The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-03

But he attacked the genuineness of the
signatures upon the petition of owners of
property in the confronting squares. 1t
was shown that out of twenty signers of
the petition sixteen lived in other parts
of the city. Only two of all the signers
in square 203 live there. and he said that
property owners living elsewhere were
willing to impose this market upon the
people who are residents on Fourteenth
Street and the vicinity.
Considerable discussion followed with
reference to the genuineness of the sigma
lures presented, and it was shown that
several Of them were copied from one
petition to another, but that all had been
at one time genuine. 1t was shown that
several had withdrawn and this left the
petitioners without the necessary sigma
lures to attain their ends.
At one point in the discussion Commits
sioner Ross asked that it be made part
of the record that the question before the
Board was the genuineness of the sigma
lures and whether they were a majority
Of the property holders.
Charles II. Turner. in closing the argu-
ment for the market company, put the
matter on broad grounds, saying that
there was always a hardship and pro-
test against all sorts of public improve
ment. He mentioned street cars, digging
for gas mains and water pipes He said
il was not the intention of the company
to wreck homes or to destroy property
values. Their aim was to establish a pub
lie convenience, and to establish a pay
ing and permanent business in furnishing
the people with food and the neceSSarieS
OF life. He informed the Commissioners
that the rights Of the minority represent
ed in the protest were as worthy OF con-
sideration as those of the people who pro-
test. He said that the company was only
carving 0Ilr its right TO Dulin q s If wished
on its own property.
After the arguments had been present
ed, Commissioner Macfarland stated in
behalf of the Board that the matter would
be taken into consideration as soon as
possible, and that the principals in the
controversy would be officially informed
Of the decision Of the Board.
The new system of collecting taxes
went into operation on Wednesday and
was also tried yesterday. Owing to the
newness of the method there was a little
friction in several instances, but on the
whole the plan works well. Assessor
II. II. Darneille. in speaking of the mat
ter yesterday, stated that it had started
Off quite as well as he expected, and he
expressed the opinion that the public
would be better satisfied with the new
than with the old plan after it lad be-
come accustomed to it.
on Wednesday morning a long table
containing several compartments stood in
the Office Of the Collector Of Taxes. In
these compartments were the bills Of
every piece Of taxable property in the
District made out to their owners and
arranged in alphabetical order. Four
clerks from the Assessors office had
charge OF this table. As the first tax
payer approached the window at O'Clock
his bill was promptly found by one Of
the clerks and passed up to the receiving
clerk. In this manner the payment Of
taxes proceeded through the day and at
night about $4,000 had been received and
receipted for at the window. The waiting
line was cleared by 10 O'Clock, and IN the
was true yesterday and none had to wait
more than a few minutes while the bill
was being found. receipted. and presented