VIII. APPENDIX No. 3.-REPORT OF SURVEYOR.

SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, D. C., November 28, 1876.

SIR: I have the honor to forward to you the annual statement of the duties performed by this office, under your especial supervision, from the date of the last annual report to you of November 13, 1875.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.

During the past year thirty-seven streets have been assessed, commencing with Grant street, No. 54, and ending with L street, No. 90, being the last assessment made to date.

Tabular statement marked "A" shows the whole number of streets assessed under the late board of public works, so far as expenditures are concerned, taking up the balances from the last report made to them in 1873, and bringing the same down to and including the last assessment made during the existence of said board.

The expenditures distributed under the heads given, together with the expenditures previously assessed, shows an amount in the total, after deductions and additions, which are errors transferred from one account to another, and drawbacks, of the sum of $8,196,293.93.

Statement marked "B" shows the whole number of streets assessed under the present District Commissioners, amounting to ninety, and covering the net amount, after deducting drawbacks, of $5,090,129.76. The amount deducted from the half-intersections of lateral streets are carried to the general fund and property-holders' accounts. The grand total amount covers the expenditures of $13,438,759.64, from which is deductable the sum of $152,335.95 on account of drawbacks, leaving the net expenditures of $13,286,423.69, as shown in the grand total of the tabular statement.

I also transmit a statement of the balances of the books of special assessment, covering all assessments and distributions of the same under the late board of public works; also, a statement of balances of expenditures distributed on assessments made under the District Commissioners.

ALLEYS.

During the past year the following alleys have been assessed on account of the condemnation of land for alley purposes by a marshal's jury, based upon the petition of a majority of the property-holders on the line of the proposed alleys: Alley, square 364; alley, square 1033; alley, square 818; alley, square 579; alley, square 691.

Returns of said assessments were duly made to you for transmission to the proper officer charged with the collection of the same.

SURVEYS AND PLATS.

Under this head, plats have been made for the superintendent of assessinents and the assessors of the District; also for other officers of the District government, asrequested from time to time. At his request, information has been furnished the attorney for the District bearing upon suits in connection with the District.

The survey of the river-front from Monument lot to the Arsenal grounds was during the year completed, and a map prepared from these surveys, giving the location of the wharf-lots, the owners' names, and dimensions of lots, the object of the same being for the guidance of the District authorities in the settlement of the various conflicting interests involved. This map was transmitted to you on its completion.

I am still, as time will permit, preparing the map, upon a scale of 70 feet to the inch, showing the lines of the Elliott plan of docks and wharves, as approved in 1839 by Martin Van Buren, President of the United States.

A survey was made of the turnpike from Georgetown to Rockville as far as the District line, with a map of the same, prepared in accordance with the request of the United States Senate committee to the honorable Commissioners of the District, and through you to the surveyor.

I am now preparing a book of plats of each square located in Georgetown, D. C., showing the different owners of each lot, or part of lot, as described in their deeds; also, the areas of said lots, which, when completed, will be of great value to the District government, as well as to the property-owners. I have, in consequence of the imperfect and conflicting descriptions in many cases, been compelled to survey the different properties as now built upon before being able to locate them in accordance with the intention of the deeds.

This work will be the basis for the preparation of the numerical book, which will be required for the use of the assessors of the District as well as the superintendent of taxes and water department, and the fixing of the special-improvement taxes.

To prepare this book, I have had and am having transcripts of the deeds made from the records, taken from the office of the recorder of deeds as the work progresses.

The survey of Meridian Hill has been partly extended, and a map of the same laid down as far as I could proceed; and until the proper data is furnished, as asked for in my letter to you of October 11, 1876, it is impossible for me to further proceed in said survey and map.

The old corporation assessment books and sheets are being copied into books lately transmitted for that purpose. This is extremely necessary, as the old records are considerably mutilated by frequent handling, and their preservation is highly important in the shape of copies. For the collectors of both general and special taxes, I have, from time to time, made subdivisions of lots already assessed for collection, in order to meet the changes of transfers of the same, and regulate the payment of the taxes to the proper holders of the property assessed. I will again refer to the last clause of my last annual report, wherein I recommended that, in view of the fact of suits arising growing out of the violation of the laws of the District, committed near the boundaryline of the District, and wherein the same becomes a matter of consideration as to jurisdiction, boundary-lines be run, and stones planted at

every quarter of a mile, so that the United States marshal and the police of the city and county may know the limits of their authority. Number of official letters received and filed, 30; number of official letters written, 420.

Very respectfully,

Lieut. R. L. HOXIE,

WM. FORSYTH,
Surveyor L'. C.

Lieutenant Engineers, U. S. A., Chief Engineer, D. C.

SURVEYOR'S OFFICE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington, D. C., ——————, 187–.

A.-Statement of balances showing the distribution of expenditures assessed under the late board of public works, to and including the last assessment made under said board.

B.-Statement of balances showing the distribution of expenditures assessed under the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, to and including the last assessment made to date.

NOTE-Property-holders' account includes water and sewer service and less draw

backs.

APPENDIX No. 3 A.-REPORT OF SURVEYOR.