The Washington herald., 1909-11-12

Auditor Alonzo Tweedale. Under oIr.
, Vests administration a new system 0t
notification OF all persons whose prop
erty IS in arrears for taxes has been per
/ fectad.
Persons whose property has been sold
for taxes are now notified before the deed
has passed into the hands OF purchasers.
Mr.. West took deep interest ia the
/ consolidation OF the six judicial districts
into the court OF the municipal govern
ment. Before this was done great con
/ fusion was caused by the system which
gave judges in the several courts jurs-
diCtiOn only over cases arising in their
/ separate districts
/ The new budget system. as proposed
I by Auditor Tweedale. has received Mr..
Vests hearty approval and support.
( This system aims 10 classify all OF the
! functions Of the District under their
proper headings. and these headings have
/ been so arranged that eleven OF them
/ represent the entire business Of the Dis
trict
Interested I'm Reforms.
During NIr Vests administration the
beautiful marble building in Pennsyl-
vania avenue. the present seat OF the
District government. was completed and
! occupied. Other important works were
1 the erection Of the tuberculosis hospital
/ the enactment Of the child-labor law.
and the abolition Of race track gambling.
in all Of which Mr. West took great IN
terest
During the seven years OF his admins
tratiou. there has been "a steady increase
in the amount OF revenues collected
Mr.. West was appointed 10 hu the va
cency caused by the death Of John ".
Ross, and Il was announced at the White
House October Is. 1902. He took up his
duties three DAYS later. He was con
frmed by the Senate for his second ap-
pointment February I, 1895, and on the
third anniversary OF that date his uomi-
was confirmed.
When the District electric railway COM
mission was appointed by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, about q year and
half ago. Commissioner West was made
a member OF II. and about a year ago be
came its chairman. That commission has
supervision, under the general authority
of the Federal commission. Of the local
street railways.
Mr. West was recently elected presi-
dent Of the Columbia Country Club, re-
organized from the Columbia Golf Club.
Of which he was az one time the chief
executive. He is president OF the Father
Stafford Memorial Association. an ex-
president Of the Gridiron Club. and has
held other positions of prominence in
many local clubs and organizations.
A Trained Newspaper Nnu.
Before his appointment as District Com
missioner Mr.. West was a newspaper
man and magazine writer Of wide-known
reputation. lie is practically the product
OF local institutions. having spent most u
his life in the National Capital His
father was Robert A. West. editor-in-
chief Of the New York Commercial Ad-
vertiser Mr.. West was born az Staten
Island. y. Y. August %. 1853 His father
came 70 Washington during the civil war
TO become an editorial writer on Forney's
Chronicle, but he died soon after settling
here Mr. Vests first connection with a
newspaper was in the office OF the
Georgetown Courier. edited ay John u.
McGnl, where. at 8 per weeL. he made
fires. swept out the Office, and gathered
news for four years
He soon became the Georgetown cor
respondent Of the Washington Union. and
was in its employ when that paper was
purchased by the washington Post re
continued with the Post until his au-
pointment 10 the Commissiorership. be-
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