Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-28
Dl STRICT AFFAIRS
The Question Of Postponing Tax Pay
msnts Again Discussed.
Many Items Of Interest From the Com
. License-Mfscellaneo Items.

SCISSOR Trimble regarding the payment Of
taxes MIR. Jerome J. johnson writes to the
Commissioners today as follows:
venture to suggest that favorable &C.
ton should be taken on the part OF the
commissioners looking toward the adop-
ton by Congress Of the recent plan set
forth by the assessor. having for it's object
tne reiief of the taxpayer And in connec-
tion with such a change those taxpayers In
arrears. whether on account of general or
special taxes. should be given an opportu-
hity 10 cancel such arrearages With inter-
est at per cent per annum in lieu Of &C
cr6eo nnes, penalties, &c. Such authority
was granted by Congress upon the recon-
menoation of the Commissioners several
years ago. and 1 believe that the plan
proved exceedingly gratifying both to the
taxpayer and the District authorities.
~ large amount of money was paid into
inc cohers OF the District on account of
SUCH arrearages. A large number of tax
payers regard this penalty of 2 per cent
per month as both pernicious and onerous
In my opinion II should he aholised alto-
gether. for it works a great hardship es
pecially TO small and modest tax PAYERS the
desirable element in every orderly communi-
ty In fact regard such penalties SO much a
burden that they must inevitably tend i'm
their enforcement to the virtual confisca
ton of the small properties of a large num-
Der of the industrious classes of our citi-
zens. 1 am in hopes that should time per
mit You will ask Congress to authorize
you to allow a settlement of all arrearaRes
Of whatever nature as above indicated"
A sharp Protest.
Some days ago Messrs. Griffin and Mer-
rill called the attention of the Commits
sioners to an obstruction on eth street at
its intersection with Florida avenue, in the
shape of a pile of paving stones As is
customary, a card acknowledging the re-
ceipt of the letter and stating that the
Commissioners would give the matter their
consideration was sent to the writers. To-
day the following spicy letter from Messrs
Griffin and Merrill was received in reply
thereto:
Referring to your reply that our letter
had been received and the subject matter
would be duly considered We nave respect
fully to inform You that while you are duly
considering this obstruction to 9TH street
at Florida avenue somebody is liable to be
killed by the pile of paving stones left in
the middle of the street.
I'VE have heretofore always been reluc-
tant 10 believe that this was a rich man 6
government and always supposed that the
laws for public safety Were enforced Impair
TALLY against all violators, be they rich or
poor.
The same criticism applies to sections
or tnas fair city as well. Had a pile of
paving stones been left for a week undis-
tuTDtu at lnt corner OF l5tn street and
Pennsylvania avenue and tracks torn up
without stroke of repair work being done
your inspectors would have been around
lively. Now We claim the right TO a small
amount of protection in this lonely section
even though it be In or near Helfs bot
tom.
Seventh street at this point is a thor
oughfare for the entrance of nearly all the
farmers teams bringing country produce
from Montgomery county along the 18th
street pike. These incoming teams and the
se1 r~t,
street and Florida avenue, the only inlet
for this section, causing a great incon-
venience.
Now to have this point unnecessarily
INSTRUCTED for weeks at a time by piles OF
paving stones and the car tracks torn UT
!all work of repairs thereon being aban-
donedl to put II mildly is something Of an
imposition. Further. as business men in
this section We protest against four stree,
car tracks being placed on this crowded
street unless some relief be given TO traffic
for ingress and egress to the city over other
streets.
Disorderly Crowds.
A number Of the property owners. resi-
dents, and business men on 7th street he
tween and o streets. together with those
on the north side OF y street. and the soltt
side Of o street between 9Th and It'll streets
northwest. combined In a petition TO the
Commissioners today, complaining that tn,
colored people living in the alleys on tn,
Aforesaid square behave in a manner UNI
becoming ana DOlSterOuS, both day aid
night, and use the most profane and loud
language calculated to intimidate respecta
BILE citizens.
On Saturday nights particularly, the De
ution sets forth. they become intoxicated
and keep the residents and business mer
whereabouts IN state of fear and alarm
II Is also stated that the locality in Ques
ton is made a general lettering place or
Saturday nights and taken possession OF
by crowd of Intoxicated persons. The
rules governing the sale of liquor, It IL
q tat ted a M ~ nod ND .
pray that the matter receive immediate at
tention.
An Opinion Rendered.
The assistant attorney for the District
Mr.. A. b. Duvall holds in an opinion e
the Commissioners today that they hav,
ing persons engaged in electrical work, a.
proposed by the Association of Fire Under
writers Of this city some time ago.
Making Gasoline.
Several complaints have been received by
the Commissioners to the effect that 9
gasometer for the manufacture OF gasoline
was being constructed on the premises ~
New Jersey avenue, and that IL was danger
Gus. The fire marshal and the lieutenant
of police in that precinct made a report or
the case The fire marshal stated in hi.
report that the fumes from the gasolin,
are very strong and in his opinion ex
tremely dangerous on account OF the In
fismmable nature of the fluid.
The matter was sent to the attorney
for the District with the request that n.
inform the Commissioners what cours,
should be taken to enforce the removal o,
this source OF danger. IL IL exists, in viola
ton Of any law or regulation, or what re
strictions for public security the authori
ties can now place upon its maintenance
the Commissioners that he is OF the opinion
that a permit was required to make IN,
change by excavating, converting R stabl.
into a gas generating room within the fir,
limits. He finds no regula ton which covers
the case. but thinks IL is clearly within tn,
power OF the Commissioners to regulate tn,
quantity well the conditions for tn,
use Of gasoline for Industrial and othel
purposes.
A Waits Mission Convention.
The Commissioners today received a cir
cular letter from Superintendent T. i
Daniels of the Chicago Waits Mission anS
Training School. calling attention TO a con
vention which will be held in Chicago com
mencing october IL of practical men to dis
cuss and promote practical measures fol
the betterment of the condition of news
boys and street waits. This movement th'
letter states. is heartily Endorsed by Mayor
Harrison. the chief of police and ex-State.
Attorney Longenecker. The Commission
ers are requested to send a delegate famil
lar with the work and in general and II
full sympathy with the movement to keel
such boys out of jail and give them practi
cal training necessary to obtain a fair star
in the world. II is suggested that an invi
tation be extended to any OF the prominen
citizens who have risen from newsbo,
ranks.
Want the Case Reopened.
Rankers brokars LAWYERS preachers rem