Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-05

REPORT OF THE DISTRICT
IS SENT TO CONGRESS
BY THE COMMISSIONERS
sssE CONTINUED from First Page.)
ing the placing OF trees in private park
Ing space. $5S1.77: miscellaneous. being
principally amounts paid on account OF
redemption Of tax sale certificates and
the refund Of unused balances Of deposits
made for work to be done by the District
for private persons. 1898. %; public
service enterprises. being principally for
the expenses of the water department
paid from the District water fund, 1904.
$3.50.
: Bonded Indebtedness of the District
Of Columbia, 3.65 Bonds.
At the close of the preceding fiscal
year, June 80. 1915. the District owed
on account of outstanding 3.65 bonds
the sum of s6.51s.OO0. less assets held
by the sinking fund. /s2s5.OO leaving
a net indebtedness # se.223,oOo.
During the fiscal year bonds were
purchased and retired amounting to
$33S.10O. and investments made and
amounting to SAIL, S45.45, which, to-
gether with the cash balance held for
this account at the close of the year,
$3.264.73: makes total reduction in
of $753.2005S
At the close of the fiscal year ended
June so, 1916. the District owed on
account Of outstanding 1865 bonds the
Of 1acc bal hxy
the sinking fund. s710.100.5S. leaving
a net indebtedness OF $5.469.799.42.
The District has no unfunded debt
that Its current resources are insult
dcient to discharge.
Appropriations and Revenues.
The cash revenues of the District of
Columbia for the fiscal year amounted
to ss.400. 3s7.5s, which, plus the Dis
trict's share of unexpended balances of
appropriations lapsed and charged off
the books by the surplus warrant of
June 80. 1916. s67.277.7s. gives a re-
sulting credit Of ss,467.675.36. The to-
tai appropriations for the fiscal year
amounted to s12.492.6s652. of which
there was chargeable to District reve-
nues the sum of $6.322. 349.72. leaving
a surplus of revenues over appropria-
ton charges for the year itself of
$2,145, 325.64.
Net Surplus.
If we deduct from the foregoing sur
plus on account of the fiscal year 1916
the deficiency in revenues at the close
of the preceding year. $765.106.74. it
leaves a resulting net surplus of rev.
enues over all appropriations and
charges to and including June 80, 1916,
of $1,3S0.21S.90.
This surplus of revenues over ap-
preparations and charges is accounted
for as follows: Cash balance to credit
of District of Columbia in the Treasury
of the United States. s2.664.717.77, plus
cash balance on account of general fund
in hands of the collector of taxes. $751;
792.12. making total cash balances ST.
693.50s.Se: less the Districts obliga-
lions on account of its share Of unad-
Tanced appropriations on the books of
the Treasury Department. June 80,
1915. S1.313. 29099; leaving a resulting
surplus of revenues over all appropria-
ton and other charges to and including
June 80. 1916. as above stated. of $780,
1850.
~ Population.
No census of the population of the Dis
trict Of Columbia has been taken by the
District authorities since April, 1915, but
the United States bureau Of the census
informs the Commissioners that its esti-
mate Of the population Of the District on
July I, 1916. is 363, $50.
Accounting for District Property,
Congress. in the District appropria-
tion act for the fiscal year ended June
20. 1915. provided:
That all persons in the employment
Of the government Of the District of
Columbia having, as a result of such
employment. custody of or chargeable
with property. other than real estate.
Belonging to the District of Columb ia,
shall. at such times and in such form
as the Commissioners of the District
Of Columbia shall require. make re-
turns to said Commissioners of all such
property remaining in their possession,
and the condition thereof, and, with
reference to all property that may
have come into their custody that shall
ment showing the quantity thereof
and the purpose for which used"
Pursuant to the provisions of this
law, the Commissioners appointed a
committee to draft a plan for the es-
adjustment of a strict accounta bility
for all District property. as directed by
the act above. Based upon a report
by this committee, the Commissioners,
by their order of June 20. 1915, estab-
lshed a division of property account
Ing in the Office of the auditor
Under the system so established an
original inventory was required and
submitted to the auditor by the sew
eral officers and departments having
the custody of District property AS
rapidly as possible, upon the receipt of
these original inventories, accounts
were opened for each article in each
department in loose-leaf Iedgers, one
sheet being given to each article and
the articles grouped into classes, each
class being divided into "expendab le''
and mon dependable" property, each
departments. accounts being kept in
one or more ledgers.
Quarterly returns are required to be
made by all departments, for all prop
erty received. expended or transferred
during the quarter. These accounts
are duly audited and entered. being
checked with copies of the several or
ders issued by the purchasing officer
for supplies furnished the several Of
fees. departments and Institutions of
the District
In the event of an officer charged
with the custody of property leaving
the service. an accounting is had all
property in his charge being checked
and transferred TO his successor in
Office. receipt being taken for prop
erty so transferred.
physical checking OF the properties
held by the several departments is now
under way by the auditing department.
thus verifying the book or return in