The morning times., 1896-07-17
FOR SAVING THE REVENUES
Action Under the Law Author
izlng Reassessmenis.
y e.
Defects in the Law Corrected by q
Recent MISUNDERSTANDING and
Must BE Amended Within Thirty
Days--EIectric Street Lighting.

The Commissioners will today give the
first hearing under the law, enacted at
the last session Of Congress, empowering
them to reassess property gpon which the
original assessment has been for any
reason declared 10 be involved.
The assessments covered by this law were
for various Improvements made, for which
the property benefited was liable for
it's proportion OF the expense, but which,
upon technical points raised were quashed
by the courts.
This law took effect April "a last,
and all subsequent assessments thus an
nulled, whether for water muins, sewer
age, sidewalks, paving, or any other form
OF improvement, may be reassessed If the
order Of reassessInent be issued within
ninety days from the date Of the courts
decree of annuiment.
This provision does not prevent the
quashing Of assessments, but 1t enables the
Commissioners Eventually to collect the
tax and avoid a loss in the revenues.
Taken altogether, the faulty assessments
set aside by the courts III the past few
years have cost the District 100000
or 100000.
BASIS OF ACTION.
The pleas upon Which the cases were
decided varied, but were often based upon
4 faulty description OF the property. and
in the case of August Burgdorr the assess
ment for water ma ins was not made by the
official which 1t was claimed the law
recornized-the water registrar. There
was in fact no such officer, and the defect
had TO be remedied by the designation Of
John j. Beall as such, he being then and
still is the chief OF the water department.
The enactment of the measure became
necessity, and at the urgent solicitation Of
the Commissioners Congress passed 1t.
The appeal to the Commissioners OF the
North Capital and lexington Citizens
Association for better schedule on the
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway has
proved to be potent. The president Of the
company was notified yesterday that on
or before the expiration OF thirty dn VS. the
cars must be run on a five minutes sched-
ule, between Z and a. m. and 4 and 8
p. IN. on both the North Capitol street
route and on the trolley line to Brookland.
SHELTER CALLED FOR
1t is also suggested that some adequate
shelter be provided for waiting passengers
at Boundary, in accordance with the request
of the delegation that called on Wednesday.
After the Commissioners had taken action,
not only as to the schedule but in the
matter inquired OF by Attorney General
Harmon, as noted in The Evening Times,
the company's time table was received
by the Engineer Commissioner. 1t calls
for the running OF cars at intervals Of
ten minutes. and this is exactly what the
board says will not be approved.
The thirty days will expire August 15,
prior to which it is presumed the company
will comply with the order.
The issue between the people and the
company has become quite prominent Of
late. 1t was the subject of correspondence
between Attorney General Harmon and
District Attorney Brney; between both
these officials and the District COmmisson-
ers, and between the Citizens Associa-
the occasion OF several interviews and mum
erous appeals on the part OF the people.
ELECTRIC STREET LIGHTING
A prediction ma de by The Times Of sew
eral days since that the Potomac Electric
Power Company will get the award Of con-
tract for furnishing the arc street lamps
under its bid submitted June 90, seems in
a fair way OF fulfillment.
The company claiIps the contract as the
only bidder, while the United States Com
paDy officials contest the point upon the
recognized by Congress and the courts as
having any right to 1t.
The Potomac Company is insisting upon
the fulfillment of the terms Of the adver-
tisemeDt made for bids, and contend that
the United States Company is out Of the
race by its own act in refusing to submit
proposal, and the Commissioners are be-
lieved to have that view also.