The times., 1901-03-23
AFFAIRS OF The DISTRICT
Difficulty of Numbering Houses
North of Florida Avenue.
The Question whether the 700
Square Shall Begin ON the west
side of BriGhtyyood AYcnue-The
DeGnition OF the Word street

side of BriEht,yOod ANcnue-Ihe
ueGnition of the Word street
The difficult question of deciding upon
the house numbers above Florida Avenue
between lie Droit Avenue and Thirteenth
street. has been giving the office of the
INSPECTOR of Buildings and the assistants
TO the Engineer Commissioner some trou-
bIe for several months. For q long time
there have been complaints about the
numbering of the houses in that locality.
and the Department has been studying
the matter with view to the evolution
Of a plan which would satisfy all inter
ests concerned.
The great difficulty is that the streets
above Florida Avenue do not, for the
most part, conform to the lines of the
streets in the city Brightwood Avenue,
Sherman Avenue, and Eleventh street
are the long thoroughfares running
northward, but the lines of the other
streets do not conform to the direction
of Brightwood Avenue, so that the num-
bers on the cross streets are sometimes
conflicting and even confusing. On the
east side of Brightwood Avenue the diff
fculties are even greater for the terri
tory is cut up with several short streets
living between Sixth and First Streets,
which converge somewhat, and in the ter
ritory around Howard University and the
new reservoir the assigning of the rght
numbers to the houses is puzzle.
The matter has been considered chiefly
at the instance of J. r Metcaif' who,
some time ago, filed with the Commission
ers a protest against 81 change IN the
number of his house at the northeast cor
ner of Florida Avenue and Fourth Street.
! There has been a difference of opinion
| between the office of the Building In
! spector and w. I. Richards, Assistant
| Engineer. as to whether the 200 numbers
| or the 500 numbers should begin on the
| west side of Brghtwood Avenue. This
| of course would affect the numbering on
the east side of the avenue, particularly
above Steuben Street where the numbers
break at point between Brightwood
Avenue and Warder Street and end at
the boundary of the grounds of the Sol
diers Home.
IL. c. Newcomer. Assistant TO the En-
eineer Commissioner, has recommended
that the plan OF numbering, which places
the 700 numbers on the west side OF
Brightwood Avenue, is the better, all
things considered as. it conforms more
closely with the existing house numbers
and would. in the natural order of things
involve less changes and less complaint
on the part of the public
This recommendation the Engineer
Commissioner has approved and forward
ed 20 his colleagues, and it Is understood
they viii concur in the decision
Tarleton H. Bean. Of leis Nineteenth
Street northwest has written the Com
missioners requesting that he be- relieved
from paying interest and peualties ON the
tax FOR 1850 and water main assessor 'it
against lot 138. Uuiont0wu. assessed 20
Iaurette r. Bean IEs asks also that
tle tax sale az the property iu April.
$500. be Cancelled.
Iu his letter 500 the Commissioners Sir.
Bean states that he hss learned aeci-
dsutaIly and with surprise that the prop
sriy described, belonging 10 his wife.
laurette A. Bean was sold for taxes
Aarii T. fs1a. and that to is again adver-
tls.-l for sale FOR another assessment OF
the water main tax. concerning which Mr..
Bean says he or his agent knew nothing.
Die states that his agent has called for
tax bills from time 20 time and has paid
the taxes. lie supposed that all had been
uaid MIR Bean states that he never re-
CeiEed any notice OF the assessment. He
also calls attention To the fact that the
property h. assessed In the name OF Lu-
Cretia II. Bean, and for that reason he
supposes no one took any notice Of the
announcements for the sale of the prop
eTty.
H. IL Darneille. the Assessor. in con-
sidering the application. has Informed the
Commissioners Of the facts that the
sessments and taxes as stated due
and that the property was sold for taxes.
He says further that il is claimed that
both the owner and the agent failed to
receive notice Of this assessment. and that
they had no knowledge of when II was
made The Assessor informs the Com
missioners that the records of the water
main office show that the inspector was
unable 10 find the owner. and that ne left
the notice on stone on the lot Mr.. Dar-
nellie states that il is evident the owner
did not receive notice by service accord
ing to law, and he says II may be as
sumed that his failure TO pay the assess
ment in question was on account OF the
defective service, and that the owner is
entitled to relief. IN view of all the facts
in the case the Assessor recommends that
the sale of the third iustalment of the
water main tax be declared erroneous
and the tax for all instaIimentS be re-
ceived upon tender Of the principal.
The Collector of Taxes in passing upon
the application offered the same recon-
mendation, adding that the amount ad-
vanced by 4. l.. Richards. the purchaser
at the sale, be returned To him with in
terest according to law.
The Commissioners have referred the
matter to their Attorney for his consid-
Grafton and opinion.