Only a very small portion of these assessments has been been paid, but suits have been instituted to enforce their collection, as follows: Against the Washington and Georgetown Railroad, suit entered November 7, 1880, on trial March 27, 1884, to April 12, 1884. Verdict for the District $41,800 and costs-claim for interest being disallowed. Against the Metropolitan Railroad Company, suit entered November 7, 1880. On trial April 14, 1884, to May 1, 1884. Verdict for the District for $147,507.05 and costs, claim for interest being disallowed. Both of these cases have been carried up on appeal by the railroad companies. Suit was also instituted against the Columbia Railroad Company, November 7, 1880, but has not yet reached trial. It must be observed that the sectional division of the city of Washington, as made in the resolution, does not exist in the records of the office, nor does the law require it, therefore an accurate assignment of the expenditures to those several subdivisions cannot be made without an examination of all original vouchers, and this is absolutely impossi ble unless a special force is organized to do the work. The same is true in reiation to making such a subdivided statement of tax collections as is called for by the resolution; to do this it will be necessary to take from the collector's books each item, and locate each lot, parcel of ground, and improvement with reference to the subdivisions indicated. It would require, practically, the making up of an entire new set of books relating to tax collections in the city of Washington. But a tabulated statement of assessments by divisions is submitted herewith (No. 5), which, being the basis of the tax levy, may possibly serve the purposes of the inquiry. It must be apparent that it is impossible for the Commissioners to complete the statements required of them during the next year without an extra force of employés to do the work and a special appropriation to defray its cost; the sum necessary for this purpose would be at least $5,000. Under these circumstances the Commissioners are compelled to ask that such provision be made at once, or that they be relieved from further action under the resolution of June 24, 1884, until it is made. All of which is respectfully submitted. By order of the Board of Commissioners, D. C. Hon. GEORGE F. EDMUNDS, President pro tempore of the United States. President. OFFICE OF THE ENGINEER COMMISSIONER, MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the inclosed tables giving the expenditures for street improvements in the District of Columbia from 1876 to 1884, and the receipts and expenditures of the water department from 1875 to 1884, as directed by you, in conformity with a resolution of the Senate of the United States dated June 24, 1884. As the subdivisions required by this resolution have not been made on the books of this department, to have fully answered it would have required the examination of every voucher issued during the years included therein, and with the clerical force now employed would have required the suspension of the regular work of the office. The accompanying tables are the work of months of careful investigations by such clerical force as could be spared from time to time from routine duties, and are collected from the books of the department and various reports. They are not to be taken as an absolutely correct statement of expenditures. The expenditures for street improvements during the fiscal years of 1875-1876 cannot be subdivided without an examination of the original vouchers, and are not sub mitted. The books of the parking commission show the work performed in different sections of the city, but not the cost of that work. The table of expenditures is estimated, assuming that the cost of planting and pruning trees is uniform. The expenditure for material for "permit work" amounts to $84,441.26, and includes only those items which are recorded on the books of this department as distributed in the different sections of the city. The auditor's books show an expenditure of $119,179.94 for the purchase of material for "permit work." The material on hand amounts to $29,048.70. The difference, $5,687.28, includes expenditures for hauling, freight, wharfage, and numerous other small items which cannot be subdivided as the resolution calls for. Expenditures for current repairs are by monthly pay-rolls, and cannot be subdivided among the different sections of the city. Before the year 1878 the work on county roads cannot be separated from that of current repairs. The cost of inspection of the work is not included in these tables. Very respectfully, Maj. G. J. LYDECKER, C. McD. TOWNSEND, Lieutenant of Engineers, U. S. A. Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., Engineer Commissioner, D. C. Aggregate expenditures on streets and roads, including sewer, permit work, and parking, from 1876 to 1884. In 1876-77, $101,291.04 was expended for pavement on Pennsylvania avenue, by special act of Congress, and is not included in above expenditures. Expenditures for filling grounds south of Capitol: 1877-78, $14,705; 1878-79, $14,985.77; 1879-'80, $20,245.23; 1880-'81, $19,887.40; 1881-'82, $3,827.13; 1882-'83, $15,410.18; not included in above expenditures. The expenditures on county roads prior to 1878 cannot be determined from the records of the engi neer office. Expenditures of the water department from December 1, 1875, to June 30, 1884. 1877, to June 30, 1878. Statement showing the amount of money collected by the collector of taxes for the water department from November 15, 1875, to June 30, 1884. Very respectfully, $26,809 53 $9,730 00 101, 695 60 1,815 00 1,787 04 $16,802 47 $14.663 3× 119.718 45 2, 188 72 2,373 00 2.418 79 140, 248 33 115, 027 64 86, 643 76 139, 173 65 OFFICE OF COLLECTOR OF TAXES, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a statement showing the amount of tax collections from 1875 to 1884, inclusive, as per request. JOHN F. COOK, Collector of Taxes. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1884, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1884. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1883, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1883. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1882, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1882. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1881, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1881. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1880, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1880. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1879, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1879. Taxes for the fiscal years ending June 30, 1875, to June 30, 1878, inclusive, collected during the year ending June 30, 1878. |