Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-08
District Governmcr ....,.

-uUst be torn down.
Water Registrar Cox to. day started out Il,
force OF men to cue of all water where Ihe
rent has not beer. paid. There are seLWeen
1,2eG and 1900 dellnquents, and the 1nstrucIioho
are to spare no Cine who has not pa1a; ,,o. oroo,-
lie contact, RS for the repairs OF Iluei CI1eN
sewer In the Botanical gardens, MeSSIS. onltn
& CRAWFORD. commenced that WORK to-udy. au
overflow IS also to DE ~ tSst se
recurrence OF damages HUH HoooS III onao 0o'-
lion OF The city.
THE STREET SWEEPING CONTRACT.
Inrepiy to communication from Mr. C. W.
Cunning ham, calling the attention OF the COM
miSsiCbers TO the propriety or advertising Tor
PROPOSALS for sweeping ana Sprlnkllng tne
Streets ard avenues OF the city, after the ex-
piration OF the present contract with l.. +.
Wright & Co., May 9Th prOximo, the Commits
siobers say "They have thought 1T to the best
interests of the District 10 extend the present
contract one year." In his note Mr.. Cunning
ham says the intent of Congress, as expressed
In the 5th section Of the act OF June II, 1878,
seems to have been to secure the letting OF all
is to exceed one thousand dollars; and further
that he can do this work for much less than is
now paid He asks If the Interest OF the people
as We'll as fair interpretation OF the law, does
not require that this work shall De advertised
ATTORNEY RIDDLES CONSTRUCTION OF RE-
CENT LAW OF CONGRESS-.
Mr.. Riddle, attorney for the District, In
nOte to the District commissioners, states as
follows: 81 am asked whether, under the pro-
visions of the act of February 6, 1879, anybody
and every body can secure from the Collector OF
tie real property of the District Of Columbia III
reference to taxes paid upon it. This Is an ex-
tTaOrd1nary statute. It's passage must have
been secured In the interest of making the ex-
aminat1onS OF titles to real estate cheap and
easy, and viii inevitably work the most serious
mischief to the District under the narroweSt
construction. 1t requires the collector OF taxes
on proper application to give, under his hand
and seal, a certificate OF the taxes, general and
special, then due, which are In any manner a
lien on any real estate In the District. This
certificate is between the District and any sub
sequent purchaser of the property, taken as
absolute verify, and the purchaser shall take
the property discharged from any assessment
omitted from the certificate. For this paper
the applicant Is to pay the muniticent price of
50 cents. Thus for half d dollar the District
is compelled to make and guarantee the
accuracy and perfection OF the certificate OF the
collector, and II erroneous it must make them
good Ii any body and every body can Call for
such certificates on any property In the District,
then must the commissioners at once employ
several OF the abieSt real estate lawyers and
charge them with these grave and 0nerous du-
ties. But who under this act can demand this
certificate? Fortunately the language Of the act
leaves 10 doubt Oh this p0lt. They are limited
TO the actual tax payers, tier agents and attor-
neyS, the property the subject or the certificate
must be that, the taxes upon which the applicant
is TO pay. The language is ''anu it shall be the
duty OF said Qtax) collector whenever called
upon to furnish in addition TO the regular tax
bills, a certified statement over his hand and
official seal. &C." Clearly the call for the GER
tlflcate Waits upon, and Is Incidental to a call
for the regular tax bill which nobody had any
business to make, except the owner, his agent
or attorney for the purpose CT payment which
can happen only twice year; when he calls for
this Irregular tax bill y he may in addition ASK 70
have certificate made OF all outstanding as
sessments Of taxes, general or special, upon the
property covered by the regular tax bill" and
10 other; nor can any other person Call for the
certificate who does not call for the regular
tax Dill" nor can any but the owner, his agent
CT attorney of specific or real estate can for
the s. regular tax blll' No other construction
OF this act is In my judgment warranted by its
language, and construction that would turn
reau OF land titles which the District is to war
rant not only does violence TO the act, but
trict."
Mir. Riddle, attorney for the District, has
renCered an opinion to the Commissioners 10
relation to The application OF Mr.. Harry Spald-
ing to apply tax lien certificates, held by him
tn part payment Of taxes, in which he states
that sections 15S and 159, Revised Statutes,
cover the subject of such applications. By
these sections 1t is provided that In all cases OF
sale OF property for taxes due where the sale
mas not been made according to law, and void
it shall be lawful for the proper authorities, on
the application OF the purchasers or other per-
son entitled under him, to refund and pay to
such person the amount paid by him On account
Oh such purchases, and also subsequent pay
ent the proper authorities shall reassess the
taxes SO refunded on the property, On whicil
TIE same accrued, and after such reassessmeaL
to collect the same as other taxes are cOilected
In accordance with the terms OF said sections,
tie Commissioners should refund the amount
PAD by Mr.. S. on account Of his purchase, and
also ANY taxes paid by him On said property
$, bsequent to the date thereof, and reassess
Sa10 property Tor the amount of taxes with
v hich 1t Is properly and legally chargao.e, and
collect them.
FRAUDULENT CLAIMS.
In accordance with the act OF June 1873, ap-
propriat1ng $4,000 TO pay the laborers en-
ployed by contractors under the board OF pub
lie works. who had been kept out OF their lust
cues, there have been flied with the First Con
troller OF the Treasury department a large
number OF claims by the 1aborers, many OF
which, 1t Is believed, are fraudulent. YeSter-
District contractors, received notice from the
controller that certain claims had been flied
there by laborerS under him. Mr.. s. immedl-
ateiy went to the Treasury and found two
claims, one for $270 and another for SO.
both OF which he declares spurious, the services
purportfng to have been rendered over a year
before the contract under which it claimed to
nave been done was made. Mr.: Stafford thinks
there Is room for many false claims to be COLI
sidered and paid by COLLISION and otherwise.
between contractors and laborers.
ERRoNEOUsLY ISSUED TAX LIENS.
In relation to an application made by Mr.
Harvey Spalding for the refundIng of certain
money paid by him on sale OF property be.
longing to Gonzaga College FOR taxes erroneous
whom the matter was referred by the District
commissioners, in reply states: Il am re1uesf-
ed 10 prepare form OF drawback for erro-
neouSly issued tax liens, such that the paper
can be transferred by the holder to any party
purchasing, to apply TO delinquent taxes, as
per act OF February q, 1879 This act does no.
provide Tor the issue OF drawback certificate
Gut merely that the tax lien certificates shall
&c received In payment OF certain arrears OF
taxes. think the proper method OF disposinu
or SUCH cases Will be the following: UpoIl ne,
seDtation OF al application such as MIR SoaId.
ing's, the Commissioners will first decide
whether it is case coming within the statute.
II SO the tax lien certificate should then be pro-
duced, and an endorsement should be placed
thereon as follows: This certificate was e.
ToneousIy Issued, the properly named thereiu
being exempt from taxation. 1t will be re-
CelVed In payment OF any arrearages of taxes
prior 10 July 1St, 1877, except special improve
meDt taxes, In accordance with the act OF Con.
gress, approved February 27, 1872 This en-
dorsemenf, signed by the Commissioners and
attested by the seal Of the District, will be
authority to the collector to receive the certif1-
cate, In payment OF the arrearages provided
for by the act, from any one who is a bona ne
holder OF the same. Upon receipt OF such GER
tlDcafe by the collector, he should cancel them
and make proper record OF such payment and
cal collation.. In the case presented by MIR
Spaldlng 1t appears that portion OF the prOD-
erty was not exempt from taxation. and FOR
that portion the tax lien certificate is good
BUILDING PERMITS
Issued by Inspector EntwiSle: l.. F. Hunt
repair frame, 1881 st. NV; $500 L. Hine
Nnyr