The times., 1901-04-06

intellectual and moral welfare of the
National CAPITAL. The sisters and teach
ers and all connected with the college
devote their lives to the work of educa
tion, and for this reason, as we'll as the
other, which YOU viii pardon me for men
uoning. that We are Il young and strug-
CLING institution, relying entirely upon
the generosity of the friends of higher
female education in America for the car
rNinS out of our splendid plan. / there
fore respectfully beg that you, honored
sir. will give us rebate on bill which,
unconsciousy 10 me, accumulated in
taxes to its present enormous proper
tions; and that YOU will see fit also, in
your sense of justice. to exempt fifteen
or twenty acres of our present tract OF
ground from taxes in the future
John H. Brinkman. Secretary of The
Central Labor Union, recently wrote to The
Commissioners in behalf Of the organiza-
tion. protesting against the employment
Of convict labor in the work Of improving
the City streets Mr.. Brinkman cited sew
eral instances in which the convicts of
the Washington Asylum Workhouse have
been employed in the manner indicated.
and he informed the Commissioners that
the Central Labor Union. in the interests
Of organized labor in the District, pro
tests against such competition in the labor
field He states that such labor should
be given to those citizens of the United
States. who abide by the laws of the Uni
ted States
The Commissioners yesterday, in reply
ing to the letter informed Mr.. Brinknan
that the work referred to in his letter is
being done by convict labor in pursuance
of the following clause in the District APP
preparation act approved by Congress
March I. 1861:
For purchase and repair OF cars, carts,
tools. or the hire of the same and horses
to he used by the inmates Of the Washing
ton Asylum in the work of grading and
pay of dump men needed to carry out the
work SS,0l0"
From the above" the Commissioners
say. ii can be readily seen that the ap-
propriation is rot available for the hire
Of labor except that of dump men, and
| the office is careful to secure other than
( convict labor for these positions. Not one
penny of any appropriation expended
under the supervision OF the COmmlSSloil-
ers, with the exception named ABOVE Is
paid out on account Of convict labor.
The work done by the chain gang -
( entirely over and above the work accomp-
ished under the appropriations provided
I by Congress. If their labor were not uu-
( lized. the work would simply go undone
Their employment does not diminish by
penny the funds available 10 pay IoI ldoot;
/ What they do is in addition 10 what Wouh
( be accomplished otherwise. II the service
| Of the chain gang were not unulized the
q
tools etc for their use would Simply
/ lapse the dumpmen would be deprived OF
( their positions, and the makers OF !he
! needed implements would lose SAFE winch
they would otherwise make.
The Commissioners are without author-
! Itv 10 use the appropriation in question IN
/ any manner other than the present one,
/ and If 1t IS not so used 1t viii simply
/ result in the expenditure OF that mucfl
! less money. the citizens being deprived oi
the improvements Whic, its use WouIu Sc
cure.
The Attorney for the District, Andrew
T. DuraH, yesterday submitted to the
Commissioners his opinion upon the com
munication of Albert Cary, President OF
the National Capital Brewing Company,
for the cancellation of the tax sale made
April. 1898, OF parts of lots rs and 179,
square 121o. and for leave to pay the taxes
for 1885 to 1899 inclusive. Upon the points
involved the Attorney says:
1t appears that there was an omission
I to assess these lots to Albert Cary and
Robert Portner trustees, TO whom it was
/ conveyed October Is, 1885, because the
/ transcript Of the deed was omitted from
the transfer book by the Recorder Of
! Deeds. The Assessor made a favorable
report upon the application, which was
/ approved by the Commissioners January
1 -. 1871. Thereafter, on February 9. 1891,
uDon the request OF ". II. ManOgue, at
/ toruey the matter was referred 20 me
I upon the suggestion that the Commits
! siouers were without authority to declare
the tax sale erroneous. iuasmuch rs the
period Of TWO years had expired after the
I lax sale and that the question would be
ruled by the decision of the Court OF APP
peals in a case then pending.
THE case alluded 20 was undoubtedly
( United States ex rel Bride VS.. Macfarland
- al. which was an application for man
damus. The question OF law being Wheth-
/ or the act of Congress in relation TO taxes
i and tax sales. approved February y. 1898
operated upon the tax sale Of April. 1898
The Court of Appeals, in its opinion
/ filed March - ls0l, held that the tax
sales Of April. lsyS, were subject 10 the
provisions of the act. Among the provl-
/ sions of the act was the following:
&c Section 8. That the said Commission
T erS shall not convey any property sold Tor
/ taxes If they shall discover, before the
/ Conyeyance that the sale was for any
/ cause invalid and Intellectual TO give title
I TO the property sold; but they shall can
eel the sale and cause the purchase mon
ey To Toe refunded TO the purchaser, his
I representatives or assigns.
The provisions Of this section are
4 therefore applicable to the sale of the
/ parts of lots l78 and l79. in square l2l0,
! and | am Of the opinion that the Commits
I sioners had authority TO cancel the sale ~
Charles A. Clements has forwarded to
the Commissioners a request for the
pound fee paid for the redemption of a
/ small brown Welsh terrier captured in
front OF his residence, 343 Florida Ave
nue. Mr. Clements states that the dog
had a tag on a short time before the
! capture. and he expressed the belief to
the Commissioners that the dog wore his
tag at the time he was captured. and that
it was pulled off in the struggle incident
to snarins him and putting him in the
wagon.
Samuel Einstein, the Poundmaster, in
reporting ON the matter has informed the
/ Commissioners that the dog in question
was captured near the northeast corner
of First Street and Florida Avenue north
west, while running at large without any
tag on.
| DR. William c. Woodward, forwarding
the report Of the Poundmaster 10 the
Commissioners, states that the dog was
captured about three squares from Mr..
Clements residence. instead Of i'm front
/ Of the same. DR.. Woodward stated fur
ther that the fact that the dog has lost
! two other tags before presented a strong
probability that il had lost the tag this
time. The Health officer is OF the opin-
ion that 10 permit q dog TO run at large
which is thus liable TO hay" tags stolen
from il Is q dctrimcHt TO the public in
that such tags serve TO protect unli-
| cenSed dogs. and thus To deprive the Dis
triCt Of its proper revenue. Instead.
beng AN excuse for the non-paymeut Of
the pound fee IL is. I'm the Health or
fcers Judgment. the more reason why
such should be paid. lie therefore rec
ommeuds that the request Doe not granted.
! The Commissioners have approved the
.. .#H# d. fa .