The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-20

I We MES, ROSTERS crow, and canary birds
sing 10 the disturbance of some neighbor-
ing sleeper and in each case a policeman
is detailed TO make an investigation and
TO warn the owners of the animals that
they are disturbing the neighborhood and
that the noises made by them must cease
or a similar character are the noises
made by people in their sports or even
ing gatherings. However innocent may be
the motive of their loud conversation,
laughter. or music there is always some
one to object and to sit down and exhaust
the capabilities of the language telling
OF the horror of sleepless nights and nerve
racked bodies that suffer the pargs Of
1artarus when others laugh. talk. or sing
after bedtime Turkish bath-house, a
croquet ground. and a negro alley where
| nightly concerts are held have been the
cause of as many spirited epistles 10 the
Commissioners within the past few days
! The police will visit the places named and
do what they can to keep down the noises
complained Of but there will remain the
sensitive and the disgruntled 10 keep
things lively for their neighbors through
this and another summer, As boy once
I said IN very manly letter to the Com
I mssioners. IN which he described family
~ maiden ladies'. whose nervousness was
only eansled by their idlenees. They don't
Z want a hoy TO peep
Many BITTER complaints reach the Com
E fniFsioners from people who cry out loudly
( esaihsi the street sweeping machines. As
is we'll known these noisy machines pass
/ through h. streets ut the city az night
ana the Gin caused by them and the crcak-
{ ing carts which carry the Nth away not
ONLY awaken The peopls from their dreams,
4 bNt u th-lr statements are TO be believed.
Z destroy their rest FOR the night.
Letters 81 this character are referred TO
( the superintendent Of Street Cleaning,
NAo investigates and does what he can to
remove the cause of compliant. This IS
not much, FOR the evil cannot be cured
without doing away with the sweeping
machines, But such violations Of the rules
as the contractors are guilty of are brought
d 10 book and stopped.
3 or late there has been complaint of the
noises made by the garbage and ash men
in some of the alleys. These men are
said by the correspondents to belong to a
/ class who cannot endure the burdens OF
| life unless they are shouting to somebody
and making an unearthly CHATTER, as need
| less as it is annoying Upon receipt OF
each complaint the offending driver is
labored with and cautioned to restrain his
natural bent to make the ne ghborhood
hideous in which he happens TO be.
Trouble With the Taxes.
The payment of taxes is source OF
! much trouble to the people of the District,
as well as TO the Commissioners In the
multiplicity of accounts and the confusion
incident TO the payment of taxes by many
persons on certain days of tne year, 1t
comes to pass that mistakes are made
which have to be regulated afterward
through special order by the Commission
ers. The Tax Department is laborinE with
a superannuated method OF keeping books,
which it is hoped to remedy within few
months This method is chargeable with
much OF the trouble that has occurred over
tax accounts. Through these mistakes
property is sometimes advertised and sold
for taxes. mourning for the owner interest
and penalty on the supposed 1apsed tax
and extra charges for press notices.
But all the troubles with taxes do not
result from errors made by the Assessor s
clerks or those of the Collector. People
are themselves forgetful and at fault in
the matter. 1t is by no means rare oc-
currence for the same tax to be paid twice.
Ii IL once paid the receipt laid aside and
forgotten, and then day or so before the
time limit expires the tax Is paid again
Finally the owner of the property is con-
fronted with the two sax receipts and he
makes haste TO write to the Commission
eTs and stir up trouble to bring about a
refund of the duplicate amount paid.
Mistakes arising from ake improper
sending OF money sometimes occur, and
agents pay taxes without the fact being
made known to the owner of the property.
II is expected that the card system about
to be introduced in the Assessors Office
will eliminate many If not all of these
errors
In addition to mistakes made from year
to year now there are errors in the pay
ment of taxes dating back nearly quar-
ter Of a century, and the Commissioners
are often called upon to consider applica-
tons for a cancellation of penalty and in
terest on unpaid tax bills ten years old.
It all takes time, though, and frequently
an appeal to the Attorney for the District
tc set such things straight.
Another source OF complaint is the trees
which shade sidewalks and streets. and
which constitute one OF the attractions
Of this beautiful city. One complains
that the foliage hangs too low, not per
hitting the free passage of a pedestrian
with an umbrella spread over his head,
and he indignantly wants to know why
the Commissioners do not send around
one of the aids of Superintendent Lam
han TO trim the trees on Florida Avenue
or some one of the many streets extended /
Another complains of the dense shade
which shuts out the breeze on hot nights
and harbors mosquitoes. He would have
the popiars naples. and sycamcres laid
low to afford a free passage for the wind
and denude the city of its shade.
In other instances the Commissioners
find it necessary to remove a few trees
TO widen a street. and Immediately pro-
tests appear in every mail against the de-
struction OF the beautiful trees which
have for years adorned the square named.
And it is not only the people most in
terested who complain, but protests come
in from all parts of the city. inspired
by the sight OF the necessary work which
has been done.
In the Engineer Department.
But il is TO the Engineer Department
that the greatest number of complaints
are referred. This department has charge
OF the water works. the streets. and all
the construction OF public work. Its
duties cover a wide field, and consequent
Iy touch the people at many points.
The Potomac water is constant theme
Of denunciation by many people in Wash
ington. and correspondents Otep on writ
ing to the Commissioners Informing them
Of its muddy condition, just as If they
were not acquainted with it as II flows
yellow as the ancient 11ber into their own
bath tubs. There seems to be an idea
prevalent that the Commissioners are
clothed with authority or influence to rem
edy the condition of the water supply.
Such. however, IS not the case, as the
dam conduits, and most of the reservoirs
are the property of the United States and
are cared for by the War Department. IL
is also a fact that Colonel Miller. the Off
Ger in charge has inserted an eloquent
plea for filters in all his recent reports to
the Department. 1t would be about as et-