Evening star., 1941-12-28
Two Hospitals,
10 Properties
Put on Tax Roll
Estimated Annual
Revenue for CITY
Is S24, 500

Two more privately owned hos
pitals, Providence and Homeopathic,
were added to the District realty
tax lists, along with 16 other proper
ties, in whole or in part, in findings
by the Real Estate Tax Exemption
Board approved yesterday by the
Commissioners.
Walter L. Fowler, District budget
officer and chairman of the board,
estimated that properties valued at
about 81 400 900 we're involved. The
figure was merely an estimate since
taxes will be applied only to portions
of many of the list. Such an assess
ment figure would mean an annual
tax revenue of S24,500.
The italian Embassy, northwest
corner Of Sixteenth and Fuller
streets NV. was long list of
properties found by the board to
be properly tax-exempt. Disregard
ing the war in connection with its
tax work. the board said:
"Our investigator reports that the
building is used entirely as the
italian Embassy. Therefore, under
the existing international law, this
property is properly exempt from
real estate taxes"
Providence's Status Given.
The entire Providence Hospital
property was valued for tax pur-
poses at s789 ,557. The hospital, as
such. was held to fail to meet the
test of purely public charity con-
Quoted without charge to inmates,
profit or income" but the board and
the Commissioners ruled the Provi-
dence Hospital Training School for
Nurses could well be claSsed as an
educational institution within mean
ing of the District law.
The day nursery operated by
Providence was found to be con-
Quoted as a purely public charity,
but the board and the Commission
ers held that two of the four lots
of the nursery building grounds
constituted excess land which
should be taxed. The lots were val
ued at 1888.
As in other privately owned hos
pital cases, the board and the Com
missioners found that the Homeo-
pathic Hospital, consisting of five
buildings near New York avenue
and Kirby street NV, was not a
purely public charity in that charges
were made for some patients. 1t
was noted also that one corner lot
was not used. The total assessed
value was placed at Sl06,367
Tuthill School Listed.
The Tuthill School for Boys and
Girls. 1860 Mintwood place NV, in
cluding three story brick dwelling,
having a total assessed value Of Sl0,-
464. was another property ordered
taxed 1t was exempted in 1882 as
an educational institution conducted
without private gain. The board
reported, however, its investigator
had found the place was g. roomlng
house and has been for the past
seven years"
In this case the board said: This
Is another glaring instance OF how
the District has been losing real
estate tax income through It's fall-
ure to check taX-exempt proper
ties, When we come to our final
report, it is our intention to rec
ommend that an affidavit be filed
annually by the owners OF tax
exempt property, showing whether
the use has been changed within
the year"
The excess land rule was ap-
piled by the Commissioners to the
property of the Washington City
Orphan Asylum, 4119 Nebraska av-
enue NV. The board found that
during its 126 years the orphanage
had we'll provided and cared for
and instructed more than 1000
children. Mrs. Calvin Coolidge pre-
sided at a ground-breaking cere-
mony for four cottages in which
the children now live. The Com
missioners held Congress had not
intended there should be no limit
placed on the area so occupied.
Land Held Excessive.
The board added: The territorial
limitations of the District, with ref
erence to unusual land, grows
smaller and smaller, and non-pro-
ductive real estate should be made
available for the prcIu7t.on c. rev.
enue. The report s-c-r5 there are
81 boys and girls in this asylum ard
certainly mere than IA acres is ar
excessive holding"
Therefore, the board and tbs
Commissioners ruled that 81 acres
should be returned to the tax rolls
leaving 78 acres under tax exemp
ton.
The Gospel Mission property a
S10-816 Fifth street NV. and tn
northeast corner of Fifth and +
streets NV. was classed as properl.
tax exempt except for portion
to be definitely determined, which
is occupied by mission workers wh'
receive room and board as part o
their salary.
There were four church proper
ties in which the Commis sioner
found "e,;ceeS land" which s'or'
be returned to taxable s,"tus. -
vere:
The Dre3'vtc~v C -'oe'.'''~~,.-
Civ. Icc., 5o,lth Size Ct { -
street bc.ween 5Oth street e''d T."
sion averue NE. wl,ere 5,7G7 S~,--'0-
feet were ordered returned to tt!
tax rolls
Chevrah Tifereth Israel, In,
northwest corner of Fourteenth an
Euclid streets NV, ruled properl
tax-exempt for religious purpose
except for one lot valued at $39,69(
Other Land Restored to Rolls.
Sisters of Bon Secours for tn
Care of the Sick, 4l0l Yuma stree
NV, recognized as being engage
in very laudable activity as
purely public charity for the slcl
regardless of creed, class or race
but it was held that 23,339 squar
feet of the total land holdin0s c
43199 square feet should be re
stcred to the tax rolls.
Tr,,etooc IF tho E1irSt Church n