Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-11
TAKOMA TOWN COUNCIL
REPORT OF THE TREAsURER
SUBMITTED AND APPROVED.
Adverse Report on Applications for
Tax Exemption-Street Numbers
and Residence Numbers.

meeting of the town council of Takoma
Park, Md, was held last evening at 8
| o'clock in the chapel Of the Takoma Pres
| byterian Church. Mayor w. G. Plat pre-
| sided. with the following councilmen pres
| emit: E. E. Blodgett, John Hansen. ]. B.
Derrick, w. w. Dyar. L. r. Grabill and
Town Clerk Ben G. Davis
| The report of the town treasurer for the
month OF August was submitted and ap-
| proved by the council. 1t showed receipts
| during the month follows: General taxes.
| 1921 "a: special taxes, cement walks, $50. II;
water rent. 40; permits, $500; plumbers
deposits, 1880; interest on deposits, $24.14.
which. with the balance on hand from last
| report Of So AGO. AZ. made a total of $434.68.
| The disbursements during the same period
| were as follows: Pumping plant. $361O;
water works, rs cents; sewer system, $14.4O;
street work, $1O431; street lighting, $2755;
general expenses. $47OO; interest on bond.
| $500; salaries, $1,000, making total of
$S94.01. leaving a balance on hand of 3d.
O51.Oa
| Action was taken by the council last even
| ing with reference to the recent request of
Mr.. l. H. Evans. treasurer of the general
conference committee, Seventh Day Ad-
ventists, that the school property embraced
| in block 81 be exempt from taxation. when
| 1t approved the report submitted by the
| judiciary committee composed of Council
men Dydr, hansen ana CIraDlll.
The council was informed that the county
| commissioners recently decided that block
| 81, now owned by the Washington Hospi-
| tai Association and washington Training
| and county taxation. Mr.. Evans inquired
| whether the property should not also be
exempt from municipal taxation.
Committees Report.
| The committee in its report stated that
| the mayor and council have been advised
that the statutory exemptions under which
| the county authorities act do not, In all
| probability, apply to municipal taxation
| in Takoma Park whose system of revenue
and taxation is provided for under the
terms Of its own charter. But. entirely
aside from the legal question the mayor
and council feel that the hospital associa-
ton and the training school should not now
claim exemption for this property. By the
agreement Of May II. 1904. between
Takoma Park and the Washington SAM
| tarium Association the mayor and council
undertook to remove the sewer farm, to
provide sewer and water facilities for the
sanitarium and school. to supply the sani-
torium during a period of five years, free
of charge, to the amount of 100000 gallons
of water per month. and to any additional
amount required at rate of seven cents
per one thousand gallons. and to supply
the schools for five years with water at
the rate of seven cents per one thousand
gallons (seven cents per one thousand gal
Ions being in fact less than one-half the
actual cost to the town Of furnishing said
water).
Continuing, the report said:
1.-THE Sanitarium Association. on its part,
agreed to establish building costing not
less than $5O,0OO, to pay to the town the
sum of s.. 200 and to do certain other things
not of Importance in this communication.
In carrying out its part OF this agreement
pended about $1,000 over and above the
81, 200 received and is still burdened with
the obligation of furnishing large amount
of water at a fraction Of the cost thereof
Original Understanding.
Now 1t is perfectly obvious that the real
consideration which was the basis of the
assumption by the town of these great
burdens was the expected Increase in the
value of taxable property TO result from
the erection Of the sanitarium and school.
So far as can now be learned 1t did not &C.
cur to any one concerned in the negotia-
tons leading up to this agreement that this
property would be exempt by law from tax
alton. That no such contingency was con-
templated satisfactorily appears from the
fact that after the agreement was made
the town assessors proceeded to assess the
property for taxation, the tax was levied
thereon and has been paid for two success
Sive years without protest at any stage of
the proceedings.
For the foregoing reasons the mayor
and council feel that this property should
| not be exampt from taxation; and that, on
| further consideration, the Sanitarium AS
| ISOLATION and Training School will with
draw their request for exemption at least
until the expiration of the five years con-
tract above referred to-"
The clerk was requested to forward a
copy of the report to Mr.. Evans.
The subject of public dumping grounds
| was taken up by the council and the pub
| lie will be notified that dumping ground
| has been located at the foot of Grant ave-
| nue., entering from Carroll avenue. Per-
mission has been secured from the owner
| of the property and signs will be erected
granting permission at the established
point.
| Repairs to Streets.
| The report Of Chairman Blodgett of the
street committee was submitted and ap-
proved by the council. He reported repairs
| to the streets and cutters as follows: New
| York avenue. from Chicago to Takoma ave-
nue.; Takoma avenue. from Philadelphia to
Chestnut avenue: Tulip, from Holly to Car
roll avenue: Laurel. Carroll, Baltimore.
| Sycamore to aCrroll avenue; Willow, Pine
| Montgomery. Columbia. Hickory and Syca-
more avenues. He reported the streets in
| excellent shape. despite the heavy rains
| which have washed out a number of streets
but which can easily be repaired
The street committee. at the request of
quire into the cost o; equipping the vasious
avenues and streets with suitable signs
designating the streets throughout the park
The council adopted thirteen rules of
order to be pursued by the council at Its
| meetings. as submitted by the judiciary
committee.
The advisability of numbering the resi-
dences in Takoma Park was deciLed upon
large map, drawn by Town Clerk Ben
G. Davis, was submitted. containing the
| numbers for the houses in the park The
| numbering Is continuation of the same
| method as adopted by the District Com
miSSonerS, pI oviding for that portion of
Takoma Park lying within the District
Mr.. Davis allowed one number to every
fifty feet of ground. and where over that
| amount. two numbers were allowed to every
lot. The work was recently completed by
the District authorities, a uniform style Of
metal numbers being adopted on the Dis
trict side.
Estimates Called For.