W Woodward & Lothrop. Mr.. Newman
told the committee that the Commits
sioners would stand behind the 1915
assessment steadfastly, and that the
full value of that property as found
by the present board of assistant asses
sors is S555,l20. as against $320,19O in
the previous assessment.
This was made after most thorough
investigation, on which we stand or
fall said Mr.. Newman, and then he
continued:
Congress Alone Responsible.
"Mr. Browne made reference to the
sidewalks at 9Th street and Louisiana
avenue which are privately rented for
market purposes. He evidently en-
deavored to produce the impression
that there is something wrong there.
but If there is a wrong, the Congress
of the United States and not the Com
missioners are responsible. The side
walks are the property of the United
States and the Commissioners cannot
collect rent from them.
We would be glad to see a law
passed empowering the Commissioners
to rent sidewalk space. Under our
police power the Commissioners can
issue regulations to keep spaces on
sidewalks clear. However, the best
interests of the community are served
by allowing that sidewalk and other
sidewalks to be used for marke. pur-
poses, but we have no power to collect
money for such use.
Now Mr.. Browne was not candid
with the committee in regard to tax
bills. He said that the assessor makes
out the bills in his office instead of
allowing the bills to be made out in
the tax collectors office, where they
should be. l agree with him that the
duty of making out tax bills should be
taken from the assessors oftice-but
again, the law compelS it done that
way. Changes in the law have been
recommended in the previous Congress,
and 1 hope to see the change effected
some day soon.
Another reference Of Mr. Browne
was IN connection with the Shoreham
Hotel assessment. In the previous as
sessment 1t was figured at a full value
OF Sl63,353; in the 1915 assessment, on
which we stand or fail, the assess
ment basis or full value is $1,06S,4S8.
Error of Private Concern.
Mr.. Browne claimed that there had
been an error in the assessment book
figures in regard to the Chaconas
corner, at 9th street and Louisiana
avenue, saying that 100 square feet
had disappeared somewhere between
one assessment and another The prop
feet on the cards of the assessors Office
for many years, and also at that area
on the ledgers. The error is in the
photographic book, printed by a private
concern for private sale to brokers, real
estate men and others.
This error, on which Mr.. Browne
bases part of his claim that the as
sessor's office is inefficient, is a private
error. 1t is not part OF the Office
records and is not on u.s. "
missioner Newman refarred n
the statement by Mr. Browne that Mr..
Dante, trustee for the Hutchins estate,
had been told by the assistant assessors
that there had been SO much agitation
concerning assessments that it would
be impossible to make any reductions,
that they just had to be assessed right
The Commissioner said: Il most earn
estly request that in justice to all con-
cerned you subpoena Mr.. Dante in order
that he may verify this or disclaim it.
If such was the case l would be glad
to know the facts. l understand, how
ever, that Mr.. Dante disclaims having
said anything of the kind.
Other Assessments Explained.
In making a complete defense of
the present assessment Mr.. Newman
took certain other instances of prop
erty valuation which had been lime
lighted by Mr. Browne in an effort to
discredit the District government. The
Beriah wilkins home, now owned by
Senator du Pont, Commissioner New
man explained, had been assessed on
basis of $199329 full value in 1912,
but now at s214,9s3. The property of
the Hutchins estate at 14th and G
streets, southwest corner, assessed in
1912 at S553,TT0, was assessed by the
new board at S749,790. The National
Savings and Trust Company. at 18th
and New York avenue, assessed at
S427,1S1 in the 1912 assessment is now
assessed at S611,010. He went into
considerable length on the well known
subject of the assessment on the South
ern building. In 1912 this building
the fact that fire insurance COM
pany which purchased it several years
ago for s1,s00.Oo0 or thereabout
placed it in the assets at 100000.
The present assessment is on a full
value of s1,733 5S6. and he said that
the superintendent of insurance had
caused the insurance company to re-
duce the value of the building in the
company's assets to figure quite
near the assessors valuation of it.
He gave the 1912 and 1915 assess
ment figures on the Lars Anderson
home. the 1440 F street property, the
Home Life building and the Perry Bel
mont property. all showing increases.
He continued:
Calls Statement Folly.
"Mr. Browne made much of the
claim that the awards of condemna-
ton juries In the District had uni
formly shown the true value of the