Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-11
El ENiNG STAR,
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

BOARD or ALDERHEN.-Ths Board held its
regular meeting last night.
A communication was received from the
Mayor enclosing o statement Of the Corpora.
ton account with the Bank of Washington,
which was ordered to be published with the
proceedings.
Mr.. Evans, from finance committee, reported
bill for the relief Of v. Ellis and others, sp.
propriatipg 81, ISL So to pay balance due them
on bill for advertising tax GALES.
Mr.. Miller asked that the bill lay on the
table until he had an opportunity to Offer some
resolutions and obtain facts to guide the Board
in its action in the matter. lie argued that
the Collector had not carried out the REQUIRE
ments Of the law in several respects. Ii was
capable Of proof that in many instances the
property Of individuals had been advertised
when the owners had receipts for the payment
Of the taxes in their pockets.
The resolutions presented by Mr. Miller re-
quest the Mayor to furnish an abstract from
the full statement of the accounts of the Col
lector Of Taxes, rendered by the Collector to
the Register on or before the 18th of July,
1855, showing in said abstract the aggregate
amount Of taxes and fees collected during the
year then last passed, the amount deposited
in bank within said time, and the amount un-
collected; also, similar abstract from the
statement Of the Collector Of Taxes whicn
should have been rendered to the Register on
or before the 18th Of July, 1855, designating
in each Of said abstracts the amounts charged
by the Collector for fees on costs Of advertising
lots for taxes for the respective years; and
also that the Mayor be requested to inform
the Board whether in the last advertisement
Tor sale OF lots for taxes due and un paid there
on, lots were advertised on which the taxes had
been paid previous to said advertisement, and
if any were 80 advertised the number of lines
used therefor and cost of advertising the same.
These resolutions were temporarily with
drawn by Mr.. Miller, but afterw ards presented
and passed with amendments offered by Mr..
Bussy, requesting the Mayor to give the same
information in regard to any previous adver-
tseInent OF tax sales, and also the dates ON
which similar abstracts were rendered by the
previous Collector, and the amount of fees
charged by the same for fees on costs of adj
vertising lots for taxes for the years during
which he discharged the duties Of Collector Ct
Taxes
Mr.. Busey objected to postponing the bill.
The debt was justly due and should be paid.
The Corporation made q contract az 20 cents
per line with the petitioners-a less amount
than had heretofore been paid for the same
printing. The Collector heretofore had paid
the entire bill as soon as the sale was con-
plstsd, whether the property advertised had
been all sold or not, which the present Colicc-
tor declines to do The contractors had per-
formed their part in good faith, and should nJt
be made to wait for their money.
Mr.. Miller replied that be did not object t.
the charge, Nor wish to criminats any indi-
vidual, but he wished for an opportunity to
get information to enable the Board to act IN
derstandingly. He wanted the bill paid, but
at the same time wished 70 know the manner
in which the contract had been made.
Mr.. Busey had no objection to tho resOlu-
tiOns, but they had no reference to the bill
LAfa L. l. L
made IN the tax list it was no: the fault Of tne
contractors for the advertising.
Mr.. Smith Objected 10 the resolutions that
they carried a reflection upon the parties
claiming this money He went on to explain
how it might happen that the tax list would
contain names Of property holders who had
paid their taxes; it was "rule and figure
work, the most tedious that can go into A
printing ofice-the printing might occupy
weeks, and during this time hundreds of
property holders might pay their taxes, and
their names yet appear in the advertisement,
since il would cost less to strike of the list as
set up than TO "over run" the forms and take
the names out. The resolutions, he thought,
cast q reelection upon Mr.. Ellis
Mr.. Dove thought the gentlemen were
voting blind; did they know whether the con-
ditiOns Of the contract b ad been complied With ,
Mr. Houston answered that he was coynizant
Of the facts connected with the contract and
its fulnlment. OF his own personal kn0wled gs
he could say that the claim was Just one.
Mr.. Bsyly said that he never know the Ia :
stance TO have happened before when the
courtesy hWd been denied Of allowing a bill
involving the payment Of such au amount OF
money ~ lay over to afford an opportunity for
inquiry. In reply TO the statement tha. h c
cost Of advertising bad been less per line in
the Organ than in the Intelligencer, seventy
cents In the former and one dollar and five
cents in the latter,) he demonstrated that the
lines u the Intelligencer were longer than those
Of the Organ, and that the rates amounted 10
the same In the two PAYERS.
Mr.. Miller cOntendeG that property holders
could not be advertised as delinquents until
the sixty days notice, required by law, had
been given them by the Collector. The mis-
takes in the last tax list, he asserted, had been
so numerous as TO prevent persons from bid
ding for the property advertised.
Mr.. Busey gave some facts from his own
experience in the printing Of the tax list to
show that it Was utterly impossible to take on;
the names Of all who had paid their taxes at.
ter the list had been set up.
After further debate the bill was passed
Mr.. Emery, from improvements committee,
reported bill for opening New York ayeuue
u the New Bladensburs road passed
Mr.. Pearson, from claims committee, re-
ported adversely OF bill for the relief of q q.
Coleman and the bill was rejected.
Bill making appropriation for building u
house for the American Hook and Ladder CON-
pany was passed.
The Board, on motion, Of Mr.. Smith, in
sisted on its amendment TO the appropriation
bill which had been nOn-cOncurred IN by the
lower Board.
Council bill for the relief Of John w Fitz-
hugh was referred tOi'Gproyementsc committee
bill for the relief Of " Irtin Bose was referred
u claims committee.
resolution offered by Mr.. Smith request
ing the Mayor to cause the work OF the sea
wall on the Potomac to be suspended until i,
can be seen if il is being executed in a work
man-like manner, was adopted
bill for the relief Of W. NJ. c. Fairfax
and John COstigan was passed.
A bill introduced by Mr. Emery, apprOpri-
ahng one hundred dollars for graveliDg Z
street north, from Second street TO New Jer-
sey avenue, WAS passed.
The chair appointed Messrs Busey, Miller