Evening star., 1902-01-20
L CAL LEGISLATION
BILL TO COMPEL PAYMENT OF
DELINQUENT TAXES.
Favorable Report on Amendment to
the Code in Reference to the
JurieS.

The problem of collecting delinquent
taxes in the District of Columbia was dis
cussed at length today by the judiciary
subcommittee of the House District COM
mittee, of which Mr.. Jenkins is chairman.
Assessor Darneille and Attorney for the
District Duvall were before the committee
and the conference resulted in their being
instructed to draft a bill providing that II
owners of real estate fail to pay their taxes
that the property should be advertised for
sale; that any one Offering to pay the en-
tire amount of taxes due should receive a
certificate, which, If not redeemed WITHIN
two years, the owner of the certihcate
shall receive deed to the premises; also
that the District of Columbia shall stand
on the same ground any other purchaser,
to the end that if there should be no pur-
chaser the District shall become the owner
of the properly. The Commissioners are to
be given power to sell either certihcate
at it's face value and accrued interest or at
the expiration of two years to take a deco
of the property and then at any time there
after TO sell the property at sum to be
fixed by the Commissioners, but which shall
not be less than the entire amount of taxes,
costs, interest and charges.
Assessor Darneille stated to the subcom-
mittee that at the present time there was
S3JOOOO due the District in arrearages of
taxes 1t is believed that the proposed
dra astic measure will bring delinquent tax
payers to time.
Code Amendment as to Juries.
Favorable action was also taken by the
subcommittee on an amendment to the Dis
trict code, which was introduced in the
House Saturday by Mr.. Jenkins
The amendment provides that as soon as
it is approved, the clerk of the Supreme
Court of the District shall proceed to draw
he hox ha ny,,n, nf tHy.
three persons to serve grand jurors In
the criminal courts, whose term of service
shall terminate on the Monday preceding
the first Tuesday of April, 1902 At the
same time the clerk shall draw the names
of twenty-siX persons for service as Jurors
in the Police Court of the District of Co
lumba and to certify the same to the said
Police Court. and the term of service of
said jurors so drawn shall terminate on the
last Saturday of the January, 1902, jury
term of said Police Court. All provisions of
the act of Congress approved March 3, 1901,
entitled An act to establish a code Of law
for the District of Columbia relating to the
grand jury and the police court juries shall
apply respectively to the juries drawn I'M
der the provisions hereof"
Sec. 2. That section 1910 of the aforesaid
act be, and the same is hereby, amended by
adding to said section the following:
Nor shall the provisions of chapter 60
of this code nor any other provisions there
of in any manner affect the term, tenure or
compensation of any person filling any Of
flee or appointment under laws existing
prior to its passage, but such persons shall
continue in the exercise of the duties cf
such office. according to their respective
commissions and appointments, except as is
otherwise provided in said code"
Sec. 3. That the joint resolution to amend
an-act entitled IAN act to establish a code
of law for the District of Columbia" ap-
proved January 8, 1902, be, and the same
is hereby, repealed.