Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-01-11
Commissioners and Chairman McMil-
Ian Discuss Local Improvements.
EFFECT OF PROPOSED UNION STATION
Changes involved in Execution Of
Plans.
THE PERSONAL TAX LAW

Senator Mcmillan. chairman of the COM
mittee on the District of Columbia, had a
conference today with Commissioners Mac
farland, Ross and Biddle. The meeting was
merely for the exchange of opinion regard
ing projects under consideration for the i'm
provement of the District.
Mr. Mcmillan informed the Commissioners
of the action of the Senate committee yes
terday in coming 10 a conclusion that the
best interests of the District would be
served by the immediate opening of 10th
street. This was merely in the form of an
opinion on the part of the committee.
The Proposed Union Station.
The subject of the new railway bill in
troduced in the Senate by Mr.. Mcmillan
was taken up. and the Commissioners were
asked to furnish 10 the Senate committee
as soon as possible an estimate of cost that
would be involved by the change of grades,
injury TO property and otherwise because
of the location of the union station on
Massachusetts, avenue. Senator Mcmillan
is anxious to secure at early day
possible a detailed statement showing ex-
actly the effect of the plan presented in
the bill he has presented on property sur
rounding the new railroad station site Mr..
Brown, the engineer of the Pennsylvania
railroad has already indicated his willing
ness to agree TO a lowering of the grade
of Massachusetts, avenue from that estab-
lshed by him in his project. so that there
will be less injury to surrounding property
and less difficulty in arranging grades of
streets leading to the depot.
But the committee desires to have an ac-
curate statement of the changes in grade
that will take place and the effect of these
charges on property in the neighborhood
of the depot. and the Commissioners will,
as rapidly as possible. secure this data for
submission to the committee In addition
to the expense involved in the change of
e i,dr ,.-f1l r. H..
count of the opening of several new
streets.
Changes Involved.
The union station will take the direction
of Delaware avenue. a line through its cen
ter running lengthwise being practically
in the middle of what is at present Della
ware avenue north of Massachusetts ave
nue.. The depot itself being 500 feet wide
Will set north of Nassac chusetts avenue
giving additional width at that point On
each side of the depot there will be road
way running to the northeast and taking
the place of the thoroughfare now pro-
Flded by Delaware avenue. Other short
streets will be cut in order to have Z
street both east and west of the depot
turn directly toward the station and there
VIII also be a new street running from the
new depot site to the present situation of
the baltimore and Ohio railroad taking
the line of the tracks of that road These
openings Will involve certain changes of
grade and expense in securing the prop
erty, all of which will be reported upon in
detail by the District Commissioners.
Personal Tax.
The subject of a personal tax law in the
District Of Columbia was also taken up,
and in general way Senator Mcmillan ex-
planned to the committee his idea of what
ought to be accomplished in the matter of
personal tax as well as in relation to the
Prr Of
real estate is simply that inequalities should
be avoided in the future, and that there
should be an increase in the assessment of
property that is very apparently under
assessed. These Inequalities. it is said.
exist most largely in the case of ground
heId for speculative purposes and unim-
proved Mr. Mcmillan desires to have the
same methods that are applied TO imDrOy ed
city property for arriving at the value of
land applied TO land held in the suburbs
for speculative purposes. Any inequalities
that exist also in the city he desires to
have corrected so that the owner of a
small house will pay no more in proportion
20 the value of his property than the owner
of & residence worth fifty or a hundred
thousand dollars
Chairman McMilIan's Views
He went into the question of a personal
tax law also. holding that the fact that
the former personal tax law of the District
having been determined to be invalid, there
snouId De another personal tax law to take
its place. In a general way he explained
his idea that visible property should be
reached by means of this personal tax law
So tnat household effects, carriages horses
&c, in excess of the minimum of perhaps
$500 should be assessed for taxation. This
is done in other cities and he sees no rea-
son why It should not be done here. The
tax Will also include tax on corporations
such as banking Institutions, but he has
not yet entirely decided as to the exact
nature Of corporations that should be ex-
empted- The street railroads paying a
real estate tax and 4 per cent on their
gross earnings he does not regard as prop-
erly subject TO a further tax.
The conference lasted about one hour at
the conclusion of which the Commissioners
said they would furnish desired informa-
tlon as soon as possible. They received
the steam railroad bill only this morning
so that up to the present time they have
not made great progress in determining the
desirabiiity of all its features.
Consideration of Local Estimates
The District Commissioners win resume
Monday the consideration of the estimates
for the District for the next fiscal wear
before the House subcommittee of the an
propriations committee having charge of
the District bill.