Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17
THE DEEDS WITHHELD
OWNERS TO PAY ARREARAaEs.
Effort Of the officials to Favor Delin-
quents-Expiration Of Six
Per Cent Law.

terday, the District Commissioners say
they have complied with the request OF the
board in Its resolution on the subject, and
that deeds will be withheld from delivery
until the 25th Of this month. They say pub
lie notice Of such delay has already been
given through the daily newspapers of the
city and through personal notices mailed to
owners Of property upon which arrears Of
taxes are due. Continuing, the Commission
ers state:
"In connection with this matter, however,
the Commissioners desire to present GER
tain facts which, they are sure, will tend to
correct some Misunderstanding which now
seems to exist In the first place, the law
Of February Is. 1898, was enacted by Con,
gress to rid the tax books OF accumulated
arrears by authorizing the Commissioners
to sell at public or private sale all property
in arrears which had been bid in by the
District at previous tax sales. Until this
act was passed the District had kept upon
Its books all property bid in by 1t, q fact
which enabled owners Of property, II they
so desired. to evade payment of taxes until
able. In fact this evasion Of the tax pay
ment had become so obnoxious to Congress
that new order of things was established,
the Commissioners being directed to part
with the property thus held. The law pro-
vided either public or private sale, and
while advertisement of applications for
deeds was directed no appropriation for
such advertisement was made.
Opportunity to Pay Arrearages.
"In order that ample opportunity might
be afforded these delinquents to clear their
properties Of tax arrears written notice
was mailed to each one stating that the
property would be sold If payment was not
made within a specified time. This notice,
dated June 15. 1901, and attached to each
tax bill OF property in arrears, was as fol-
lows: Under act of Congress approved
February %. 1893. entitled IAN act in rela-
ton to taxes and tax sales in the District
Of Columbia" this property will be adver
tised and sold, If not paid within ten days
from date, to Elizabeth J. Watson of Ro-
chester, N. Y. who has made application
for the sale Of this property In accordance
with law above mentioned. After advertis-
ing for thirty days deed will be granted
thereon
''Some time after this, application having
been made for deeds upon a large part of
the property in arrears. second notice was
sent to owners Of property affected. This
second notice stated that tax deed has
been applied for, under an act Of Congress
approved February %, 1898, on the prop
erty, and in order to give ample opportuni
ty for the settlement of the unpaid taxes
for which the deed is requested ten days
will be allowed from the date of notice.
Unless the taxes are paid before that time
to the collector of taxes District Of Column
bia, the deed will be granted.
NO sales were made because of some I'M
certainty as to the intent Of certain Ian
guage in the act and because the District
did not wish to take lasty action. In tie
meantime other considerations were shown
to the delinquents. When tax bills for the
fiscal year 1901 were prepared each bill
representing property which was in arrears
for other taxes was stamped with a notice
to that effect, thus bringing such arrears
prominently to the attention Of each proper
ty owner.
Congress Takes Action.
'In addition to this, at the urgent request
Of the District Commissioners, and to give
property owners another opportunity to pay
up these taxes, Congress passed law, ap-
proved February Is, 1902, permitting pay
ments Of arrears due prior to the year 1900
at per cent interest in lieu of the usual
interest and penalties, provided SUCH pay
ments were made before the end Of the cal
endar year 1902 Congress, however. still
insisted that the tax books must be cleared
Of deinquencies, and re-enacted, with
amendments, the law Of 1898, the new law.
bearing date. Of July 1. 1902. One of these
amendments has an important bearing upon
the present situation. The law Of 1898,
after directing the public or private sale Of
the property and the Issuance of the deed,
read as follows:
1TOVlu0U uOWcteF, 10 SuC1 QooQ
shall be issued until all assessments. taxes,
costs and charges due the District, of what
soever nature, shall have been paid In full,
and that before the deed Is issued, here
inbefore mentioned, notice shall be pub
lished three times In two daily newspapers
published in the District that a deed has
been applied for, and ...at unless the owner
comes forward within thirty days from date
of said notice and pays al. arrears of taxes,
general and special, then due, the deeu win
be issued in accordance with the provisions
of this act; and provided, also,' etc.
when the re-enactment of this law was
before Congress the Commissioners In writ
ing asked for the retention of the above pro-
vision concerning advertisement, but such
was the temper of Congress that the re-
quest was refused When the new law was
passed the proviso ended at the words paid
in FULL as follows: Provided, however that
no such deed shall be issued until all as
sessments, taxes. costs and charges due the
District of whatsoever nature. shall have
been paid in full; and provided also, ETC.
1T will thus be seen that Congress DELHI
erately and purposely omitted all provision
for public advertisement of applications for
deeds. apparently reasoning that no further
consideration should be shown delinduent
taxpayers. ,.-.
No Attempt to Enforce.
''The Commissioners did not, however, at
tempt to enforce this law Of July 1. 1902.
until the per cent law had expired, a
taxpayers might be fully aware of the obli-
cation imposed upon the authorities third
notice was prepared during the summer of
1902 concerning arrears Of taxes upon which
deeds might be based. This notice was sent
to all property owners except in cases
where it was impossible to obtain their adj
dresses. That these notices were largely
effective is shown by the fact that they
brought nearly 100000 of arrears Of taxes
into the District treasury.
There had been published in the daily
papers at various times lengthy news items
explaining the status Of affairs, but In order
that there might be no. question Of ample
publicity, an advertisement was inserted for
three times in each of the Washington daily
newspapers, announcing that the sale OF
property in arrears would take place on
January 5. 1903. This was not required by
law, but was deemed wise and proper
"As soon as the law began to be enforced,
however. it appeared that many property
/ owners were unquestionably innocent Of
any desire to avoid payment of taxes, but
that, for various reasons. they were ignor-
ant of the fact that they were in arrears
notwithstanding the persistent efforts which
had been made to acquaint them Herewith
These cases appealed to the Commissioners
as deserving Of every consideration, and