The times., 1899-03-11
THE DELINQUENT TAX LIST.
An Outrageous Proceeding on the
Part of the Commissioners b!
Which the District Is Mulctcd In
the sun, of Sn5OD.

Which the District Is Muictcd In
the Sum of S2.a00.
OFrom the Evening Times March 1A)
The Times desires to call the attention
of the taxpayers of Washington to pro-
ceedng on the part of the Commissioners
uf the District which has for its object the
practical presentation OF S2.5OO of the peo-
pies money to the proprietors of the Eve
ming Star and the Washington Post.
The facts follow:
On Monday, the 9Th inst, The Times re-
ceived the following communication:
Executive Office,
Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia.
Washington, u. C., March 6, lSjo
To the Proprietor Of The Times:
SiT-Scaed proposals will he received by the
Commissioners OF the District Of Columbia until
10 o'clock noon OF the sth instant to publish
tine delinquent tax list of slid District twice a
week for three successive weeks. required by
law. Bids should he marked '.Proposal to Pub
lish the Tax List and addressed to the sccrc-
tary OF the Board of Commissioners of said Dis
trict. The law requires that this advertisement
shall be published in two more daily news,
amount available to pay for said advertisement
is about Si,7Oo. Very respectfully.
W. TiNDALI Secretary.
The Times, through its business man
ager, Immediately responded as follows:
The Times,
Washington March :, 1899.
To the Honorable Commissioners OF the District
of Columbia:
sirs-we propose to publish the annual delin-
quent tax sale list in The Morning or Evening
Times. twice a week for three weeks. as re-
qured by law, for Sl,+9S45; or will publish the
tax list in both the morning and evening edi-
tions OF The Times for s2l99.IJ.
Very respectfully,
THE TIMES COMPANY.
ow. p LEECH Business Manager.
The bids were opened at the time and
place indicated and were found to be as
follows:
The Times for Morning or Evening cdi-
ton HIS ~
The Times for Morning and Evening edi-
tions NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ,lDJ 40
W. A. Hungerford. for Evening star and
W Washington Post OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 4''O w
Neither the "Star" nor the post made
an individual bid and there remained
nothing for the Commissioners to do but
award the contract to The Times. its bid
of 81, 1879 being 81 25OO.25 below that sub
mitted by the agent of the other local pa
pers. They did, however. nothing of the
kind. For reasons, which we hope to
give them every opportunity to explain to
the public, they summarily rejected all
the bids and directed The secretary of the
board to address The Times the following
communications:
Executive Office,
Commissioners of the District OF Columbia,
Washington, March 5, 1899.
To The Times Company:
GentlemeE-ln the form IN which the bids to
advertise the delinquent tax list were received,
the Commissioners unable to reach a de-
cision, and feel compelled to reject all the bids
which were submitted TO them, and to request
that new bids be submitted for said advertise
ment not later than IL O'Clock Friday
the 10th instant. Very respectfully,
W. TINDALL, Secretary.
1t will be observed that there is no claim
that The Times bid was irregular in form.
1t was simply too low. The Post" and
the Star were out of the running They
must be given another chance.
The Times reply to this amazing docu-
ment follows:
The Times,
Washington. d. C.. March ., 1880.
To the Secretary OF the Board OF Commissioners
Of the District Of Columbia.
Sir: We acknowledge the receipt OF your let
ter Of March s, 1899, which follows:
Executive Office
Commissioners of the District OF Columbia,
W ashinStci, March eilSJJ
''To The Times Company:
''Gentlemen-In the form in which the bids
TO advertise the delinquent tax list were re-
ccved, the Commissioners unable to reach
a decision, and feel compelled to reject all the
bids which were submitted to them, and to re-
quest that new bids be submitted for said adver-
tiscment not later than II o'clock Friday,
the 10th instant. Very Tespeetiully,
''W. TINDALL, SccretIry.'
On March 6. 1880. The Times received the fol-
lowing communication:
Executive Office.
"Commissioncrs OF the District OF Columbia
Washington March 6, 1899.
ITO the Proprietor of The Times:
'Sir-Sealed proposals will be received by the
Commissioners OF the District OF Columbia until
u O'Clock noon of the sth instant, TO publish
the delinquent tax list OF said District twice i
week for three successive weeks as required by
law Bids should be marked Proposal to Pub
li,l the Tax List and addressed 10 tie sccre-
tary OF the Board Of Commissioners Of said Dis
trict The law requires that this advertisement
shall be published in two more daily news
papers in the city Of Washington. The total
amount available to pay for said advertisement
is about SI.1OU. Very respectfully,
Nv. TINDAlL. Secretary"
and in accordance herewith submitted the fol.
| lowing proposal:
| 'Washngton, II. G. March ;. 1890
ITO the honorable Commissioners Of the District
Of Columbia:
| ''Sirs: We propose To publish the Annual De
| linquent tax sale list in the Morning or Even
| ing Times twice a week for three weeks. Is re-
q,Iired by law for 81 l9Sl9; or will publish the
! tax list in both the Morning and Evening cdi-
| tiOns Of The Times for -. 1870
| Very respectfully,