The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 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 BrightwOOd ANcnue-The
definition of the Word ''Strcct.'

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-
bic for several months. For a 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
ficultieS are even greater, for the terri
tory is cut up with several short streets
lying between Sixth and First streets,
which converge somewhat, and In the ter
ritory around Howard University and the
new reservoir the assigning of the right
numbers to the houses is puzzle.
The matter has been considered chiefly
at the instance of J. r. Metcalf, who,
some time ago. filed with the Commission
ers a protest against a change in the
number of his house at the northeast or-
ner of Florida Avenue and Fourth Street.
There has been a difference of opinion
between the Office of the Building In
spector and W. L. Richards, Assistant
Engineer, as to whether the 100 NUMBERS
or the 500 numbers should begin on the
west eide of Brightwood Avenue This
of course. would affect the numbering on
the east side of the avenue, particularly
above SteubeH Street. where the numbers
break at a point between Brightwood
Avenue and Warder Street, and end at
the boundary of the grounds of the Sol
diers' Home.
H. 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 10 his colleagues. and it is understood
they will concur in the decision.
Tarleton II. Bean, of 1916 Nineteenth
Street northwest, has written the Com
missioners requesting that he lie relieved
from paying interest and penslties on the
tax for 1890, and water maii, assessment
against lot 1873, Uniontown. assessed to
Laurette H. Bean. He asks also that
the tax sale Of the property in April,
1900. be Cancelled.
in his letter to the Commissioners Mr..
Bean states that he has learned acct
dentally and with surprise that the prop
erty described. belonging to his wife,
Laurette H Bean, was sold for taxes
April 19 1890, and that 1t il again adVer-
tised for sale for another assessment of
the water main tax, concerning which Mr..
Bean says he or his agent knew nothing.
He states that his agent has called for
tax bills from time to time and has paid
the taxes. He supposed that all had been
paid. Mr.. Bean states that he never re-
ceived any notice OF the assessment. He
also calls attention to the fact that the
property is assessed in the name of Lu-
cretia ii. Bean, and for that reason he
supposes no one took any notice OF the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AoT the 5stlt pI Nlt prop
erty.
Ii. II. Darneille. the Assessor, in CON
sidering the application. has Informed the
Commissioners Of the facts that the as
sessments and taxes stated are due
and that the property was sold for taxes
He says further that il is claimed that
both the owner and the agent failed 10
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 TO find the owner. and that he left
the notice on stone on the lot. Mr.. Oar
nellie states that ii is evident the owner
did not receive notice by service, accord
ing to law, and he says 1t 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 instalIment of the
water main tax be declared erroneous.
and the tax for all installments be re-
ceived upon tender of the principal
The Collector of Taxes in passing uDou
the application offered the same recon-
incubation, adding that the amount adj
vanced by a. 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.