The Washington times., 1901-09-04
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT.
Produce Farmers Complain of the
EncrOachments of Hucksters.

Rights of the Former to Occupy
Curbs mt the Markets InfrinGed-
Additional Letters Regarding Pro
posed Nomenclature of Streets.
5. \. Johnson, suburban farmer who
sells his produce at the o Street market
has addressed a letter to Commissioner
MacFarland, complaining of the encroach-
ment Of the hucksters upon the rights of
the produce raisers and asking that the
evil be remediod. The letter is as follows:
LAS truck gardener living in the sub
urbs, raising vegetables for my support,
beg leave to call your attention to the
fact that for nearly twelve years ] have
been attending the Street market and
very often it has been impossible for me
to get place on the curb or street to
ways understood, belong to the country
people.
1T seems that the hucksters, who for
merly paid licenses to buy and sell on the
streets according to law, are now bring
ing their stuff to this market and taking
the place which the country people, ac-
cording to law, should occupy, and throw
us who raise our produce out of the places
flood the market with their bought-up
stun. for which they paid licenses for
some two or three years to sell. They
were driven from this market last sum-
mer by officer Tumble and several of
them were arrested and gave collateral
for their appearance, but they never ap-
peared in court. and they are yet coming
to this market, just the same. and en-
couraging others to do likewise, when, ac-
cording to law, they should and ought to
pay taxes for so doing.
THE market is nearly controlled by
these violators of the law, who take and
occupy the places belonging to the country
people. They have stands at the Centre
Market and from there they come to the
o Street market.
1T seems very strange to me, indeed,
why the market master should charge
some of the pee ie 10 cents and others 10
cents, especial on Saturday. The huck-
sters who were driven away from this
market last summer are well known to
the market master
''As | have given you some of the lead
ing facts in this matter / trust you may
have il investigated and broken up, ana
that the law may be carried out and JUS
tice done to all.
The validity of the law governing the
assessment of personal property in the
District of Columbia is soon to be tested
pared by a well known attorney. acting
for three wealthy clients in the northwest
section, who will contest the privilege of
the assessor to tax their personal prop
erty.
The District Assessor, H. H Darneilie,
in letter to the Commissioners, dated
June L, stated that, in his opinion, the
law could not be enforced, owing to the
nf ha I'd Of
Assessors. as provided for under the act
of Congress of March 3. 1871 and June
II, 1873. had been abolished. Under this
law persons taxed were given the right
of appeal.
With the abolishment of two of the
members Of the Board of Assessors, by
the old Board of Commissioners, the orig
inal intention of the act OF Congress was
distorted. Mr.. Darneille is now the only
member of the board. He makes the
sessments. and, in consequence, there can
be no appeal from his decision.
In accordance with the request of the
Assessor. the Attorney for the District, A.
Il. Duvall recently rendered an opinion
in which he held that the law could be
enforced. The Commissioners, according
ly, ordered Mr.. Darneille to proceed with
the enforcement of the law, which, until
now. has been dead letter since 1873.
The Assessor is now making his assess
mcnts. Several days ago he was advised
by a local attorney that a test case to
establish the validity of the assessment
would be made. Mr.. Darneille is under
stood to be anxious for the case to be
taken into the courts, where, he is said to
believe. the law will be decided to be
non-enforcible.
Donald Mcpherson has written the
Commissioners protesting AGAINST the
plan of street nomenclature proposed for
the streets of the suburbs. Mr.. McPher-
son says:
Regarding the naming or remaining of
the streets of the city of Washington or
District of Columbia, permit me to offer
some suggestions which to some extent
constitutes my ideas respecting the same,
though not charged with any responsible
ity in the matter. ] am of the opinion
that in many respects there should be a
change from the present miscellaneous
and disagreeably incongruous manner to
a system of appropriate and agreeable
harmony.
First, in ali north and south streets
extension of the existing numbered
streets of the city, such numbers should
be retained. Respecting the east and
west streets, north of w Street or in
some instances Florida Avenue. no doubt
an alphabetical system should be employ
ed, which as far as possible should be
eSttIlutu DptD east ana west
TO the limits of the District But for this
system the names of persons or individu-
ais should not be employed except. per-
haps to a limited extent. Generally the
names of natural objects or scenery
should be employed. Euphonious and
agreeable names can be selected-names
which from their nature and character
will furnish appropriate, agreeable, and
sentiment"
Mr.. Mcpherson continues at some
length to give details of his plan of hay
ing the streets named after natural OBJ
jects
B. II. Warner has written the Commis-
sioners regarding the remaining of School
Street. Il understand" Mr.. Warner says,
that it is contemplated changing the
name of School Street to Fourteenth
Street Place. / would suggest that this
street be named Fifteenth Street as 1t
naturally falls in as a. continuation of
that street"
John Franklin Crowell, of 21i4 Street
northwest. protests against the proposed
change of the names OF streets within the
original city limits Nr. Crowell says:
Il trust that you may see the advisa-
bility of not changing the long establish
ed nomenclature of streets running east
and west within tbs original city limits.
Whatever changes may be deemed neces-
sary beyond the boundary should in my
opinion he considered as separate
problem entirely.
Acting Engineer Commissioner New
conner has approved the recommendation
for the construction of one catch basin
at the northeast corner of Erie Street and
Champlain Avenue. and one at the north |
cast corner of Erie Street and Ontario |
Avenue.