The Washington times., 1902-09-04
REAL ESTATE MEN ASK
CHANGES In TAX SALES
Requests Made Through Sec.
retary John E. Mitchell.
Note of Irredeemable Sales Wanted on
Certificates, and Property Adver-
tised in Owners Name.

| The District Commissioners recently
received a long communication from
Mr.. John E. Mitchell. secretary OF the
Washington Real Estate Exchange.
making certain requests relative TO tax
sales. tax deeds. and the issue of tax
certificates These requests are SINH
lar to those made in communication
from the same source in letter Of
July TO- and Mr. Mitchelrs letter is in
:eply to the report of the Assessor rem
dered at that time. The matters sug-
gested are contained in the following
propositions:
That tax sales. whether redeemable
or iiredeemable, he reported on tax GER
tificates.
That prior to the execution of deeds
the intention to issue such a deed be
sent to the owners of the property af
fected.
THAT property be advertised for sale
for taxes in the name OF the owner of
record
Report of Mr.. Darneille.
Mr.. H. II. Darneille. the Assessor. to
whom the letter had been referred. by
the Commissioners, reports as follows.
in part: 4
Full information concerning tax sales
is OF record in the Office of the Recorder
of Deeds. as required by law. which rec
ord is consulted by title companies and
others having use for such information.
The title companies, to which at least
- per cent of the tax certificates are
issued have signified their satisfaction
with the custom of not reporting fire.
deemable tax sales.
although there is no requirement
that redeemable sales should be cited
on tax certificates. this is done for the
accommodation of the public. as such
citation is comparativef. an easy mat
ter. In citing irrcdeemable sales, how
ever, it would be necessary in the ma
jority of cases to trace the area of the
property back for many years, in order
to ascertain whether there are outstand-
ing sales on the ground out of which it
originally came.
Work Took Too Much Time.
when it was the practice to report
irredeemable sales this work took al
least one-third of the time expended in
preparing such certificates, and was
found to be cumbersome and of so little
utility. that it was discontinued by order
of the Commissioners.
1T is self-evident that the furnishing
of this information from the records OF
the Office. in the isolated cases in which
it is desired, would take vastly less
time than 10 undertake TO make these
searches in the case of every certificate
issued"
TUT ming to the second request OF the
exchange, Mr.. Darneiile says that it is
the policy OF his office to send notice
TO owners before issuing tax deeds |
against their property whenever it is |
possible to locate them.
Residents Outside District.
He says the practice was inaugurated
some time ago. and that every avail
able means is used to secure the ad- |
dresses of owners OF such property for
t1e purpose of sending out notices. Con- |
siderable property is owned by per-
sons living outside of the District. /
whose naIfas are not in the directory. |
and who's, whereabouts are not OBJ
tainable. These, the Assessor says.
hey cannot reach.
In regard to the third request, Mr..
Darneille states that it is. and has been.
the practice 10 advertise property for
sale for taxes in the name of the owner
Of record, except where property which
is transferred after the beginning of the
tax year is carried on the ledgers both
in the name of the owner of record and
The owner Immediately proceeding him,
and is so advertised.
The report of the Assessor has been
approved and the Real Estate Exchange
rill he advised accordingIy